Smartphone app aimed at easing parking frustration in Scottsdale
May 4, 2018, 4:15 AM
(Facebook/Parker by Streetline)
(Facebook/Parker by Streetline)
PHOENIX — The frustration of driving around Old Town Scottsdale trying to find a parking space may be short lived.
The city is close to rolling out a phone application that is designed to help drivers find open parking spaces in the northeast portion of Old Town.
The smartphone app, Parker, will direct drivers where to park in certain areas of Old Town, meaning no more driving around in the heat looking for a space.
More than 800 sensors are now embedded in parking spaces in the area.
“It will know where they are looking for a vacant parking space and the phone will direct them to the closest available parking space, “ said Paul Basha, the transportation director with the city of Scottsdale.
Basha said businesses will like the new app.
“People who would otherwise leave the area and not shop now know they can park and they will park and they will shop there,“ Basha said.
Basha said the Parker app could be expanded to other areas of Scottsdale if it is successfully tested.
“If the experiment is successful, we’ll release another request for proposal and extend the service,” Basha said.
Scottsdale city officials said the parking app will allow visitors to reduce the time it takes to find a parking space and at the same time ease congestion in Old Town Scottsdale.
Parker will be officially rolled out in June.
