Wayfinding Technology:The Hidden Value of Parker Appeal

Presented By:

Kathryn Hebert, Norwalk (CT) Parking Authority

Robert Brengman, Corbin Design

Wayfinding Technology: The Hidden Value of Parker Appeal

Branding City’s Public Parking

Where Are We?

Norwalk Facts

• 6th largest city in the state of Connecticut

• Population of approximately 86,000

• Home to Fortune 500 companies and thriving small

businesses

• Diverse population and transportation system

The Challenges

Little Importance to City Hall

• Line item in the Norwalk Department of Public Works

• City deposited any revenue collections into the general

fund

• Enforcement almost non-existent as a result of political

pressures; little or no compliance

The Challenges

A business that had yet to be run like a business

• No systems in place; No economies of scale; No

compliance

• The facilities suffered from negligent maintenance

• No operational controls

The Challenges

Paradigm of Paid Parking

• For Public

- Surrounding smaller suburbs where most

parking is

free, taxpayer subsidized

- Misconception that Parking Authority is taxpayer

funded

• For Business Community

- Parking is the enemy and a downtown “killer”

The Solutions

The Solutions: Two-Fold Approach

• Apply business concepts to manage public parking

assets

• Improve perception of public parking through

rebranding and strategic marketing

The Solutions

Research to confirm perception, highlight

issues

• Two Audiences:

- Norwalk residents

- Local business owners/managers

• Unfavorable Opinions

• Two biggest issues for both audiences:

- Not enough parking

- Paying for parking, the perception that parking

was “free”

Wayfinding Technology: The Hidden Value of Parker Appeal

Community Outreach Initiatives

Wayfinding Technology: The Hidden Value of Parker Appeal

Community Partnering

Wayfinding Technology: The Hidden Value of Parker Appeal

New Initiatives

Quality of Life

• Expand parking asset usage and re-purposing parking

facilities for community

• Leverage new technologies for parking convenience

• Increasing partnerships with developers, property

owners, business community

The Many Faces of Norwalk Parking