Update on Setting a Parking
Pricing Strategy for Ferry
Terminals
City Council
October 1, 2024
ITEM INSERT# 6-A
2 Why Paid Parking at Ferry Terminals
City Policy Requires Paid Parking at Ferries
3 Plans calling for paid parking at ferry terminals:
• Strategic Plan (2023)
• General Plan (2021)
• Transportation Choices Plan (2018)
• Alameda Point Transportation Management Plan (2014)
Ferry Ridership Increasing
4 Harbor
Bay
Seaplane
Lagoon
Oakland &
Alameda
(Main St)
Total ridership July 2023 17,345 23,998 79,069
Total ridership July 2024 23,160 31,935 80,651
% change +34% +33% +2%
Ferry Ridership Increases from July 2023 to July 2024
Parking Lots Filling Up
Percent of Parking Spaces Full, August 2024:
• Harbor Bay: 97%
• Seaplane Lagoon: 89%
• Main St: 21%
Busiest Observed Day, August 21:
• Harbor Bay: 99%
• Seaplane Lagoon: 100%+
• Main St: 24%
5 Rider and SF Bay Ferry Desire for Security
6 • Rider reports of car break-ins and thefts
• Paid parking will subsidize security presence at ferry terminals • Without revenue source, increased security is cost-prohibitive
7 Ferry Terminal Parking Pricing
Strategy
Weekday Paid Parking at SPL & HB
• Introduce M-F paid parking at Seaplane Lagoon
& Harbor Bay
– Commuter-oriented service
– High parking occupancy
• Maintain free parking at Main St
– Evening, weekend service
– Low parking occupancy
8 Alameda Municipal Code 12-4.5:
Public Works Director sets parking
rates within allowed range,
consistent with the goal of achieving
85% parking occupancy goal.
Strategy 1: Baseline Rate
Goal 1: Reduce commute hour drive alone trips
Strategy 1: Set a competitive baseline rate
• $3/day
• $0.75/hour
9 Nearby Transit Lot Daily Rate
BART Fruitvale, Lake Merritt, & Coliseum $3.55
BART West Oakland $13.75
Caltrain system-wide $5.50
AC Transit Richmond Parkway Transit
Center $3.00
Golden Gate Ferry (Larkspur) $2.00
Vallejo Ferry $8.00
Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) $3.00
Free parking:
• Jack London Square ferry
• Richmond Ferry Terminal
Trip Cost Comparison with $3 Parking
Daily Round-Trip Costs from
Alameda to Downtown San
Francisco
(Figures include car/bicycle ownership, gas)
10 $9.40 $9.40 $10.40
$14.33 $15.08
$22.00
$41.08
Walk to
ferry
Transit to
ferry
Bike to
ferry
Drive to
BART
Drive to
ferry
Drive to SF
(free
parking)
Drive to SF
(paid
parking)
Strategy 2: Demand-Based Pricing
11 Goal 2: Maintain parking availability
Strategy 2: Demand-based pricing
• Price rises when parking spots are too full
• Price decreases when spots are too empty
• Rate changes are incremental, infrequent,
and with 2+ weeks advance public notice
Alameda plans/policies calling for
demand-based parking pricing
• General Plan (2021)
• AMC 12-4.5
• Transportation Choices Plan (2018)
• 85% parking occupancy goal (2014)
Seaplane & Harbor Bay Parking Pricing
Rate
type
Min. Max* Price reduction threshold Price increase threshold Maximum frequency of
price changes
Daily $3/day $7/day Price decreases $1.00 when
occupancy is 60% or lower
after last morning ferry (but
not below $3.00 minimum)
Price increases $1.00 when
occupancy is 90% or higher
after last morning ferry (up
to given maximum)
Quarterly
Hourly $0.75/
hour
$2.50/
hour
Set price based on daily rate, so that 4 hours at hourly rate equals the daily rate.
Quarterly
12* Maximum rate without a needs-based low-income daily parking pass. 13 (SPL) (HB)
WETA 2022 On-Board Passenger Survey
Payment & Communication
14 PAYMENT OPTIONS
• Remote/after boarding: app, text, browser, phone call • In person/before boarding: pay station
• Payment tied to license plate
COMMUNICATIONS
• Flyers on vehicles
• On-board communications
• Press release
• Social media posts
Managing Spillover & Providing Shoreline Access
Seaplane Lagoon
• Add time-limited parking at Seaplane Lagoon Promenade shared use plaza • In ferry lot, add time limits to spaces marked for shoreline access • Monitor area parking occupancies and implement other time-limited parking as needed
Harbor Bay
• Enforcement of existing Residential Parking Permit area • Mark spaces for shoreline access with time limits
15 Staff Recommendation
Receive an Update on Setting a
Parking Pricing Strategy for Ferry
Terminals
16