Vienna, Austria--The Austrian capital has become the latest of the major European cities, most of them located in the German-speaking countries, that have installed real-time digital parking information signboards.
When complete, the Vienna system will include 80 digital signboards with digitally updated numbers of downtown parking spaces in covered garages that greet motorists as they come off the autobahn and head toward the inner city.
The red message boards are attention-getters. They show the real-time availability of parking spaces and directions to the 18 parking garages in the central business district, as well as subway information.
The $2 million system is expected to reduce some elements of downtown traffic congestion caused by motorists in search of parking spaces.
Fritz Svihalek, in charge of the city's traffic department, said, "Drivers who act like they are in a trance in their search for a parking space, who lose concentration and are constantly slowing down and stepping on the brake, pose a threat to themselves and fellow traffic participants."
The new real-time system, he said, is to increase traffic safety and to lower congestion in the historic heart of the city, much of which has been converted to one-way traffic and pedestrian uses. All of Vienna currently has 130 parking garages with space for about 40,000 vehicles.
Cologne, Germany, a city of 850,000, was the first to opt for a fully automated computerized parking system in the early 1990s. It directs motorists peeling off from the autobahn to some 8,500 parking spaces in 31 covered parking garages.
Before entering the inner city, drivers are confronted by a series of message boards ahead of all key intersections that not only direct them to the respective parking areas, but also show exactly how many spaces are currently available in each. The figures are updated every minute.
When the number of available spaces in a specific parking garage falls below 10 percent, the number flashes in green. When they fall to just 10 or fewer vacant spaces, the number is shown in red, and when fully occupied a "full" sign lights up and motorists are directed to an alternate location.
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