El Monte selects Cleverciti to improve parking

  • May 10, 2021
  • Steve Rogerson

The city of El Monte in California has selected German company Cleverciti’s smart parking guidance system to improve parking efficiency for local shopping and public transit access.

Cleverciti specialises in technology for smart parking. El Monte, a suburb of Los Angeles, will provide downtown commuters and visitors with its parking guidance to help support the local economy, reduce emissions and lower total vehicle distance travelled.

The technology will be deployed at El Monte’s Main Street and MetroLink parking lots, two of the most heavily trafficked and congested areas of the city. Once installed, the smart parking will offer motorists digital turn-by-turn signage to nearly 400 parking spaces. Additionally, a city-branded Cleverciti  Guidance app will be available for mobile convenience.

The installation should make it easier for locals and visitors to access and support the local shopping district by finding parking easily, and encourage ridership on Metrolink by attracting commuters with real-time parking availability and train ridership level updates.

“The pandemic-induced work-from-home mandate gave southern Californians a glimpse of what cleaner air and less traffic congestion could do for the climate and quality of life,” said Alma Martinez, city manager of El Monte. “We are leveraging game-changing technologies like Cleverciti to create new commuting habits and lifestyle choices for people without them feeling like they are compromising convenience or safety. With Cleverciti, we are confident we will rewrite the commuter and local driver experience for the better and help everyone reduce vehicle miles travelled.”

As motorists approach El Monte’s Metrolink and Main Street lots, they will be greeted by Cleverciti Circ 360LED signs affixed to existing lamp posts and displaying live parking information in 360 degrees, directing motorists to available parking. Sensors detect availability of each individual space and provide precise data and guidance to available spaces. The smart parking system is designed to increase revenue for local businesses, reduce congestion and improve space turnover.

Residents and newcomers to El Monte will enjoy streamlined access to parking spaces in the downtown Main Street lot. Access to restaurants, retail shops and more – which face challenges competing with online shopping, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic – will become easier to visit.

Commuters who have struggled in the past to find parking spaces at the Metrolink lot before boarding a train should experience more confidence in their transportation choice. Cleverciti and El Monte say they have removed the barriers to boarding the train. The turnkey offering to finding parking, coupled with Metrolink’s tool “How full is my train?”, will provide commuters a clear line of sight from their origin to the lot. By taking the train, both entities hope people will reduce their vehicle distance travelled, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and lower traffic congestion.

“We look forward to working with the city of El Monte in supporting small- and medium-sized businesses with a mindset equally devoted to environmental sustainability,” said Joe Survance, senior vice president at Cleverciti. “It is encouraging to see this California city take a proactive approach to reducing traffic congestion and improving parking availability, both of which have a tremendous impact on quality of life and quality of climate.”

The project began in March and will be completed in July.

With more than 200 installations in 20 countries globally, Cleverciti seeks to help organisations reduce traffic and emissions and increase revenue while allowing drivers to enjoy a smooth, stress-free parking experience. The company is headquartered in Munich, Germany, with offices in Atlanta and the UK.