Impact of On-Street Parking Space Placement on Through Traffic

Abstract. On-street parking significantly impacts urban traffic flow. Existing research has primarily focused on pricing policies as a method to mitigate the congestion caused by parking. However, the specific influence of spatial parking configurations on through traffic remains underexplored. This study investigates how the placement of on-street parking spaces affects through traffic, using microscopic simulation to analyse travel time disruptions across a range of scenarios. A simulated urban road network serves as the test environment, allowing for systematic variations in traffic and parking demand at all the potential parking locations. Results indicate that certain parking locations cause significant disruptions to through traffic, with increased delays correlating with higher through and local traffic volumes. Notably, spillover effects from cruising for parking cause delays even at locations away from primary through traffic routes. In contrast, some parking locations near throughways had minimal impact due to available alternative routes. These findings highlight that parking placement impacts are shaped by the interaction of traffic flow and parking demand rather than proximity alone. The results underscore the need for strategic parking placement in urban areas to minimize disruptions to through traffic, suggesting that parking management strategies could reduce adverse impacts on urban mobility.