Downtown parking meter demand in a border metropolitan economy

Abstract

Prior research establishes that the price of parking in the city centre often impacts the decision to travel downtown and the mode of transportation utilized. Other factors that influence the decision to drive and park downtown have received less attention. This study uses time series data to analyse the demand for metered parking spaces in El Paso, Texas, USA. In addition to meter rates, the determinants of demand include personal income, gasoline prices and the price of a substitute good, parking garage spaces. Because international bridges connect downtown El Paso to neighbouring Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico, the impacts of trans-boundary traffic flows, bridge tolls and other cross-border economic variables are also included as potential determinants of metered parking demand. Results indicate that parking meter rates, other transportation-related costs, and economic conditions in both countries affect meter use.

Keywords:

• parking meter demand
• border economics
• applied econometrics

JEL Classification:

• R41
• M21

Acknowledgements

Helpful comments and suggestions were provided by Holt Grambling and Santiago Ibarreche. Econometric research assistance was provided by Alex Ceballos and Juan Cárdenas.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by El Paso Water Utilities; Hunt Communities; City of El Paso Office of Management & Budget; the James Foundation Scholarship Fund; the UTEP Center for the Study of Western Hemispheric Trade and the Hunt Institute for Global Competitiveness at UTEP.