University of Iowa Parking and Transportation Master Plan

Walker was selected to assess and make recommendations to the University of Iowa’s parking and transportation systems. This project entailed a comprehensive review of the Parking and Transportation Department, including stakeholder input, parking supply and demand projections, financial analysis and projections, organizational assessment, transportation demand management (TDM) assessment, curb management and smart mobility assessments, alternatives analysis, and recommendations on all aspects.

Walker’s experience in working with higher education institutions provided a foundation for the recommendations that could enhance revenues while providing a more predictable and enjoyable experience for users of the transportation system. The result of the study is a plan, designed to facilitate not only parking, but movement to, from, and around campus for pedestrians, cyclists, transit riders, and motorists, now and into the future—in ways that are environmentally and financially sustainable.

Both University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics and the football stadium are located in the heart of campus, adding to the demand and congestion on a busy campus. Walker identified that hundreds of users were on waitlists, and have been for years, to gain access to their favorite parking location, creating false hopes and adding to user frustrations.

Walker recommends the full integration of license plate recognition (LPR) technology, which may allow for staff to flex where they park depending on the time of day and day of the week. Walker’s financial assessment
indicates that there would likely be substantial opportunities to expand and enhance TDM programs.

The University’s Transportation Department is able to see a plan forward that meets its goals of financial and environmental sustainability. The judicious replacement of parking structures that have reached the ends of their useful lives means the campus will not enter a period of strain to the transportation system.