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Norwalk Launches New App To Find Open Parking Spaces

NORWALK, Conn. – Norwalk became the first city in the state to offer an app to help drivers find available parking spaces with the launch of Parker on Tuesday.

Norwalk Parking Authority Chairman Julius Hayward, along with Executive Director Kathryn Hebert, Mayor Harry Rilling, Streetline CEO Zia Yusuf, and Chamber of Commerce President Ed Musante, announce the new Parker app for Norwalk lots.

Norwalk Parking Authority Chairman Julius Hayward, along with Executive Director Kathryn Hebert, Mayor Harry Rilling, Streetline CEO Zia Yusuf, and Chamber of Commerce President Ed Musante, announce the new Parker app for Norwalk lots.

Photo Credit: Casey Donahue

The Parker app offers real-time information about how many parking spaces are available in the Yankee Doodle garage; the Haviland, North Water Street and Webster lots; as well as some on-street metered parking.

Wireless sensors are embedded into each parking space to detect whether a car is parked there, and streams the information to the app, which users can download for free on their smartphones.

“Parking is the first and last impression, and the Parking Authority strives to make this an easy, convenient experience. We do not want people driving around in circles, looking for that perfect, elusive parking spot,” said Kathryn Hebert, executive director of the Norwalk Parking Authority. “We want people to find parking easily and quickly and get to their destinations and enjoy themselves.”

“We do have a walkable city, but people do still use their cars to get here,” said Mayor Harry Rilling. “So if we can get them out of their car, onto the street and in businesses more quickly, it’s a win-win for everybody.”

The app was launched by the Norwalk Parking Authority as part of a pilot program with CASE Parking and Streetline. CASE Parking collects occupancy data from lots and garages, and Streetline has outfitted on-street parking spaces with the sensors. Both streams of data are fed into the Parker app. The app provides directions to drivers to let them know where to go to find parking. It also provides parking occupancy information to businesses, as well as to the city.

“For the Parking Authority, the technology provides important analytics. With this information we will be able to intimately understand parking patterns in the city, allowing us to make better parking policy and management decisions,” said Julius Hayward, chairman of the Norwalk Parking Authority.

Zia Yusuf, Streetline president and chief executive officer, said that the sensors are not affected by the weather. Although the app is available on smart phones, the company does not encourage people to use their phones while driving, he said.

“You don’t need to. Once you switch on the app, if you put it on a cradle or you hand it to the person sitting next to you, it has your GPS coordinates,” Yusuf said. “As you’re driving, you’ll be able to see exactly where those open parking spaces are. There’s no interaction you need to have with the app.”

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