Ease parking Stereo garage can promote?

    Jinxiu Qingcheng Square's multi-level parking garage has been put into use, greatly increasing the parking spaces within a limited area. Southern Daily journalist Wang Liangjue photo

    Southern Daily (Reporter/Zhang Jun) In 2015, the number of motor vehicles in Qingcheng District exceeded 240,000, including over 150,000 motorcycles and about 90,000 cars; correspondingly, the district can provide only about 6,600 parking spaces for small cars.

    Parking spaces are tight, and there are no parking spaces available in the central area during peak hours. In the new city, the sidewalks are filled with parked cars, creating a unique scene in Qingyuan, while in the old city, due to being the commercial center of Qingyuan, the situation of not being able to find parking spaces after driving around is common.

    So, can the construction of multi-level parking garages in Qingyuan solve the problem of parking difficulties in the urban area? Can this type of multi-level parking garage, which first appeared in commercial centers, be replicated in public parking lots and residential parking lots? What are the obstacles to large-scale construction of multi-level parking garages?

3-story multi-level parking garage provides over 100 parking spaces

    It is understood that three large-scale multi-level parking garages have been built in the commercial center of the old city of Qingyuan, namely the multi-level parking garage with 5 floors built and used by the Hubin Steps High Hotel in 2009, the two-level multi-level parking garage built in the underground parking lot of the Urban Plaza, and the 3-story multi-level parking garage built by Jinxiu Qingcheng near recent days. Recently, visiting reporters learned that the above-mentioned merchants with parking problems have been significantly relieved after the construction of multi-level parking garages.

    According to the staff of the Hubin Steps High Hotel, where the first multi-level parking garage was built, there are over 40 ordinary parking spaces, and the 3-story multi-level parking provides over 60 parking spaces, doubling the capacity. After operating for more than 5 years, due to the increase in parking spaces, the number of customers dining at the hotel has also increased significantly. Although the construction of the multi-level parking spaces cost millions of dollars and there are monthly expenses for maintenance and electricity, the benefits brought by the multi-level parking spaces are considerable compared to the increase in customers. On the 3rd noon, the reporter saw at the Hubin Steps High Hotel that close to noon, the regular parking spaces were almost full, and the multi-level parking garage also had many parked cars. As long as the car is parked on the ground floor, the staff will operate the control system to park the car, and when retrieving the car, it only takes a few minutes, which is convenient.

    The recently opened Jinxiu Qingcheng multi-level parking garage has also played a role. According to the parking lot staff, on Children's Day, the regular parking spaces were already full, and the 3-story multi-level parking garage was also full. "If there were no multi-level parking garage, it would definitely be congested." The staff member said. It is understood that since Jinxiu Qingcheng does not have an underground parking lot, the above-ground parking spaces of over 200 are far from enough. Therefore, the shopping center invested in the construction of a 3-story multi-level parking garage to provide over 100 parking spaces, greatly easing the parking difficulties.

High operating costs and expectations for social capital to enter

    Multi-level parking garages in Qingyuan were first established in the most tight parking areas in the commercial center and were mostly invested and built by merchants to attract car owners to drive to consume. Then, in the context of increasingly tight parking spaces in the urban area of ​​Qingyuan, can this type of space-saving multi-level parking garage be extended to other areas?

    It is understood that multi-level parking garages have been widely used in cities in the Pearl River Delta and elsewhere, especially near some shopping malls and residential areas, where social capital has been invested in the construction of multi-level parking garages to solve the problem of insufficient parking spaces.

According to industry insiders, in addition to shopping malls, residential areas are the most suitable for investing in multi-level parking garages. Multi-level parking garages require upfront investment and later maintenance, as well as the need for dedicated staff, all of which can be realized in residential areas. Currently, parking spaces in residential areas are very tight, with many small cars parked on the sidewalks, and the selling price and rent of underground parking spaces in residential areas are too high, making it difficult to find affordable parking spaces. If multi-level parking garages are planned and built in residential areas, it will greatly increase the supply of parking spaces, and the maintenance and staffing of multi-level parking garages can be handled by the residential property management.

    Can multi-level parking garages be introduced into the public parking lot field, where parking resources are becoming increasingly scarce? It is known that currently, most public parking lots are invested by the government, while multi-level parking garages require later maintenance and the need for dedicated staff, posing a problem for government investment and construction. Some experts suggest encouraging social capital to enter the field of public parking lots, building multi-level parking garages near places like stations, hospitals, and parks with higher land utilization rates, in order to provide more affordable parking services. Experts also indicate that since multi-level parking garages are a new thing, relevant planning and construction departments should strongly support the approval and reporting work of such projects and create a supportive and encouraging policy atmosphere.

Planner: Cheng Jun