Zhoushan’s Putuo District plans to build a smart parking system.

With the rapid development of urban economies, both the number of vehicles and parking demand continue to rise. “Difficulty in finding parking and illegal parking” severely undermine residents’ travel experience and the urban traffic environment.

According to relevant data provided by the Zhoushan Traffic Police, Urban Management Department, and other authorities, the current vehicle ownership in Putuo District is approximately… With 53,000 vehicles in the area and approximately 7,400 public parking spaces currently available, the ratio of cars to public parking spaces stands at roughly 7.2:1. Of these, about 5,500 are on-street or part of community‑based facilities, while municipal authorities have designated roughly 1,900 sidewalk parking spaces (excluding shopping‑center parking, which totals around 4,200). On‑street parking spaces are utilized at nearly 100% capacity, yet fewer than 200 of them are subject to paid parking. The primary challenges today are the limited availability of public parking resources—particularly acute in central areas, where parking shortages are severe—and relatively underdeveloped parking management. Information asymmetry prevents optimal utilization of available spaces, leading to widespread illegal parking and persistent long-term occupation of roadways.

Accordingly, establishing a smart parking management platform that integrates all types of parking resources across the district has become an urgent priority for urban governance. By developing the Putuo District Smart Parking System, we aim to promote the use of mobile applications. Applications such as mobile apps, urban traffic guidance systems, parking‑space sharing platforms, and electronic payment systems help maximize the utilization of parking resources and optimize parking services for drivers.

The Putuo District smart parking system project plans to adopt a combined approach of geomagnetic sensors and high‑mast cameras. In the initial phase, geomagnetic sensors will be deployed in areas with high vehicle density and elevated parking space utilization rates. + In PDA mode, high‑mast cameras are installed in areas with low parking‑space utilization, based on actual conditions. By the end of December 2019, the construction of the Putuo District Smart Parking Management Platform will be completed. The smart parking operations platform typically includes: Parking Operations Management System, Connected Parking Lot Operations Management System, Business Support System, Parking Guidance System, Electronic Settlement and Clearing System, Big Data Analytics System , public service systems, data sharing and exchange systems, etc.; At the same time in By December 2019, the intelligent upgrading of 2,250 on-street parking spaces and 20 public parking lots in the central urban area will be completed.

at By December 2020, complete the renovation of the remaining 2,600 on-street parking spaces, and gradually upgrade and integrate into the smart parking platform all off-street public parking facilities currently located in the central urban area— including those at bus stations, government service centers, and public venues such as medical institutions, cultural sites, educational institutions, sports facilities, and tourist attractions.

The District Urban Investment Group is vigorously advancing the development of a smart parking system platform, with the aim of… Technologies such as “Internet Plus,” the Internet of Things, and vehicle‑generated big data enable functions like parking guidance, parking space reservation, parking space sharing, vacant‑space forecasting, and multi‑modal payment for parking fees. This integration allows users to access a unified parking network across Putuo District via a single mobile app, making it easier for drivers to locate parking facilities, identify available spaces, and pay their parking charges. As a result, parking‑space utilization is improved, parking challenges are alleviated, traffic congestion caused by the search for parking is reduced, and efforts to build a national civilized city are supported, thereby enhancing both the livability of Zhoushan and its urban transportation environment.

The total project estimate is RMB 60.06 million (approved by the National Development and Reform Commission), including RMB 55.72 million for engineering costs, RMB 1.48 million for other project construction expenses, and RMB 2.86 million for contingency funds.

The construction investment for Phase I is approximately RMB 19 million, of which approximately RMB 6 million covers system‑platform costs and about RMB 13 million is allocated to hardware and operator services; the smart upgrade for geomagnetic sensors plus PDAs costs roughly RMB 1,450 per parking space, while the smart upgrade for high‑position video systems amounts to approximately RMB 3,300 per parking space, and the smart transformation of unattended parking facilities entails a cost of RMB 74,000 per parking lot or garage.

At present, the first-phase site selection has been finalized, and the tender documents have been prepared. The tender announcement is expected to be published this week, for parking purposes. App promotion has been launched, and relevant marketing materials are currently being developed. The “Implementation Opinions on Smart Parking Development in Putuo District” is undergoing the approval process at the District Government Office. The District State-owned Assets Administration has approved the establishment of Zhoushan Yibo Parking Management Co., Ltd.; the official document from the State-owned Assets Administration is still pending, and pre‑registration with the Administration for Market Regulation has already been completed. A draft of the “Putuo District Public Parking Management Measures” has been submitted to the relevant departments.