From the Editor

Well, here we are again at my favorite issue of the year. Yes, I know, like a parent with 12 children I should not play favorites. But I simply cannot help it—I am a Planning, Design, and Construction nerd. After spending 20-plus years working for design and construction firms, I developed a true passion for these building blocks of all things. This is my month to let that passion play free.

There is no way to adequately quantify the value that good planning, design, and construction can have on parking and mobility. The success of any parking operation comes down to the system that they are operating in—whether a parking garage, a surface lot, a multi-modal hub, a bike or scooter rack, or an EV charging station. All things parking and mobility need planning, design, and construction to exist.

As the foundation of our industry (literally and figuratively), we take for granted when these things are done the way they should be—efficiently and effectively. But when they are not done well, the results can be catastrophic. That is why our community is so lucky to have some of the best and brightest planners, architects, engineers, and builders working in parking and mobility. Keeping up with the innovation of our industry is no easy feat, but our planning, design, and construction community is up to the task. This issue demonstrates that clearly.

The content you are about to read was curated and selected by, and in some cases written by, the elite members of the IPMI Planning, Design, and Construction Committee. These dedicated professionals are not only experts at achieving innovative and effective solutions for the parking community; they are teachers—each and every one of them. They are sharing their expertise and leading us on solutions to challenges, including design to suit the EV/AV evolution. ADA and accessibility issues including access equity, and best planning practices to achieve optimal outcomes.

Summing it up—this is a smart room to be in. I am so glad they let me tag along with them for the ride.

In addition to our excellent planning, design, and construction-related content, we are proud to bring you the 2023 Awards of Excellence honorees. These projects, whether Award of Excellence or Award of Merit, represent the best of what our industry has to offer. Congratulations to the professionals on all ends of these projects that sought excellence and achieved it.

As always, I thank you for spending some time with us! I hope you enjoy reading this edition as much as I enjoyed putting it together for you.