The conventional method for collecting required data in a parking study is to hire personnel needed to obtain the information by field observation. In stark county, ohio, color aerial photography was used in place of field observation for collecting data on parking use and duration. A flight pattern was designed to photograph the cities of canton, massillon, and north canton every 15 minutes between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. on an average business day. The resulting color photography provided the necessary information to evaluate the on-street and off-street parking conditions for each of these cities' central traffic districts. At the time of the aerial flight, data were simultaneously collected on the ground in an 8-block area in downtown canton. Utilizing the control data, comparisons were developed between the two techniques for the purpose of checking the accuracy of the aerial photographic interpretation. Close correlations were found in comparisons of use, accumulation, turnover, and duration. Comparative analysis of study time, personnel requirements, and total cost indicated a 72 percent savings in cost and an 85 percent savings in time. In the stark county study, the aerial photographic technique for obtaining the parking information has proved to be a preferable method. It has furnished permanent records of both parking and traffic condiions and has been put to use in other planning and engineering studies.
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