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Ca4-MsL dy: Hersfeld ClEV@1'Cltl <br />he Challenge <br />The city's age has made establishing smart infrastructure a challenge. <br />The city experiences traffic congestion on a daily basis, so when <br />special events brought in over half a million visitors, the situation could <br />become a nightmare. Access to the city center is only possible via two <br />entry points from an outer ring road, making it crucially important to <br />guide visitors to the five outer parking garages when the centrally - <br />located outdoor parking is full—thereby avoiding unnecessary traffic <br />in the city center. <br />Traveling during busy times was challenging for drivers, as well as <br />stressful for business owners and residents in the area. Frequent <br />traffic jams, endless road noise, and the smell of exhaust pol- <br />luting the historic central square were common complaints. As a <br />result, city leaders needed to change how they handled traffic from both <br />visitors and tourists. "There was a lot of stress and discomfort, and <br />many times, shoppers and visitors were annoyed before they ever <br />started their shopping experience in our town," Bad Hersfeld Mayor <br />Thomas Fehling explains. <br />According to Fehling, ease of travel for the city's residents and visi- <br />tors is imperative. Customer service is critical, as happy drivers can <br />increase tourism and local business revenue. And service begins the <br />moment a person starts searching for a parking space. Fehling was <br />determined to plan for a greater quality of life and greener future <br />through strategic parking enhancements. <br />"We want to provide drivers with a stress -free experience when they <br />visit," he said. "Parking can be challenging during busy times, and <br />with traffic flow in and out of the parking areas, there needed to be <br />a way to guide cars quickly and efficiently to speed up the process." <br />i i Ilk 333 <br />