Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) has rolled out a new $25 million parking guidance system in the McNamara Terminal parking garage, wiring overhead lights to each stall and linking it all to the Park Assist app. The upgrade is meant to cut down on the time drivers spend looping for spaces and to ease the congestion that builds along the terminal driveways.
How the new system finds open spots
The setup relies on camera-based M5 smart sensors and full‑spectrum RGB LED indicators mounted above each stall so drivers can spot availability with a quick glance: green for open, red for occupied and blue for accessible parking. Those sensors feed machine-verified availability data back to airport operators and stream live, space-by-space information into the app, according to PR Newswire.
$25M upgrade and what DTW says
Local reporting notes the project carries a $25 million price tag and now covers parking structures serving both the McNamara and Warren Cleage Evans terminals. “This investment brings real-time visibility down to the individual space, giving our customers the information they need to make decisions quickly and confidently,” Wayne County Airport Authority CEO Chad Newton said, as reported by ClickOnDetroit.
Big Blue Deck testing and rollout
DTW’s website says testing began in April at the McNamara garage and cautions that lights and directional displays may be inaccurate during the trial phase, according to Detroit Metro Airport. Industry coverage adds that installation for the airport's Big Blue Deck at the Evans Terminal has started and is expected to go live later in 2026, according to Airport Improvement.
What the numbers say
Once fully deployed, the Park Assist system is slated to monitor about 18,000 on‑airport spaces and uses sensors that its maker says can reduce the time spent hunting for a spot by up to 63%. Drivers can check live availability and use the "Find Your Car" feature through the Park Assist interface, per PR Newswire.
How to check parking before you go
Travelers who want to see current counts or plan where to park can use DTW’s parking status page to figure out which decks and lots match their trip. For the latest options and an availability feed, see DTW’s parking information on the Detroit Metro Airport site.
