Parking
Parking Madness 2015: Can Your Parking Crater Compete?
March is a special month on Streetsblog. It's the time when the nation's worst downtown parking scars face off head-to-head for the shame of winning the "golden crater" -- and the local publicity bonanza that comes with it. For the third year running, we're asking you to help seed the bracket in our Parking Madness tournament by sending in photos of the sorriest wastes of urban space you can find.
March 3, 2015
The Spectacular Waste of Half-Empty Black Friday Parking Lots
If there's one thing American planners fear, it's that someone, sometime, somewhere, won't be able to immediately find a parking space. Gigantic manuals have been devoted to avoiding this "problem," and laws have been passed in nearly every community in the nation to ensure that no one ever lacks for parking.
December 1, 2014
Get Your Cameras Ready for Half-Empty Black Friday Parking Lots
It's standard practice to build parking lots to accommodate the maximum number of vehicles expected on the busiest shopping day of the year.
November 26, 2014
Congress Gives Itself More Free Parking Than Its Own Rules Allow
As TransitCenter and the Frontier Group reported last week, the federal government pays a huge $7.3 billion subsidy to people who drive to work by making commuter parking expenses tax exempt. There are countless reasons for Congress to scrap this poorly-conceived, congestion-inducing subsidy. While policymakers consider the big picture, they also ought to examine how their own parking benefits are administered.
November 24, 2014
SF Voters Reject Measure to Enshrine Free Parking and Stop Livable Streets
In case you need a little pick-me-up this morning, here's some good news out of San Francisco. Voters resoundingly rejected Proposition L, a local ballot measure designed to halt the city's progress on improving streets for walking, biking, and transit. As of the most recent available count, with nearly all precincts reporting, 62 percent of San Francisco voters had said "No" to Prop L.
November 5, 2014
Progress on Parking Reform Could Make DC More Walkable and Affordable
A few key changes to the DC zoning code could help make housing more affordable, streets more walkable, transit more convenient, and healthy foods more accessible. Years of debate and delay have watered down the reforms somewhat, but they still represent substantial progress. And now it looks like they will pass.
October 10, 2014
In Tenth Year of Park(ing) Day, Parklets Bloom on Six Continents
Cities on six continents are celebrating Park(ing) Day today, now in its tenth year of temporarily transforming curbside space for cars into public spaces for people. Some of the pop-up parks that caught our eye this Park(ing) Day include:
September 19, 2014
Al Jazeera America Talks Parking Craters With Streetsblog
The term "parking crater" made its cable news debut last week, when I was invited to appear on Al Jazeera America's "Real Money with Ali Velshi." Here's the segment that aired on the show.
August 11, 2014
Portland Tackled Disabled Parking Placard Abuse, and It’s Working
Disabled parking placards used to be ubiquitous in Portland. Until very recently, the city provided unlimited free street parking to placard holders, estimated at a $2,000 annual value. Many cars bearing these placards would remain in prime spots for weeks or months without moving.
August 6, 2014
What’s the Best Way to Tax Parking?
Taxing parking, the way Pittsburgh does, can make downtowns livelier and encourage a healthier mix of transportation options.
July 25, 2014