The high cost of free parking
VoxCited 3× on HN, 2017–2018
explainer · general · evergreen · 2017–2018 on HN
A Vox explainer on how mandatory parking minimums and free parking impose hidden costs on cities. It draws on Donald Shoup's work and gives the history of parking requirements.
HN links it as a concise explanation of why free parking is not really free and how parking rules shape cities.
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3 comments from Hacker News
Government hasn't historically been the one building parking spots. See the history around mandatory parking minimums, like from this video from Vox: ▶ this video
Even reducing the number of free parking spots would help. IMHO free parking isn't actually free: ▶ this video . The company I work for is building a large new parking structure in my office because people have complained about parking for so long. Do they offer transit options? No. It seems shortsighted. EDIT: I see you are being downvoted. I assume that's because of your "charge tolls" recommendation. Most folks I talk to think they "pay their fare share" with taxes and roads. They are surprised that road and gas taxes only pay for about half: link
In some cases it does not impede public right of way; but it has a much deeper, longer term, insidious cost. ▶ this video