Just putting up parking fees everywhere - not great.
Honestly, this can be good too. I’ve seen many places where parking is “free” and the end result is that there isn’t any parking available other than expensive private lots. The city is robbing itself then: It’s diverting the revenue from parking into private hands, which also encourages private parking lots which are an urban blight, and making it less convenient and affordable for business customers while a handful of people squat on the free parking all-day every-day.
Everybody would be happier if the street had affordably-priced meters. Everybody except for the people who are using that street-side parking all-day every-day, but those people are basically poaching very limited and valuable land from the municipality.
I like the approach that a city close to me took. Street parking and small lots are kinda expensive and very monitored (red/green/blue lights indicate status of the spots from a distance so police can quickly fine cars)
However there are a few parking garages that are not so expensive and also include 2 or 3 hours free, but you have to walk a little to get to downtown ( about half a mile)
Lots of people that hate walking pay a lot for parking and fines and the rest of us walk a little and get free or very cheap parking
Good perspective. If there’s parking space, it’s costing money to maintain. Perhaps not a lot on a monthly basis, but the cost should be recovered.
Local business owners probably don’t want to pay the likely thousands of dollars in taxes that would be needed to support the parking in front of their business.
I’d agree that making a structural change to remove vehicle parking and install bicycle/public transportation infrastructure sounds great.
But I read the comment above yours as saying that the mayor simply made existing free parking into paid parking. Not sure that’s doing much other than reducing the business activity in the area.
Removing parking to improve accessibility for bicycles, transit, and pedestrians - great.
Just putting up parking fees everywhere - not great.
Honestly, this can be good too. I’ve seen many places where parking is “free” and the end result is that there isn’t any parking available other than expensive private lots. The city is robbing itself then: It’s diverting the revenue from parking into private hands, which also encourages private parking lots which are an urban blight, and making it less convenient and affordable for business customers while a handful of people squat on the free parking all-day every-day.
Everybody would be happier if the street had affordably-priced meters. Everybody except for the people who are using that street-side parking all-day every-day, but those people are basically poaching very limited and valuable land from the municipality.
I like the approach that a city close to me took. Street parking and small lots are kinda expensive and very monitored (red/green/blue lights indicate status of the spots from a distance so police can quickly fine cars)
However there are a few parking garages that are not so expensive and also include 2 or 3 hours free, but you have to walk a little to get to downtown ( about half a mile)
Lots of people that hate walking pay a lot for parking and fines and the rest of us walk a little and get free or very cheap parking
Good perspective. If there’s parking space, it’s costing money to maintain. Perhaps not a lot on a monthly basis, but the cost should be recovered.
Local business owners probably don’t want to pay the likely thousands of dollars in taxes that would be needed to support the parking in front of their business.
I’d agree that making a structural change to remove vehicle parking and install bicycle/public transportation infrastructure sounds great.
But I read the comment above yours as saying that the mayor simply made existing free parking into paid parking. Not sure that’s doing much other than reducing the business activity in the area.