Parking

The Segundo-based Fresh & Easy grocery store chain has earned high marks from environmental advocates for their LEED certified green building designs and hybrid-diesel trucking fleet.  However, the issue of where they place their parking lots and the impact that placement has on urban walkability may trip the green giant's plan to open a store on Crenshaw Avenue.

Memo to the City of Los Angeles: stop trying to ruin Donald Shoup for the rest of us.

Streetsblog is pleased to present the third episode in UCLA planning professor Donald Shoup's ongoing inquiry into whether the Cato Institute's free market principles extend to the realm of parking policy. Read Shoup's previous replies to Cato senior fellow Randal O'Toole here and here.

For those of you that have been reading Streetsblog for awhile, you know that Park(ing) Day is a sort of unofficial holiday around here.  In 2008, I toured 14 spaces by myself.  In 2009, I had a small crew, and we made it to 13 spaces.

Thanks for your Cato@Liberty post clarifying several points where we agree about parking policies.

We’re reprinting this reply [PDF] from UCLA professor Donald Shoup, author of the High Cost of Free Parking, to Randal O’Toole, the libertarian Cato Institute senior fellow who refuses to acknowledge the role of massive government intervention in the market for parking, and the effect this has had on America’s car dependence. It’s an excellent … Continued

San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders and Qualcomm co-founder Irwin Jacobs unveiled a visionary $33 million plan to remove cars from the central square of San Diego's historic Balboa Park.  They hope to raise the funds to complete the plan by the park's 100th birthday in 2015.  The plan would open up the heart of the park to a pedestrian friendly climate where children could play free of fear of passing vehicles in a clean and inviting atmosphere.  To bring this vision to reality, the city would have to remove sixty seven spaces of free parking.

All of a sudden, Van Nuys is a hot bed of transportation reform.  First came a report from the city that Van Nuys Boulevard would be a perfect place for another separated bus lane or even a light rail line.  Next, the City is working on a plan to increase metered prices near the Van Nuys Civic Center to encourage more people to use the local parking garages. 

Last week, the City of Los Angeles continued modernizing its parking meters by replacing 5,500 on-street parking meters and 7,500 meters in city-owned lots throughout the Downtown.  The upgrade was paid for with a chunk of the federal funds being given to the city through Metro as part of the Express Lanes, i.e. congestion pricing, pilot program.  By using electronic meters that accept credit-cards, the city can change parking rages by time of day or even based on demand in real time.  For the time being, the price will only change by hour and will be increased by as much as 50% over the current flat rate of $4.