TODs Spark Parking Reform

Since 2004, Denver has built an extensive transit network that includes 122 miles of commuter and light rail, 18 miles of rapid buses, and 57 transit stations. A number of transit-oriented developments (TODs) have been built around these stations, providing housing options for those who want to take advantage of the City's extensive transit services.

But Denver is having difficulty deciding how many spaces developers should set aside for a development of this nature - one that professes to embrace mass transit.

Rahim writes, "[P]arking requirements, like those in the Denver area, have resulted in cities having much more parking than they need - sometimes, by the very train stops that are supposed to offer an alternative to driving. [...] When cities try to set maximum parking standards, like Portland has done, people either avoid those developments - leaving them vacant - or just park illegally."