Free easily-accessible parking rewards car ownership and pushes up the cost of housing, argue Rebecca Clements and Alan March.
Australia's parking minimums and other parking policies are widely acknowledged to be outdated and dangerous to the environment, but efforts to move away from this type of 'predict-and-provide,' have been incomplete and sporadic. Rebecca Clements and Alan March write that, while efforts to price parking based on demand have suffered from being irregular, "Australian planners have largely ignored the untapped potential of car park policy to be one of planning’s fundamental control mechanisms," they write in Foreground.
They point out that parking can compete for space with other forms of transportation, and parked cars can present a danger to cyclists who risk being doored. "Parking can directly compromise the adoption of active and sustainable modes of transport," Clements and March write. Also, access to free parking can entice would-be transit riders to drive.
FULL STORY: Car parking is choking our cities, and we’re paying for the privilege
Watch: How to Remove Thousands of Parking Spaces
What the city of Amsterdam will gain by removing cars from on-street parking space.
Opponents Question Plan to Replace Sydney CBD Parking With Cycle Lanes
Debates rages on in response to the City Centre Access Strategy as it's revealed that the CBD could loose around 20% of its parking places and loading zones on two key streets to make way for the expanded cycle path scheme.
Expanding Bike Lanes a Focus of Sydney "Access Strategy"
New South Wales Government have published the "City Centre Access Strategy", their vision for transport planning in Sydney for the next two decades. Jacob Saulwick reviews the mixed responses to the long awaited plan.
Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking
Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?
King County Supportive Housing Program Offers Hope for Unhoused Residents
The county is taking a ‘Housing First’ approach that prioritizes getting people into housing, then offering wraparound supportive services.
Researchers Use AI to Get Clearer Picture of US Housing
Analysts are using artificial intelligence to supercharge their research by allowing them to comb through data faster. Though these AI tools can be error prone, they save time and housing researchers are optimistic about the future.
Making Shared Micromobility More Inclusive
Cities and shared mobility system operators can do more to include people with disabilities in planning and operations, per a new report.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
planning NEXT
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie