The public's reaction was mixed when the first parking meters in downtown Boise, Idaho, in 1940.
"Parking meters were such a novelty when first installed in Downtown Boise in 1940 that the Idaho Statesman ran a feature story titled 'Lesson No. 1: How to Use Parking Meter.' The reporter treated the innovation with humor. When the pipe bases on which the meters were to be mounted were in place, he thought the streets would look like 'an uncompleted dairy farm. The fence posts will be there, but the fence will be missing.'"
"Mayor James Straight was a strong supporter of the innovation, but he would face plenty of opposition over the next few months, and find himself having to sell the notion of paid parking spaces to merchants and shoppers alike. Even before Boise's first 500 meters were officially ready for business on Monday, March 26, 1940, curious people were already dropping pennies and nickels into them to see if they really worked."
Thanks to Jon Cecil, AICP
FULL STORY: Idaho History: Boise's first parking meters created a furor in 1940
Rethinking Redlining
For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
California High-Speed Rail's Plan to Right Itself
The railroad's new CEO thinks he can get the project back on track. The stars will need to align this summer.
Savannah Reduces Speed Limits on Almost 100 City Streets
The historic Georgia city is lowering speed limits in an effort to reduce road fatalities.
A Park Reborn: Resilience and Renewal in Fire-Stricken Altadena
Rebuilt in just two months after the devastating Eaton Fire, Loma Alta Park now stands as a symbol of community resilience and renewal, even as some residents hope recovery efforts will continue to support housing stability and long-term equity.
Spain Moves to Ban 66,000 Airbnbs
The national government is requiring the short-term rental operator to remove thousands of illegal listings from its site as part of an effort to stem a growing housing crisis.
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.
City of Clovis
City of Moorpark
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions