How Parking is Hampering Cincinnati's Resurgence

In downtown Cincinnati, off-street parking spaces outnumber residents by nearly 7 to 1. As the city embarks on a plan to "increase downtown vibrancy through additional residential space and increased foot traffic, concern for parking punctures the debate on how to further support the urban core," writes Yang.

Looking to cities such as Nashville, who have successfully overhauled parking minimums for buildings in their city center, for lessons, Yang proposes three potential solutions for Cincinnati to consider. These include eliminating minimum parking requirements, establishing a parking "cap and trade" system, and setting parking maximums.

Yang concludes that, "While the need for reform appears evident, a contextualized solution should be pursued by Cincinnati city officials that specifically tailors the policy to localized needs."