Boston commuters report frustrations with a lack of parking at stations along the system—so much so that they sometimes abandon hope of finding a spot or catching a train.
"The struggle to find parking [at MBTA stations] is discouraging some commuters from using public transit," according to an article by Nicole Dunga.
Dunga shares the statistics at the center of the problem: "As of late January, the T owned nearly 49,600 parking spots across the state, compared to the nearly 1.3 million rides it provides on a typical weekday. While it is difficult to know exactly how many parking spaces are needed by commuters, it is clear to some of them that the demand outpaces supply at several stations."
Despite the addition of three new parking structures at stations in the system, parking is still scarce throughout the system and one station, Quincy Center, had to permanently shut its parking garage in 2012 because of structural damage.
Dunga also quotes UCLA Professor Donald Shoup to explain the potential impacts of parking shortages on a transit system. According to Shoup, "[it's] terrible to have a full parking lot determine the success of a transit system and the value of using transit."
Similar parking shortages have been reported at suburban stations of the BART system in the San Francisco Bay Area. A one dollar fee for parking was recently implemented at some stations that had been free since the system opened in 1972.
FULL STORY: Parking struggle discouraging some from using MBTA
Boston Rail Network Sees Significant Increases in Speed After Eliminating ‘Slow Zones’
A year-long project that upgraded rail infrastructure and equipment has resulted in faster trips on all rail lines.
MBTA Red Line Now Free of ‘Slow Zones’
Recent work on the Boston-area rail line is making service on the aging system faster and more reliable.
MBTA Budget Inadequate for Key Projects
Without additional funding, the agency is ‘barely treading water’ and could be forced to make service cuts in 2026.
Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees
More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?
In Both Crashes and Crime, Public Transportation is Far Safer than Driving
Contrary to popular assumptions, public transportation has far lower crash and crime rates than automobile travel. For safer communities, improve and encourage transit travel.
Report: Zoning Reforms Should Complement Nashville’s Ambitious Transit Plan
Without reform, restrictive zoning codes will limit the impact of the city’s planned transit expansion and could exclude some of the residents who depend on transit the most.
Judge Orders Release of Frozen IRA, IIJA Funding
The decision is a victory for environmental groups who charged that freezing funds for critical infrastructure and disaster response programs caused “real and irreparable harm” to communities.
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.
Clanton & Associates, Inc.
Jessamine County Fiscal Court
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service