The high cost of free parking
Why Hacker News recommends it
HN links it as a concise explanation of why free parking is not really free and how parking rules shape cities.
What it is
A Vox explainer on how mandatory parking minimums and free parking impose hidden costs on cities. It draws on Donald Shoup's work and gives the history of parking requirements.
Recommended by 0 HN commenters across 0 different months, 2017 to 2018.
What Hacker News said
Cites GuiA · 2017-09 · on “As Bike-Sharing Brings Out Bad Manners, China Asks, What’s Wrong with Us?”
In some cases it does not impede public right of way; but it has a much deeper, longer term, insidious cost. [this video]
Cites chadgeidel · 2017-11 · on “Denver Radically Expanded Its Transit, So Why Are More People Driving Cars?”
Even reducing the number of free parking spots would help. IMHO free parking isn't actually free: [this video] . The company I work for is building a large new parking structure in my office because people have complained about parking for so long. Do they offer transit options? No. It seems shortsighted. EDIT: I see you are being downvoted. I assume that's because of your "charge tolls" recommendation. Most folks I talk to think they "pay their fare share" with taxes and roads. They are surprised that road and gas taxes only pay for about half: [LINK]
Cites cbhl · 2018-08 · on “Shortage of charging stations to become a bottleneck to mass adoption of EVs?”
Government hasn't historically been the one building parking spots. See the history around mandatory parking minimums, like from this video from Vox: [this video]