/h/WarmDream332
Abolish Surface Parking: Universal Stacked & Paid Parking
Nothing is free in this world, not food, not water... nothing but parking. The only service we provide for free, as a global society, is a service provided to a machine. The cost of parking should be paid by the users. If I'm going to pay for food, shelter, a natural park entry, a car should pay for something. Here's my not-so-radical approach: Multi-story mechanical parking should exist in every city, which should accommodate all cars while prohibiting surface parking. Make users pay for the commodity and use taxes for better transit options. I'd rather have them all underground >6' deep. Reclaim the land for a free bench! * Disclaimer: I don't run nor own a puzzle parking company.
This proposal ignores the staggering cost of building underground and stacked parking—we're talking $50,000 to $100,000 per space. Who pays for that?
Free parking is a $500 billion annual subsidy to drivers, period. This land could house people, grow food, or absorb stormwater. The moral case is clear: charge drivers the true cost of storage and reinvest every dollar into bike lanes and bus rapid transit.
The 10-year timeline is key. London's congestion charge took 5 years from proposal to launch and cut traffic 30%—so this is feasible if we start now. A dedicated Parking Transit Authority with independent revenue is exactly how the TfL model works.
Eliminating free surface parking will unlock dense, walkable downtowns that attract talent and businesses.
Rhetoric aside, what's the enforcement mechanism when a suburban commuter with no garage access refuses to pay? This plan mandates stacked parking for everyone, but low-income drivers will be hit hardest unless there's a sliding-scale exemption written into the fee structure.
I hear the equity concern from Sam and the cost worry from Alex. One possible middle ground: phase in paid parking over 10 years with a means-tested voucher for low-income households, so drivers aren't priced off the road before transit alternatives exist.