Finding free or inexpensive curb parking in a crowded, expensive downtown feels like hitting the jackpot. But these parking spots offer drivers too much of a bargain, according to Donald Shoup, an author and distinguished research professor in the University of California, Los Angeles’ urban planning department…
That’s the idea behind variable-price parking, a concept Shoup introduced almost two decades ago in his 2005 book “The High Cost of Free Parking.” Variable-price parking sets parking fees based on what proportion of a city’s parking spots are already in use. The higher the demand for parking, the higher the cost…
An early example of the parking benefit district is in Pasadena, California. Shoup described the city’s business district, Old Pasadena, as a “commercial skid row” in the 1980s, with buildings in terrible condition. When the parking benefit district program started, the meters and stores all had signs that read, “Old Pasadena – Your meter money makes a difference.” The alleys were cleaned, sidewalks were fixed and streets improved.
