While some may grudgingly eat the extra fee to park downtown on weekdays, others may look toward more reliance on the El--the desired response. But is a flat congestion fee on top of already existing parking rates the best way to go?
Reports David Schaper:
"[Urban planning professor Donald] Shoup says a $2 increase may not be enough to get many commuters to leave their cars at home, especially if their employers cover all or part of the parking cost. Also, he says, raising prices in parking lots and garages might only increase the number of drivers circling around in search of street parking, adding to congestion.
"I think the most important thing to do for any city is to get the price of curb parking right," Shoup says.
That's the approach some other cities are taking. San Francisco, for example, is experimenting with parking meters that change prices block to block and at different times of day, based on supply and demand."
FULL STORY: Chicago's 'Congestion Fee' Gets Chilly Reception
Parking Companies Fight Back Against Congestion Tax
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel's plan to tax parking downtown is not the solution to a regional problem primarily affecting highways, the industry says.
$2 Congestion Fee When Parking In Downtown Chicago
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel wants to use congestion fees to help fund a new rail station and the city's first bus rapid transit line. Anyone parking in a downtown lot will be required to pay an additional $2 on top of the existing parking fee.
Study: Road Pricing Could Boost Chicago Transit
A combination of road pricing and adjustments to transit service could let the CTA lower fares to ‘next to nothing.’
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
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The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
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Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.
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.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research