Lecture on Parking and Urban Planning

Introduction

• Importance of parking in daily life.
• Impact of parking on attending events and planning trips.
• Car manufacturers developing self-parking cars as a selling feature.

The Extent of Parking

• Parking lots larger than businesses.
• Vast real estate dedicated to parking.
• U.S. has approximately 2 billion parking spots, equating to 8 spots per car.
• Average U.S. driver spends 17 hours a year looking for parking.

History and Development of Parking

• Initial parking was on-street, similar to hitching posts for horses.
• Challenges with on-street parking include limited space and enforcement costs.
• Cultural attitudes towards parking, e.g., Boston's lawn chairs reserving spots after snowstorms.

Mandatory Minimum Parking Requirements

• Municipalities require off-street parking, leading to urban sprawl.
• Impact on business locations due to parking requirements.

Parking Lot Design and Usage

• Examples of large parking lots (e.g., West Edmonton Mall, Seattle-Tacoma Airport, Epcot).
• Human behavior in parking lots: competition for spots, strategic parking choices.
• Observations on poor parking etiquette and its effects.

Environmental and Economic Impact

• Underutilized parking lots contribute to urban heat islands.
• High costs for stormwater management due to impermeable surfaces.
• Impact on housing costs due to mandatory parking lot constructions.

Solutions and Innovations

• Reducing mandatory minimum parking requirements in cities like Seattle and Minneapolis.
• Impact of ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft.
• Future potential of self-driving cars.
• Shared parking lots: utilizing existing parking more efficiently.

Alternative Uses for Parking Spaces

• Transforming parking lots into green spaces or pocket parks.
• Community gardens promoting social interaction.
• Potential for amphitheaters and cultural events.

Conclusion

• Importance of rethinking parking design and usage.
• Collaborative efforts needed from urban planners, city governments, architects, and developers.

Closing Thoughts

• Illustration by Banksy used to symbolize creative solutions to excess parking.