by Stephen SmithAlthough we at Market Urbanism are big fans of Donald Shoup's work on parking minimums, we have to admit that rigorous econometric evidence that parking minimums mandate more parking than the market would otherwise supply has been a bit lacking. Randal O'Toole at The Antiplanner … [Read more...]
Private buses make a comeback in NYC
by Stephen SmithTransit activists have been bemoaning recent cuts in the MTA's bus routes throughout New York City, but the cuts may have a silver lining, in particular for market urbanists: they may usher in the return of private buses to the streets of New York City. Private buses (and … [Read more...]
NYC’s lingering obsession with parking minimums may come to an end
by Stephen SmithBack in February Streetsblog had a good three-part series on planning changes in New York City since the beginning of Michael Bloomberg's term, and while they had a lot of praise for upzonings that have occurred throughout much of the four urban boroughs, they highlighted minimum … [Read more...]
HSR crowding out local transportation projects
by Stephen SmithYet another way in which Obama's high-speed rail plans are derailing actual progress in getting Americans out of their cars:BUENA PARK, Calif. — Mayor Art Brown spent years pushing for a commuter train station combined with nearby housing in his community. But as townhouses … [Read more...]
LA’s partial parking privatization
by Stephen SmithThe LA Times reports that Los Angeles is considering "privatizing" ten public parking garages to fill a budget shortfall. The story is, unfortunately, a reminder of how infrastructure "privatization" is often little better than the status quo, and how media reporting of the … [Read more...]
Amtrak’s utter incompetence
by Stephen SmithThere's a lot to be said for Amtrak's mismanagement, but a lot of it is technical and inaccessible to the layman. This, however, is unconscionable: Amtrak still does not offer wireless internet – either free or paid – on any of its trains. Megabus and Bolt Bus (whose tickets … [Read more...]
Obama’s genius high-speed rail plan
by Stephen SmithJust in case you were under the impression that Obama's high-speed rail commitment was genuine, the Boston Globe would like to disabuse you of that notion:The railroad tracks from Boston to Washington - the busiest rail artery in the nation, and one that also carries … [Read more...]
Zoning as a Tool of Class Exclusion
In regards to zoning, Discovering Urbanism has a nice post up about early 20th century urban planner Charles Mulford Robinson and his planning textbook. It includes the following corrective to the notion that zoning originated as a way to separate polluting industry from places of residence and … [Read more...]