Anyone who has had to look for a parking space in a big city knows that it is not an easy task. Residents of Los Angeles spend more than 80 hours a year looking for a parking space. The situation in London and Frankfurt is no better.
Parking spaces play a particularly important role in the urban landscape. Most American cities set aside at least 25% of their free space for them. This space not only determines how a city looks. The many parking spaces also mean that a large percentage of the city is covered with asphalt. This absorbs heat, making summers hotter and increases the risk of flooding because it prevents water from draining away during storms and rainfall. Some city governments are starting to think about alternatives to these spaces.
Vienna wants more green space
Known for its traffic jams and maddening demand for parking spaces, the Austrian capital Vienna is taking a new approach to solving these problems. Instead of providing new parking spaces, it is removing them. The idea is to reduce the amount of concrete in the city - not only to cool it down, but also to encourage the use of alternative modes of transport.
More than 350 new projects are developing options for turning these spaces into green space - including in the city center. "Neuer Markt" - a square that is close to many tourist attractions - was full of parked cars. Now there are trees and benches in their place. One of the largest streets in the center of Vienna has been transformed according to the "Dutch model" - in a bike lane, where 140 parking spaces have been made room for 1.3 kilometers of bike lanes and vegetation.
These larger-scale redevelopment efforts have also paved the way for neighborhood "oases" projects, which allow groups of residents to petition local authorities to turn individual parking spaces into gardens, outdoor dining areas, and playgrounds.
There's another big change: there will no longer be free parking anywhere. In 2022, Vienna introduced a city-wide parking management system, which means that all parking is paid, with a 2-hour limit for non-residents.
Does this model work?
While these changes haven't made parking in central Vienna a pleasant experience, the city has still provided options for drivers. It has created several large car parks with cheap all-day parking, directly connected to public transport that is accessible, connected and fast. Ensuring that citizens and visitors to the city can move around effectively without cars is key to public support for these changes. "We need to convince people", says urban planner Ina Hohmeier. "We need to ask them - what do you want your neighbourhood to look like: full of cars and no trees, or do you want something different?"
The expansion of paid parking zones brings in 180 million euros a year, which the city invests directly in cycling infrastructure to encourage alternative mobility. Vienna's green urban plan has reduced driving by 37% since the 1990s.
Although polls show that more than two-thirds of the city's residents are in favor of reducing parking and creating more green spaces, the city's authorities are trying to garner even more support. "There is a very complicated politics around taking away the space we have given to cars, because for drivers, and many people have no choice but to drive, it is perceived as an attack," says journalist Henry Grabar.
In search of a cheaper and better alternative
In the United States, cars are part of the fabric of society, and more than 92% of households own at least one car. However, this has not stopped many American cities from trying to change the urban environment as well. Dallas, Texas, recently converted a large downtown parking lot into a park, and cities like New York and San Francisco have turned temporary outdoor tables at restaurants that were open during the coronavirus pandemic into permanent ones.
In addition, raising prices for street parking can both reduce demand and increase revenue. "Many cities are starting to realize the opportunities that parking offers for cities with relatively limited budgets," says Dana Janocha, a research fellow at the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy in Washington. "Streets are one of the most valuable assets that cities have," she adds.
She also notes that other major U.S. cities, such as San Jose, California, and Austin, Texas, are starting to eliminate municipal requirements that require all new construction to include a minimum number of parking spaces. That gives planners more room to think about housing or other amenities, and helps change expectations.
But ultimately, changing mindsets depends on providing choices, Homayer says. "You can't cut something without offering a good alternative. That goes for anything, but especially for cars, which many people consider their right. You have to offer a cheap and better alternative."
Author: Dave Branek