Today, Explained
They paved paradise
Dec 5, 2023
Henry Grabar, a reporter at Slate and author of "Paved Paradise," dives into the complex relationship between parking and urban development. He discusses how excessive parking requirements shape communities and drive up housing costs. Grabar highlights innovative solutions for urban parking and how electric cars might transform our approach. He also touches on the socio-economic disparities in charging accessibility and the potential benefits of repurposing underutilized parking areas for community goals.
25:56
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Quick takeaways
- Excessive parking spaces in American cities have degraded city centers and limited space for other amenities, encouraging car dependency and discouraging walking and biking.
- The rise of electric vehicles presents an opportunity for cities to prioritize the installation of public charging infrastructure, but it also raises questions about allocating valuable curb space exclusively for parking and hindering the transformation of urban environments.
Deep dives
The Impact of Parking Requirements on Church Construction
The podcast episode explores the story of a Baptist pastor in Chicago who faced challenges in starting a neighborhood church due to parking requirements imposed by the city. Despite having a congregation where over half didn't own a car, the city of Chicago's code mandated one parking space for every eight spots in a pew. The lack of parking spaces prevented the pastor from buying the church building and forced him to spend years searching for parking spots before finally settling for a lot 10 blocks away.
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