EconTalk Fixing Sick Cities (with Alain Bertaud)
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Dec 23, 2024 Alain Bertaud, an esteemed urbanist and senior research scholar, delves into the charm disparity between European and American cities. He argues that American zoning laws hinder vibrant urban life by prioritizing single-family homes over walkable communities. Bertaud shares insights on various urban challenges, including transportation in crowded areas like Tel Aviv and the need for affordable housing reforms. He also highlights the unique resilience found in Bogotá's spontaneous urban growth, showcasing how informal settlements can integrate successfully with formal systems.
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Parking Policy
- Eliminate free on-street parking, except for short-term loading/unloading.
- Treat parking as real estate, pricing it dynamically like hotels to match demand and supply.
Congestion Pricing
- Congestion pricing, like in Singapore, is a legitimate market-based solution for traffic management.
- It optimizes demand and supply, similar to dynamic pricing for movies, but shouldn't aim to ban cars entirely.
The Perfect City
- No city perfectly balances all urban challenges; Singapore excels in regulation, while Paris and New York offer cultural richness.
- Falling fertility rates in many cities pose a new challenge for urban planning, impacting long-term growth and labor markets.
