Skip to Content
Streetsblog USA home
Streetsblog USA home
Log In

"Minimum parking requirements act like a fertility drug for cars," Donald Shoup wrote in his celebrated investigation of parking economics, The High Cost of Free Parking. The above video, from the city of Ottawa, does a good job explaining exactly why that is and the problems it causes.

Ottawa commissioned the animation to explain why its 1960s-era parking regulations need rethinking if the city is going to be a walkable place. But the same principles apply to cities everywhere.

Hat tip: City Obseratory

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog USA

Talking Headways Podcast: Emotional Consumption in China

High-speed rail has completely transformed the country. Think about that sentence: "High-speed rail has completely transformed the country." When was the last time something positive like that happened here?

November 20, 2025

Cutting Federal Transit Funding Won’t Close Budget Gaps — But Will Make Transportation Less Affordable

The Trump administration's proposal to eliminate the mass transit account of the Highway Trust Fund would be short-sighted, ineffective, and ruinous, a new analysis finds.

November 20, 2025

Thursday’s Headlines Get Schooled

It's still hard to find people willing to drive the ol' cheese wagon. And since so many places aren't walkable, guess what parents are doing?

November 20, 2025

Paying With Their Time: Increasing Traffic Congestion Erodes Benefits of Boston’s Fare-Free Buses

Mayor Wu's press office avoided several inquiries from StreetsblogMASS to discuss the worsening delays in MBTA bus service over the course of her first term.

November 19, 2025

The Most Expensive Bikeshare in the U.S. Is…

The price of a yearly Citi Bike membership has grown by 77 percent in inflation-adjusted dollars since the bike-share program launched 2013, the Independent Budget Office said.

November 19, 2025
See all posts