Streetsblog

Tuesday’s Headlines Are Circling the Block

On-street parking might be hard to find, but parking garages are sitting empty. Many cities are finding new uses for them and discouraging more from being built.

By Blake Aued

12:00 AM EDT on April 4, 2023

Tuesday’s Headlines Are Circling the Block

Indianapolis spent $6.35 million on the Broad Ripple parking garage, and it's mostly empty. Photo: Midwest Constructors LLC

There could be up to 2 billion parking spaces in the U.S., which works out to seven for every car. Obviously, most of those spaces are empty most of the time, and cities are starting to get rid of parking mandates for new developments and repurpose little-used parking garages. (Wall Street Journal)
The federal government should give transit agencies another short-term cash infusion to give them time to figure out long-term funding in a post-COVID world. (American Prospect)
E-bikes are having a moment, with bikeshares transitioning away from pedal-only models and governments offering incentives to purchase them. (Government Technology)
Transit advocates keep using the phrase “public good” to describe public transit. But economists say it doesn’t mean what they think it means — and the distinction matters. (City Lab)
According to the CEO of automaker Stellantis, there may not even be enough lithium in the Earth to meet the demand for EV batteries. (Detroit News)
Transit cuts are tied to increased poverty and unemployment, according to a study of Clayton County, Georgia, which ended bus service for several years before joining the Metro Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority. (Sage Journals)
A crash that killed six construction workers in Baltimore highlighted the dangers roadside workers face. (Route Fifty)
Boston’s transit agency is a revolving door that needs to staff up but cannot fill positions fast enough. (Commonwealth)
The Times-Free Press interviewed transit consultant Jarrett Walker and civic leaders about the need for less parking and more transportation options in fast-growing Chattanooga.
After stopping him for jaywalking, Salt Lake City police officers held a man at gunpoint, tackled him and shocked him with a Taser. (Salt Lake Tribune)
A proposed Arizona law would require pedestrians and scooter riders to carry ID and identify themselves to police. (News Break)
A New York City nonprofit is bringing educational programming to the city’s car-free open streets. (NY Times)
An American tourist was ticketed for driving a Ferrari onto Florence, Italy’s famous pedestrians-only Piazza della Signora. (CNN)