The allocation of land to parking for private vehicles has a powerful impact on urban form, sprawl, congestion, public transit use, and air quality. With urban curb space becoming a more precious commodity thanks to the proliferation of curbside ride-hailing and delivery services, microtransit devices, and the desire for other uses such as parklets, the American view of parking is undergoing a transformation. Learn about the latest ideas in parking policy and how transportation planners balance the need for parking with sustainability and a broader range of uses.
All Parking Courses
The American City, Part 2: The Invention of a New Scale
Instructor: Mark David Major
Understand how the physical characteristics of block size and street length distinguish American cities from earlier models of urbanism, and the implications of these physical characteristics for sustainability in the 21st century.
The American City, Part 1: A Brief History of the Regular Grid
Instructor: Mark David Major
Learn why the regular grid has been a standard part of the town planning vocabulary around the world for nearly five millennia.
Economic Thinking for Planners: Cities, Externalities, and Governance
Instructor: Peter Gordon
Through history, people have become better off as they urbanized. This course investigates how and why the quality of life has improved in cities.