Are TODs overparked?

Seattle’s City Council recently authorized a 50 percent reduction in off-street parking in areas that are within a quarter-mile of a transit stop where there is generally service at least every 15 minutes. Reductions in parking requirements — especially near transit — are a trend nationwide, as officials realize that cutting minimums lowers housing costs and traffic. A study by Robert Cervero, Arlie Adkins, and Cathleen Sullivan concluded that transit-oriented developments (TODs) are often required by law to have excessive parking — and that's one reason why TODs have sometimes failed to deliver promised benefits. Parking demand drops significantly based on distance from a transit stop, and availability of parking. The chart above, coutesy of Cervero, illustrates that relationship. Carshare programs could be used to further cut the need for parking, he says. A page one article in the September issue of Better! Cities & Towns provides indepth coverage of this issue.

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