When a portion of the street is dedicated to parking, a decision is made to privatize one of the city's most valuable assets. From bike lanes and dedicated bus corridors to wider sidewalks, parklets, or even mixed-traffic lanes, the range of uses more beneficial to the public is vast. Now more than ever, we must rethink mobility for the sake of more prosperous and inclusive cities. Charging for metered parking is an excellent place to start.
Public transit, cycling, and walking are the most sustainable options for urban mobility. Yet, while bus systems languish amid a lack of funding and falling ridership, and cyclists and pedestrians face precarious infrastructure, cities invest substantial resources in road maintenance—and still reserve a significant portion for drivers to store a private asset.