How Much Would You Pay For Guaranteed Street Parking?
Between the road work, constant filming, and out-of-state cars that may or may not be from rental businesses on Coney Island Avenue, there are a lot of challenges when it comes to parking in our area. Neighbors who drive have made their frustration over lack of available spaces clear–but what if you could buy a parking permit for, say $34 a month?
The Atlantic Cities posted a piece today about the findings of transport researchers Zhan Guo and Simon McDonnell, to be published in a future issue of Transport Policy. Guo and McDonnell surveyed 244 New Yorkers, 53% of whom approve of paid parking for residential streets. They found the average price folks sampled would be willing to pay was $34 per month. Eric Jaffe’s article states:
When Guo and McDonnell analyzed the numbers, they found that the people most willing to pay for residential parking lived on congested streets. Drivers who said they could typically find a spot within a minute of their home were willing to be $25 a month for parking. Those who walked more than 3 minutes from spot to home were willing to pay double…
Respondents lived at higher densities and had higher incomes than average New Yorkers, and also residents of other cities. Many of people who expressed a desire for parking permits lived in car-free households and frequently rode public transit.
It’s less than that $80,000 Park Slope parking space that made headlines over the summer (which was in a garage, not on the street, depending how much that matters to you), and it’s also less, than, say, accumulating four parking tickets per year without other penalties.
The article states that free parking encourages driving–so it’s possible that paid-for parking could help decrease the amount of drivers in NYC, reducing congestion, pollution, and maybe even accidents. It also states that suggesting paid-for residential parking would likely land elected officials in hot water, which is why it might never come to be… but that if an elected official decided to take on the cause, he or she would probably find a way to use money raised throughout affected communities.
So, lots of pros and cons. We know of at least one local who’s put out feelers for a paid spot as of late, but what about your take on it? And if you’re a driver who’s open to paying for parking, what’s a reasonable price?
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