The United States is said to have nearly 2 billion parking spaces. The parking places are the asphalt deserts that people dislike proliferates only for public convenience. There are eight parking spots in the country for cars. For instance, Houston has a parking space at say 30 per resident and in some of the US cities; the parking covers more land area. To be nearly approximate the parking spaces of 500 million occupies nearly 3590 square miles that means the area is larger than Rhode Island and Delaware combined. In case it is 2 billion as the correct number, definitely it is four times of Vermont and Connecticut.
What to do?
Beginners we must take seriously these lots. The urban planners and many architects fail to consider the parking designs. It is important to consider the public spaces lots as it is a very important part of the infrastructure like the sidewalks and streets. The places keep changing and evolving based on activities and even the best architecture is not permanent. The fact cannot be denied that already lots and lots of spaces are taken over by teenage partiers, street-hockey games, farmers market and church services. It is high time to recognize the need and to promote diversity. Nowadays, many have adapted by setting up seminars and events.
The urban and the suburban lots are different and there is no way to control buying cars. Thus, the only way out is to wean from automobiles and to consider public transportation. It is best to begin from you, than merely expecting others to make space for parking. Relying on cars has become a practice as many times it is noted that the public transit systems are appalling. However, the truth also stays that the cars are also not going soon anytime, especially in the suburbs or cities such as Los Angeles, and again the problem of parking hangs on your neck.
The cause
Big cities such as New York must abandon the zoning codes and consider creating parking spaces in a ratio per housing unit. This may be per square foot of the retail space. The minimum parking spaces rules have resulted in the apartments costs increase for residents and developers, environment damage and diverted money resulting in adding the parking lots. In fact, now it is found that there are large empty garages at some places and though they are well occupied it has parking spaces built-in hundreds to woo tenants. Conversely, even the Yankee stadium nearby garages that was constructed over the Bronx neighbors objections that appalled for losing parkland to create more parking spaces lots, not turn to hardly 60 percent full, especially even on high game days. Thus, the city developers lost a fortune and the city public space.
The parking issue is increasing and now it is right for people buying or renting new homes to pay extra if they wish to have a parking place for their car. Precisely, Municipalities can also cap the maximum lots or the spaces ratio to offices and dwellings.
