Cities Should Charge the Right Prices for Curb Parking

Street parking is underpriced and overcrowded, leading to significant traffic congestion and negative environmental impacts from drivers cruising for parking spaces. Localities should implement performance pricing for curb parking, adjusting prices based on occupancy rates to ensure one or two open spaces per block, thereby reducing cruising and improving traffic flow. This article provides recommendations for improving street parking and highlights successful case studies, including San Francisco's SFpark program, which exemplifies how using real-time data to adjust parking prices can depoliticize parking management and promote higher vehicle occupancy and faster turnover, benefiting businesses and reducing emissions.