May 2022 IPMI Shoptalk: Impartial Parking Policies and Curbside Equity

Too often, debates about parking are contextualized in their simplest form as good versus evil. The environment? Good. Pollution? Evil. Modal alternatives like walking, bicycling, and mass transit? Good. Congestion? Evil. But the more nuanced reality is that without cars, people living in underserved communities would often lack access to work and educational opportunities.
Car ownership can provide mobility, both in terms of the freedom to move and the capacity to rise to a higher economic position. As we rethink the curb lane and unlock its true potential, it’s important to understand the impact that our policies, including parking regulations, have on disadvantaged motorists. Panelists from Los Angeles, the City of Chicago, and the private sector will share their challenges and inventive solutions for striving to make the curb more socially equitable.