Strong Towns Week: "You do have a parking problem; there’s too much of it."

It's been a couple of years since NAC first linked to this article by Nathaniel Hood, a transportation planner and blogger living in St. Paul who writes for Strong Towns and Streets MN.

Mapping is one of four responses to complaints of "there's no parking" (below), and our own Jeff G's map of New Albany's parking supply (above) dates back to 2013. It's changed a bit, though not much.

A couple Fridays ago, I walked downtown on a Friday night. Food and drink establishments were hopping -- and beginning at 3rd and Market, there were dozens of unoccupied parking spaces to the east.

In Parking Non-Problem 1, there is a link to a City Lab article introducing Hood and his photos of wide open spaces where parking shortages are alleged to exist. In the following, Hood's points are offered sans explanation, so please click through and read the entire article -- and consider becoming a member of Strong Towns.

4 EASY STEPS TO SQUASH THE "THERE'S NO PARKING" ARGUMENT, by Nathaniel M. Hood (Strong Towns)

"OMG! There is no parking!" - Concern Citizen

I wish I had a bus ticket for every time I heard someone say this. Unless you're Manhattan or San Francisco, it is fair to say that you don't have a parking problem. I take that back. You do have a parking problem; there’s too much of it.

Here is a quick how-to guide on dealing with those who claim your town lacks adequate parking.

1. UNDERSTAND PERCEPTION.
2. MAP PARKING SUPPLY
3. DOCUMENT UNUSED SUPPLY
4. USE YOURSELF AS A CASE STUDY