Comments on: To Reduce Driving, Put a Real Price on Parking http://sf.streetsblog.org/2009/06/10/to-reduce-driving-put-a-real-price-on-parking/ Covering San Francisco's livable streets movement Sun, 21 Mar 2010 18:33:52 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: Susan King http://sf.streetsblog.org/2009/06/10/to-reduce-driving-put-a-real-price-on-parking/comment-page-1/#comment-6156 Susan King Wed, 10 Jun 2009 22:36:52 +0000 http://sf.streetsblog.org/?p=2374#comment-6156 On the true costs of parking: SF real estate is worth millions per acre, and it amazes me that there is still the expectation that we give this space away rent free in the form of free parking. We are in a massive budget crunch on every level (CA's budget, in part, due to our Guv's eliminating and only partially re-instating the Vehicle License Fee), and parking fees that are tied to demand, and raised so they more closely reflect the true costs of driving should be considered a prime source of revenue. City leaders have rebuffed recent attempts to take advantage of this option. To whit: commuters from outside SF clog parking spaces in Golden Gate Park and Marina Green, where parking is virtually free all day (very little enforcement of the four hour time limit), yet our Mayor removed this potential revenue source from Rec and Park's budget. Rec and Park, by the way, has laid off 80% of their Recreation Dept staffing, so parking is free, but the clubhouses in City parks will be shuttered most of the summer. MTA staff were similarly over ridden by MTA and Board of Supes (who approve the MTA budget) with their proposal to raise parking fees and increase hours (weeknights till 10, Sundays till 6) instead of raising Muni fares and cutting service. So we have a more expensive, less reliable transit system, but parking remains free every eve and all day on Sunday. This is not the way to encourage people to take public transit. Furthermore, our City suffers when potential revenue is lost and vital services have to be even more deeply cut as a result. On the true costs of parking: SF real estate is worth millions per acre, and it amazes me that there is still the expectation that we give this space away rent free in the form of free parking. We are in a massive budget crunch on every level (CA's budget, in part, due to our Guv's eliminating and only partially re-instating the Vehicle License Fee), and parking fees that are tied to demand, and raised so they more closely reflect the true costs of driving should be considered a prime source of revenue. City leaders have rebuffed recent attempts to take advantage of this option.

To whit: commuters from outside SF clog parking spaces in Golden Gate Park and Marina Green, where parking is virtually free all day (very little enforcement of the four hour time limit), yet our Mayor removed this potential revenue source from Rec and Park's budget. Rec and Park, by the way, has laid off 80% of their Recreation Dept staffing, so parking is free, but the clubhouses in City parks will be shuttered most of the summer.

MTA staff were similarly over ridden by MTA and Board of Supes (who approve the MTA budget) with their proposal to raise parking fees and increase hours (weeknights till 10, Sundays till 6) instead of raising Muni fares and cutting service. So we have a more expensive, less reliable transit system, but parking remains free every eve and all day on Sunday. This is not the way to encourage people to take public transit.

Furthermore, our City suffers when potential revenue is lost and vital services have to be even more deeply cut as a result.

]]> By: mikesonn http://sf.streetsblog.org/2009/06/10/to-reduce-driving-put-a-real-price-on-parking/comment-page-1/#comment-6152 mikesonn Wed, 10 Jun 2009 18:33:18 +0000 http://sf.streetsblog.org/?p=2374#comment-6152 Thank taomom, I wasn't saying it to bait for compliments. Just saying that those who are transit advocates out there need to help make it as simple and easy as possible for those who appear to be lost or first timers. Yeah, I was a bit surprised she got on the wrong SYSTEM myself, but told her to take BART home and that it was very easy to find from where she was going to be. Hopefully the trip home will be nice and easy and she'll have learned the BART/Caltrain difference and that it can be an easy and enjoyable ride. Thank taomom, I wasn't saying it to bait for compliments. Just saying that those who are transit advocates out there need to help make it as simple and easy as possible for those who appear to be lost or first timers.

Yeah, I was a bit surprised she got on the wrong SYSTEM myself, but told her to take BART home and that it was very easy to find from where she was going to be. Hopefully the trip home will be nice and easy and she'll have learned the BART/Caltrain difference and that it can be an easy and enjoyable ride.

]]> By: taomom http://sf.streetsblog.org/2009/06/10/to-reduce-driving-put-a-real-price-on-parking/comment-page-1/#comment-6146 taomom Wed, 10 Jun 2009 17:24:44 +0000 http://sf.streetsblog.org/?p=2374#comment-6146 Mikesonn, That was really nice of you. It's a pity (maybe a tragedy?) that she got on Caltrain instead of Bart, because Bart would have put her only a block or two away from Union Square, and then she could have gone home and told her friends how simple and easy it was to take Bart to the city. (Gosh, is the signage at Millbrae that bad that people would confuse Caltrain for Bart?) At least she'll go home saying there are nice, helpful young men in the city. Mikesonn,
That was really nice of you. It's a pity (maybe a tragedy?) that she got on Caltrain instead of Bart, because Bart would have put her only a block or two away from Union Square, and then she could have gone home and told her friends how simple and easy it was to take Bart to the city. (Gosh, is the signage at Millbrae that bad that people would confuse Caltrain for Bart?) At least she'll go home saying there are nice, helpful young men in the city.

]]> By: Greg http://sf.streetsblog.org/2009/06/10/to-reduce-driving-put-a-real-price-on-parking/comment-page-1/#comment-6144 Greg Wed, 10 Jun 2009 17:13:07 +0000 http://sf.streetsblog.org/?p=2374#comment-6144 how funny. I knew Roger when I lived in Seattle, and I remember hearing about that parking garage in my old neighborhood.... how funny. I knew Roger when I lived in Seattle, and I remember hearing about that parking garage in my old neighborhood....

]]> By: mikesonn http://sf.streetsblog.org/2009/06/10/to-reduce-driving-put-a-real-price-on-parking/comment-page-1/#comment-6141 mikesonn Wed, 10 Jun 2009 16:20:09 +0000 http://sf.streetsblog.org/?p=2374#comment-6141 Speaking of this, I helped a lady get from Caltrain to Union square last night on the 45. She said that he wasn't familiar with getting there without a car, but she chose to ride BART (she got on Caltrain by mistake at Millbrae, I guess that backs up her claim of never taking public transportation) because she didn't want to have to deal with parking her car. I tried to help as much as I could because I knew I had to make her trip as easy as possible or she'd go back to driving and putting up with parking. Hopefully I was successful and she will give PT another try. Speaking of this, I helped a lady get from Caltrain to Union square last night on the 45. She said that he wasn't familiar with getting there without a car, but she chose to ride BART (she got on Caltrain by mistake at Millbrae, I guess that backs up her claim of never taking public transportation) because she didn't want to have to deal with parking her car.

I tried to help as much as I could because I knew I had to make her trip as easy as possible or she'd go back to driving and putting up with parking. Hopefully I was successful and she will give PT another try.

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