How cities can reclaim their downtowns from traffic

Aug 8, 2023

Some local governments are now asking developers to help reduce overall traffic levels by investing in improvements like sidewalks, bike storage and transit passes.

Across the US, parking takes up an estimated 30% of city space. Image: Pexels/Kindel Media

Chris McCahill

Managing Director, State Smart Transportation Initiative, University of Wisconsin-Madison

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In Tampa, Fla., 30% of the city’s central business district is devoted to parking (shown in red). As of July 2023, the city had not implemented parking reforms. Image: Parking Reform Network, CC BY-ND

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Traditional development leads to more parking and more traffic, which consumes more space, while transportation demand management encourages less traffic and has a smaller footprint. Image: City of Madison, adapted by Chris McCahill, CC BY-ND

Denver offers 10 Bike-n-Ride shelters where commuters can store bikes and connect to the city’s mass transit system. Users access the shelters with key cards. Image: Denver Regional Transportation District

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