PARKING AND ITS RELATIONSHIPS TO BUSINESS

THE EFFECT WAS STUDIED OF INADEQUATE PARKING ON SHIFTS IN RETAIL ACTIVITY AND THE DEGREE TO WHICH AVAILABILITY OF AMPLE PARKING FACILITIES IS A MAJOR ASSET TO BUSINESS. THE PROBLEM WAS NOT FOUND SUSCEPTIBLE TO THE PRINCIPALS OF PRECISE MATHEMATICAL FORMULAE. COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS WAS MADE OF DOWNTOWN SHOPPING CENTERS AND SUBURBAN SHOPPING CENTERS WITH REGARD TO TRENDS IN THE GEOGRAPHIC AND FUNCTIONAL DISTRIBUTION OF BUSINESSES AS RELATED TO THE RELATIVE AVAILABILITY OF TRANSPORTATION AND PARKING FACILITIES. IT IS SHOWN THAT THERE WAS A MARKED CHANGE IN SHOPPING HABITS ACCOMPANIED BY THE SPECTACULAR GROWTH OF AUTOMOBILE USE. THE SHIFT FROM PUBLIC TRANSIT TO PRIVATE CARS HAS HAD A SUBSTANTIAL EFFECT UPON RETAIL ACTIVITIES DOWNTOWN. DESPITE THE SUBURBANIZATION TREND, REAL ESTATE VALUES AND INCOME FROM PROPERTIES DOWNTOWN HAVE RISEN. THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTORS INFLUENCING SHOPPERS' TRAVEL HABITS: (1) THE TOTAL TRAVEL TIME FROM THEIR HOME TO THE SHOPPING DISTRICT, AND (2) THE SELECTION OF GOODS AVAILABLE. THE FIRST FACTOR IS THE MAIN ADVANTAGE OF SUBURBAN CENTERS, WHILE THE SECOND IS THE MAJOR ATTRACTION DOWNTOWN. THESE FACTORS OF TRAVEL TIME AND SELECTION CAN BE USED TO MEASURE THE GENERAL MARKET AREA OF ANY COMMERCIAL DISTRICT. THE IMPORTANCE OF PARKING VARIES A GREAT DEAL. HOWEVER, AN ADEQUATE PARKING PROGRAM MAY PROVIDE THE STIMULUS FOR FURTHER INVESTMENT IN AN EXISTING COMMERCIAL AREA, WHICH WILL PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SELECTION OPPORTUNITIES. THE SHOPPING CENTERS OFFERING THE GREATEST CONVENIENCES HAVE A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE.

• Record URL:
  http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/sr/sr11D.pdf
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. Part D. This report summarizes Special Report 11, "Parking as a Factor in Business."
• Authors:
  • Stegmaier, J T
• Publication Date: 1956

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; Tables;
• Pagination: 16p
• Serial:
  • Highway Research Board Special Report
  • Issue Number: 11D
  • Publisher: Highway Research Board

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Automobiles; Business districts; Businesses; Central business districts; Land values; Parking; Public transit; Retail trade; Shopping; Shopping centers; Shopping trips; Suburbs; Travel time
• Old TRIS Terms: Shopper transportation; Shopping goods
• Subject Areas: Economics; Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Public Transportation; Society;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00225484
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Aug 4 1994 12:00AM