Estimating Environmental and Congestion Effects from Cruising for Parking

In busy areas where curb spaces are underpriced drivers have a strong incentive to drive around searching for an empty parking spot. Such cruising behavior creates the perception of a parking shortage, but typically what seems to be a shortage is simply a misallocation of valuable resources, namely parking spaces. Unfortunately the effects of mispriced parking spaces are neither simple nor benign. Cruising for parking is excess travel that occurs only after drivers have reached their destination. This travel causes congestion, pollutes the air, diminishes pedestrian safety and wastes energy. Nearly all benefits from cheap curb parking are captured privately by the drivers at great costs to the public. This essay demonstrates a novel method for measuring cruising and estimates the environmental costs directly caused by cruising. This methodology validates previous research and the results suggest that the private gains from cruising are dwarfed by the public costs.

• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • King, David
• Conference:
  • Transportation Research Board 89th Annual Meeting
  • Location: Washington DC, United States
  • Date: 2010-1-10 to 2010-1-14
• Date: 2010

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: DVD
• Features: References; Tables;
• Pagination: 16p
• Monograph Title: TRB 89th Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers DVD

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air pollution; Automobile drivers; Costs; Curb side parking; Finance; Parking; Parking demand; Parking fees; Traffic congestion
• Subject Areas: Finance; Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning; I73: Traffic Control;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01158139
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: 10-2375
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: May 30 2010 7:44AM