e in congestion, energy consumption, and air pollution have caused both municipalities and employers to reconsider such policies. Some policy makers, thus, "have begun to address issues in parking supply and pricing to achieve transportation and urban form objectives, and to comply with Clean Air Act requirements for transportation control measures" (Wilson 29).
A survey of 117 jurisdictions in the Southern California region found that the average minimum parking space requirement was 3.8 spaces per 1,000 gross square feet. The median number of parking spaces actually provided was four per 1,000 gross square feet. Parking space use, however, was approximately three spaces per 1,000 gross square feet (Shoup 5).
Wilson (30) found that pricing for parking and tax treatment of parking provided by employers influences commuter mode choice, i.e., solo commuting, car-pooling, or mass transit. Shoup (10) found that parking was free for 99 percent of commuters in the Southern California region. According to Wilson (30) the "ultimate effect" of such policies is to "increase the level of solo driving."
Part II: Critical Analysis of the Issue
Wilson (34) found that, when parking supply exceeds parking demand, one outcome is that parking is treated as a "costless good. Market prices cannot be sustained; and because parking is free to the motorist, solo driving is encouraged. The resulting increase in automobile use consumes more energy and increases traffic congestion and air pollution. At the same time, high minimum parking requirements lower den
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