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> I'm not really convinced of the counter argument, at least it Austin. Public transportation (or, basically any transportation) is notoriously bad in Austin, a

> I'm not really convinced of the counter argument, at least it Austin. Public transportation (or, basically any transportation) is notoriously bad in Austin, and for decades we've basically had the stance "if you don't build it, they won't come", but that hasn't quite worked out. Well, since what you have been doing hasn't worked, maybe let's try the other tactic.

hn_throwaway_99 3y ago
The other tactic would be to actually build out viable public transportation.
- Eisenstein 3y ago
  The other tactic is 'do something to reduce car dependency'.
  - hn_throwaway_99 3y ago
    That's my whole point. Just getting rid of parking doesn't reduce car dependency if there aren't better alternatives.
    - deleted 3y ago
      [deleted]
    - Eisenstein 3y ago
      Your whole point is 'make political will and funding for broad public transit building programs appear out of thin air' or else 'do nothing'. Your claim is that 'getting rid of parking' is what is being pushed, when it is getting rid of mandatory, arbitrary parking minimums. If there is needed parking it will be built because developers don't like building tenancies that don't get sold because no one can live there.
    - Moldoteck 3y ago
      Getting rid of parking minimums may propell the alternatives. What if businesses discover most ppl get to them by public transport/bike? They will demand authorities to accomodate those ppl so that profits will rise, or they will build themselves more infra(at least good bike parking) for this. Right now businesses are forced to accomodate car drivers even if sometimes it's not the best business decision and this might change. Also, less parking means more space, that can be used for different things like recreation zones or just building a mixed use building that will guarantee more clients to nearby local shops/businesses (depending on what the demand is ofc). In other words getting rid of parking minimums allows ppl/businesses to experiment and see what's the best use for that land, be that a public space like parks, kids playfield, mixed use building, just another business, bike parking or something entirely else. Right now all that space was locked by strange laws with numbers taken from the air

hn_throwaway_99 3y ago

The other tactic would be to actually build out viable public transportation.

Eisenstein 3y ago
The other tactic is 'do something to reduce car dependency'.
- hn_throwaway_99 3y ago
  That's my whole point. Just getting rid of parking doesn't reduce car dependency if there aren't better alternatives.
  - deleted 3y ago
    [deleted]
  - Eisenstein 3y ago
    Your whole point is 'make political will and funding for broad public transit building programs appear out of thin air' or else 'do nothing'. Your claim is that 'getting rid of parking' is what is being pushed, when it is getting rid of mandatory, arbitrary parking minimums. If there is needed parking it will be built because developers don't like building tenancies that don't get sold because no one can live there.
  - Moldoteck 3y ago
    Getting rid of parking minimums may propell the alternatives. What if businesses discover most ppl get to them by public transport/bike? They will demand authorities to accomodate those ppl so that profits will rise, or they will build themselves more infra(at least good bike parking) for this. Right now businesses are forced to accomodate car drivers even if sometimes it's not the best business decision and this might change. Also, less parking means more space, that can be used for different things like recreation zones or just building a mixed use building that will guarantee more clients to nearby local shops/businesses (depending on what the demand is ofc). In other words getting rid of parking minimums allows ppl/businesses to experiment and see what's the best use for that land, be that a public space like parks, kids playfield, mixed use building, just another business, bike parking or something entirely else. Right now all that space was locked by strange laws with numbers taken from the air