Parking policies play a key role in shaping development patterns in communities throughout the Bay Area — and have a major impact on the quality and feasibility of transit-oriented development.

Parking in Planning

Excessive and under-priced parking can drive up the cost of development and undermine the use of other travel modes — especially walking and transit — even in areas with high-quality transit and pedestrian amenities provided at considerable public expense.The cost of providing parking in transit oriented developments (TOD) is very substantial, often amounting to $30,000 – $60,000 for construction of structured parking, but the costs are typically hidden in building costs, purchase prices and rent. 

The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) is conducting a long-term parking study and is working with select Bay Area jurisdictions that have an interest in exploring innovative parking policies around transit hubs and town centers.

Parking Toolkit

As a resource for local governments, MTC developed a training toolbox for jurisdictions interested in designing their own locally appropriate parking policies to support TOD and infill. The handbook achieves the following:

• Showcase innovative parking strategies to support smart growth, transit-oriented development and infills
• Serves as a guide for communities interested in planning and implementing parking policies
• and programs that are supportive of smart growth and TODs.
• Focuses on downtowns, neighborhoods and transit station areas where major investments have been made to provide regional and local transit accessibility.
• Assists communities in identifying supportive parking policies to maximize the value of public investments and discourage the solo use of the automobile for travel.