Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Department of City Planning

Study: City Residential Parking Requirements Lead to More Driving

The New York City Department of City Planning is encouraging
people to drive to work.

parkdrive1.jpgMaybe not officially, but the agency's minimum residential parking requirements are a big inducement to car commute. That's the implicit finding of a new study by University of Pennsylvania planning professor Rachel Weinberger (and others, including yours truly, John Kaehny), released today by Transportation
Alternatives
and a who’s who of leading planning, transit and environmental groups.
The study, "Guaranteed Parking -- Guaranteed Driving" [PDF], compares Park Slope, Brooklyn with Jackson Heights,
Queens, and finds that, despite Park Slope having higher car ownership, Jackson Heights residents are 45 percent more likely to drive to
work in the Manhattan Central Business District and 28 percent more likely to commute by car in
general.

And it isn't because Jackson Heights has no transit options. Commuters in both neighborhoods are served by multiple subway and bus lines, and the ratios of transit trip times to driving times are comparable. Additionally, other proven predictors of travel choice suggest Park Slope commuters are more likely to drive, not less. Park Slope is wealthier, denser and has higher home ownership. It also has a higher proportion of government employees. 

The study's key research finding is that in Jackson Heights, 31 percent of car owners have a parking spot at home, compared to only 5 percent of Park Slope drivers. The study concludes that because of this, Park Slope car owners, who do not want to lose their coveted curbside spots, are less likely to drive to work.

The reason for the parking disparity is that much more of Jackson Heights has been built since 1963, when the city zoning code introduced residential parking requirements. The finding has far reaching sustainability implications, since the Department of City Planning requires driving-inducing residential parking for between 40 and 150 percent of new dwelling units.

In August, Weinberger and Kaehny teamed with Transportation Alternatives and other groups concerned about parking reform to issue "Suburbanizing the City". That study estimated that the city's parking requirement would generate a billion miles of new traffic a year by 2030. "Guaranteed Parking" substantiates that finding, and provides more evidence that New York City zoning regulations promote driving to work, even
when viable transit options are available.

Photo: Guaranteed parking in Jackson Heights, Queens

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

BREAKING: Brooklyn Dem Honcho Appeals Judge’s Ruling Barring City from Tearing Out Bedford Bike Lane

Brooklyn Democratic Party powerhouse and Mayor Adams ally Frank Seddio is appealing a judge's order barring the city from tearing up part of the Bedford Avenue bike lane.

June 20, 2025

DOT Stands By Astoria Bike Lane Plan Despite Foes’ ‘Childish’ Outbursts

DOT is sticking by its protected bike lane proposal after a raucous community board meeting in Astoria.

June 20, 2025

Eyes on the Street: Frankfort Street, Once a Placard Hell, Is Now A Cyclist Haven

Streetsblog gets action! The city has evicted the cops from their placard elite parking near 1 Police Plaza.

June 20, 2025

Uptown Greenway Segment Finally Reopens After Latest Sinkhole Fix

The sinkhole-ridden stretch of greenway has been a pain for cyclists and pedestrians for years.

June 20, 2025

Black Cycling Clubs: ‘We Just Want a Safe Place to Park Our Bikes’

Leaving a bike on the sidewalk overnight or while at work often results in a missing tire or gearset, but for most of us, it’s only a matter of time until the entire frame disappears. 

June 19, 2025
See all posts