Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Parking

The Long, Painful History of Terrible Parking Policy in One 71-Second Cartoon

If you haven't been keeping up with Sightline Institute's excellent series on the scourge of parking minimums, you've been missing out. They've posted 11 readable and informative articles on the subject. From here, Sightline is pivoting from problems to solutions, and we'll be sharing their next few posts on Streetsblog, as well as re-posting some of the most revelatory moments from their series so far.

Here's a quick way to get caught up: 71 seconds of cartoon-watching to understand how such bad decisions get made. It's the depressingly simple story of how the Institute of Transportation Engineers' hugely influential "Parking Generation" manual came to cover our country with parking.

If you'd like to take the long way, you can also read roughly the same story in just 1,025 words in the eighth installment of the "Parking? Lots!" series.

Enjoy!

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

BREAKING: Federal Judge Rules Trump Can’t Kill Congestion Pricing

Trump does not have the power to toss out the Biden administration's decision to authorize the tolls, Judge Lewis Liman ruled.

March 3, 2026

Today in Placard Abuse: The ‘Lieutenant’s Girlfriend’ Who Parks Illegally

Meet a driver who gets the gold medal for placard corruption.

March 3, 2026

Sunbelt Cities Rank Last in National Street Safety Index

Cars and drivers continue to dominate the newest and sunniest cities in the United States.

March 3, 2026

Today’s Headlines: Super Bowl Tuesday Edition

We've been talking about it for weeks, but today is the Big Game. Plus other news.

March 3, 2026

DOT Re-Ups With Speed Camera Operator But Temp Tags Are Still Unticketable

The city has lost tens of millions in unpaid fines because the company that runs our speed- and red-light cameras can't catch cars with temp tags. But that company just inked a new $1-billion five-year deal.

March 2, 2026

Americans Demand Congress Fund Active Transportation In Next Infrastructure Bill — And Not Just The Bike/Walk Advocates

A "back to basics" surface transportation bill — as Republicans are seeking — would be devastating for road safety and small businesses.

March 2, 2026
See all posts