Automobile use dropping as population grows
Boston sees remarkable decline in automobile registrations even as the city grows faster than it has in a century.
Location of proposed condo building. Source: Boston Globe
An article about a developer seeking relief from parking requirements in Boston caught my attention because of a reference to city vehicle registrations. The developer of a 175-unit downtown condominium building — in a city where condos average $538,000 — wants to provide no parking. That’s interesting. The building is near multiple transit lines and the developer believes that numerous parking garages in close proximity will more than meet residents’ needs.
Some existing residents oppose the variance due to worries about increased competition for on-street parking. Boston officials are, with growing frequency, choosing not to force developers to build parking, the Boston Globe reports.
This fact incidentally reported by the Globe struck me as even more interesting.
“There is, however, evidence that automobile use is declining among Boston residents. The number of vehicles registered in the city has dropped by nearly 14 percent in the past five years, from 362,288 in 2008 to about 311,943 today, according to the Registry of Motor Vehicles.”
Car registrations have dropped in Boston by more than 50,000 in the last five years! Meanwhile, Boston’s population grew by 4.8 percent from 2000 to 2010. That growth has accelerated in the last two years. Boston gained 19,000 people, or 3.1 percent, from 2010 to 2012. At that pace, the population will rise by 15 percent this decade, more than any decade since beginning of the 20th century. That outcome is not far-fetched, as building permits increased 126 percent in 2012 and show no signs of tapering.
Employment did take a hit in Boston after the housing crash in 2008, but it has rebounded nicely. In sum, vehicle registrations are falling substantially, even as population and employment grows. Boston is one of the nation’s most walkable cities. It is a top draw for the “creative class” who are increasingly choosing to drive less. Car-sharing and bike-sharing systems have also been implemented throughout much of the city in recent years, giving people the option of not owning a car.
This is good news for urban life, which thrives on pedestrian activity, and the environment. Cost of living is greatly reduced by not owning a car. Despite the fears of some residents, this trend also points to the success and good sense of Boston’s approach of letting more developers build without structured parking. If fewer people are driving while more people live in the city, what’s the point of building more and more parking? Development without parking is catering to a growing market demand for car-free living.
For more in-depth coverage:
• to Better! Cities & Towns to read all of the articles (print+online) on implementation of greener, stronger, cities and towns.
• Get the September-October 2013 issue. Topics: Phoenix: The ultimate car city seeks change, The end of the suburban era, Public housing towers, Upward mobility linked to walkability, 500 complete streets policies, Health in TODs, New Urbanism still on cutting edge, Seaside and Kentlands, The broad appeal of per-acre tax evaluation, Report calls for broad real estate reforms, Hamburg, NY, Urbanism Without Effort, Overcoming barriers to transit-oriented development, Is starchitecture compatible with New Urbanism? New Urban Update, CNU Charter Awards add topics, Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk on New Urbanism impact
• Get , packed with more than 800 informative photos, plans, tables, and other illustrations, this book is the best single guide to implementing better cities and towns.
Comments