Waste Not, Want Not

If parking were not provided would less people drive? It seems as though people drive to most places because the option is available. The price of parking alone was enough to change my mind, but some people are willing to hand over the cash for the convenience. So once the people unwilling to pay have been weeded out that still leaves quite a few people. There are codes and ordinances for all other aspects of parking, so why not on the amount. This does not give license for those constructing garages to build as high as they would like either. When a parking structure is more noticeable than an actual building it is time to make some adjustments. It is a good idea to look for solutions to a problem before it gets out of control. When there is enough parking for one hundred plus cars within less than a block priorities need to be reevaluated. There should not be that many people in such a small proximity unless there is a major event. In the case of an event parking is usually not allowed in the immediate area. So then the question becomes what purpose does this parking really serve. It is not ever used to its full capacity and in cases where it could be it is not properly utilized. This would lead one to believe that if parking were more efficient then there could be less of it. It is important to look for areas of waste and use them to eliminate some of the excess. No one ever cries or is distraught when a parking garage is demolished, so why have so many? The answer must lie in what already exist. Obviously there are more car owners today then there were when most of the structures in Baltimore were built; however, cars should not dictate the development of Baltimore. The city should dictate how and if parking fits into it.