Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-19
PARKING REDUCES BUSINESS
IN CROWDED CITY SECTIONS
Demand for Storage Space Usually Exceeds
Supp y, and Absence of Limits
Injuries Stores.

cities; by 80 per cent Of an unsolicited
group of 24o stores in the group III
cities; and by ~ per cent Of an I'M
selected group of 48o stores IN the
group Nv cities.
These percentages may appear
very high. They are based on esti-
mates, which were reported in many
in justice to those merchants who re-
ported them, they should be consid-
cred merely as indications of the &C
tual amounts However, opinions have
their value for frequently it is neces-
sary that policy involving capital ex-
penditure, be based on them.
As was to be expected the large
! cities showed trafic interference in
greater degree than the smaller cities.
less import. The reverse is true o.
smaller cities, possibly because of the
greater freedom from trafic difficulties
But, regardless of size of city, the
problem has been reported as exist
ing proportionately. and the fact ap-
pears that the merchant who makes
every effort to encourage people to visit
retail areas and shops has a sound eco
nomic thought in mind when he also
makes an effort to see that street con-
ditions do not hinder those very people
whom he has encouraged.
Percentages Using Cars.
"On the othes hand. the report on
the central business district trafic sur
vey for Pittsburgr showed that 1872 per
cent Of shoppetI in 48 typical stores
entered the distric. by automobile. The
metropolitan street -rafflc survey Of Chi
cago shows 8 per cent Of some 10000
patrons of .varioas establishments
entered the district 8: automobile The
similar figure for Philadelphia is l7.3
per cent; Boston, 14.3 per cent; San
Francisco, Is per cent.
ut is further signihcaa$ to note that
In the above named cities, the following
percentages OF customers parked at the
curb: Pittsburgh, 20 per cent; Chicago,
1.57 per cent; Philadelphia, e.02 per
cent; Boston, IT per cent. and San
Francisco. Ill per cent. It must be
borne in mind that the percerfage Of
patrons does not necessarily accord ex-
actly with the percentage Of business
brought by those automobile patrons.
Nevertheless, these latter figures. which
are based upon actual counts as con-
trasted to estimates in the Department
Of Commerce bulletin, would seem to
indicate that in the large American
cities the curb parker is not as essential
to business prosperity as many EneE-
chants have sincerely believed.
In any specific case, the proper pro-
cedure in deciding whether no parking
regulations should or should not be in
stituted. is to make an impartial park
ing survey. This survey should not
only take into account the traffic phases
of the problem, but should give due
weight to the economic factors involved.
Among these economic factors are: Eff
feet Of parking elimination on various
types Of business, effect of congestion
caused by parking upon accessibility ID
the business districts and an evaluation
Of the importance Of improved acces-
sibility to business in the district, effect
Of parking conditions and probable ef-
feet Of no parking regulations upon ex-
cessively great or rapid decentralization,
capacity Of existing off-street facilities
to handle cars parked at curbs and
probability Of provision Of additional
| of street facilities and many other fac
! tors If all of the main factors in the
problem are not considered an err
roneous conclusion may be reached"