Denver has a parking problem. The problem is that everyone wants free parking and they want the city to provide it. The problem is that we’ve written free parking into the zoning code in the form of parking minimums for all new developments outside of downtown. The problem is that we’ve built our lives on the theory that every place we go will have abundant free parking. We’ve even built our neighborhoods with the expectation that we’ll always have convenient free parking on the street in front of our homes and businesses.

But why is this a problem? Why shouldn’t we expect free and abundant parking everywhere throughout the city? Is this not America? Do we not have freedom and cars? Did our founding fathers not say we are entitled to life, liberty, and the parking space in front of our house? I’m glad you asked.

*pulls up podium*

*starts slide projector*

*clears throat*

Parking is not the solution to our woes, it is the cause of our traffic. Parking is why our streets are packed with cars. After all, why take the bus when there’s free parking right out front of my destination? Why walk to the neighborhood shop when I can easily park at the mega-lot in front of the big box store? Why ride my bike to work when the building has a multi-story garage just waiting to be filled and is otherwise empty and wasted space? In summary: parking encourages driving, which creates traffic. Traffic clogs our streets because there is little incentive to use other modes or find alternate destinations. Stop with the parking and the traffic will be reduced.