As part of the clean up process, cities have plowed public roads and families had to clear the “snowcrete” mixture from the areas around their cars. And in the days since, some have used various objects to claim their parking spots, hoping to guarantee they’re available whenever they return home.
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Some locals are taking dramatic steps to ‘reserve’ parking spots
It’s been nearly two weeks since the snow and sleet storm came through the D.C. region, causing traffic problems, school closures and delays that are still lingering.
As part of the cleanup process, cities have plowed public roads and families had to clear the “snowcrete” mixture from the areas around their cars. And in the days since, some have used various objects to claim their parking spots, hoping to guarantee they’re available whenever they return home.
It’s happening on D.C. streets from Southeast to Northwest, and in Northern Virginia neighborhoods where some residents don’t have assigned spots in parking lots.
In some cases, people hoping to take the parking spot simply move whatever object is in their way. In others, though, verbal altercations have followed.
“I just don’t think it’s right,” said Kevin, who lives near Eastern Market. “You can’t save a spot. I can understand your feeling, but it’s just not right. It’s a public street. I’ve been here a long time, and see people do it all the time, and it can cause problems. People can get pretty angry.”
In Kevin’s neighborhood, spots are reserved with cones and lawn chairs. In one case, the chair had a note — don’t take the space, “because it took my daddy 2 hours to shovel this.”
However, he said, it’s an approach that’s not always effective. Half of the time, he said, people move the objects out of the way.
In a D.C. neighborhood near Sibley Memorial Hospital, meanwhile, Catalina Zorc said she understands the need to reserve the spot. There are several chairs on both sides of her street, and in one, there’s a large stuffed banana.
“I appreciate their need, and they did all the work, so they’re kind of entitled to it,” Zorc said. “But at the same time, other people come and they need to park.”
Is it legal?
A D.C. Department of Transportation spokesman said in a statement that under city law, streets and sidewalks have to remain clear for public use.
“While we understand why residents wish to save spots that they worked hard to clear, now that the snow emergency has been lifted for more than 48 hours, residents are strongly encouraged to remove any items left in the street that may block Snow Team operations and the public right of way,” the statement read.
Using objects to save parking spots is a common approach that happens in cities across the country, including Boston, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Baltimore.
Mia Smith-Bynum, who chairs the Department of Family Science at the University of Maryland’s School of Public Health, said people have a “psychological sense of ownership” over a parking spot they may use regularly.
It’s human instinct, Smith-Bynum said.
“That normal sense of psychological ownership, if not literal ownership, over the space, it intensifies when you’ve done hours and hours of labor to clear that space,” Smith-Bynum said. “And so it’s not based in anything that is necessarily rational from a legal standpoint, but I do think no matter what space you inhabit on a regular basis or that you develop an attachment to, you’re going to try to claim it.”
In Northern Virginia, some residents have used step stools, tables and various types of chairs to reserve their spaces within parking lots. The challenge, some said, is spaces aren’t assigned.
“I understand people wanting to keep the space if they’ve worked hard to clear it,” said Timothy Conboy, who lives in Arlington.
Brian Hu, who has seen people use chairs and cardboard boxes, said, “It’s not really fair, even though they worked hard to clean the driveway. But it’s not their driveway, it’s the community’s shared driveway.”
No matter where it’s happening, it’s causing strife among neighbors.
“There’s a lot of tension,” Kevin said. “You’ve got to realize, if you’re going to move your car, there’s a chance somebody’s going to park there.”
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Mayor Cherelle Parker on Friday declared a snow emergency, which will go into effect at 9 p.m. Saturday. The city’s Streets Department plans to use 1,000 workers, 600 pieces of equipment and 30,000 tons of salt during the storm.
Long before Cleveland City Hall made the decision to charge Clevelanders more to park downtown, City Council entertained a quiet piece of parking overhaul that predated its scrapping of meters two-and-a-half years ago.
What became law in September 2023 essentially was a granting of power: the Director of Public Works, John Laird, can increase the rate people pay to park downtown anywhere from $1 to $8. And on what days, at which times, and in which specific zones.
That’s what Laird did recently; beginning sometime this year, parking rates in Downtown and Ohio City will jump from $1 to $1.50. Drivers parking for four hours—the new limit—will have to shell out $10.50 in sum. And now, that includes weekends, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (save for Sunday in Ohio City), for what was once free.
The move seems contradictory to basic economics: Why is the city, one that is struggling to fill vacant retail spaces and rehab or sell its vacant buildings, increasing the price of entry for the vast majority of Northeast Ohioans who come to the city center by car?
“You have to understand we really only had one goal,” Lucas Reeve, a senior advisor to Mayor Bibb, who helped architect the new parking policy, told Scene recently at City Hall. “To have parking be predictable and available when and where people need it.”
Reeve, along with his co-policy maker, Matt Moss, a senior strategist of Thriving Communities, maintains that months of thought went into the choice to charge parkers for something they once got for free. Or for a cheaper rate. Or for fewer hours on the weekday.
Both men subscribe to the philosophy of Donald Shoup, the late San Francisco academic often considered to be the country’s foremost expert on parking.
Shoup argues in his book The High Cost of Free Parking in favor of what’s called demand-responsive parking. It’s a theory that operates like a triangle, where city planners can only pick two out of three—parking can be free and convenient, Shoup’s aphorism went, but it can’t be available. (Or available and free, but not convenient.)
Lucas Reeve and Matt Moss, pictured here at City Hall in December, were the city’s two main backers for its new parking policy. Credit: Mark Oprea
“And so if you want to make parking more available and convenient,” Moss said, “price in the only tool to do that.”
Cleveland’s new rates are actually pretty average when it comes to leaving a car in a Midwestern city center.
Detroit charges a buck an hour until 10 p.m. on most nights. In Indianapolis, it’s $2 per hour until 11 p.m. In Pittsburgh, rates can climb up to $3 an hour, yet parking—unlike in Cleveland shortly—is free after 6 p.m. (In all three cities, there’s no charge on Sundays.)
Yet Moss and Reeve’s experiment will play out during a tougher time in general for transportation.
Late last year, RTA announced that it would be cutting its budget for 2026, which means a drop in service. And Cleveland Moves, the city’s plan to stake out 50 miles of high-comfort bike lanes around town, has only two protected lanes downtown (slivers of Huron and Prospect) to show so far.
Which means Moss and Reeve are gambling with demand. Three out of every four cars that come downtown and park on the street originate outside Cleveland, city data shows. Out-of-towners, therefore, are Downtown’s main customer.
“The city has been catering to suburbanites for decades and it hasn’t worked,” one commented on Reddit.
“It’s penny pinching,” another said. “You don’t GROW a ‘business’ by cutting ease-of-access costs. Same way you wouldn’t raise RTA prices and expect more people to use it.”
But behavior over the next year could spell otherwise. After all, Moss told Scene, the virtue of their ParkMobile system is the ability to track data regarding where people tend to park, at which times of day—and adjust prices accordingly. San Francisco fluctuates its parking zones this way.
New York City, after a year of charging drivers $9 to drive into parts of Manhattan, recently called the initiative a success. Traffic fell by 11 percent; crashes were reduced by 7 percent. Fewer cars on the street resulted in more open and available spots.
And like in New York, where congestion-fee revenue added a half billion dollars to the city’s transit system, Cleveland could profit intelligently from those extra parking fees.
The extra revenue from this year’s parking increase, Reeve said, will head into a “special fund” that can only be spent on “mobility and safety” — things like better crosswalks, new bike lanes and speed tables, crisper street lighting.
“Again, the goal isn’t revenue,” Moss stated. “But to the extent that we have revenue that exceeds what we need to run the program? We’re gonna return it back to the streets.”
The former Blake Street Tavern building in LoDo has a new owner.
Denver-based Sidford Capital purchased the in-default loan for the 53,000-square-foot building at 2301 Blake St. in Denver, then took ownership through a deed-in-lieu of foreclosure last week, according to public records.
The records indicate Sidford paid $7.5 million. The company took out a $6 million loan from MidFirst Bank.
Sidford Principal Dan Grooters said the building is 66% leased to International Workplace Group (formerly Regus), which operates its Spaces coworking concept there. The remainder, formerly home to the Blake Street Tavern sports bar, which closed in 2023 after 20 years, is vacant.
The 1.2-acre property also includes two parking lots.
Sidford took ownership from Seattle-based Urban Renaissance Group, which purchased the property in July 2016 for $21.2 million, records show.
In October 2016, records show, URG took out a $12.5 million loan from Sun Life Assurance Co. of Canada that was set to mature in November 2026. But in October of this year, with $10.3 million still owed, the loan “went nonperforming as a result of a payment default,” according to a JLL listing.
URG no longer has any Denver holdings. This year, the company surrendered 2399 Blake St. to a lender, lost LoDo’s Market Center to foreclosure and sold Fox31’s broadcast building at 100 E. Speer Blvd. to the station’s parent company. The company also sold a Broomfield office building at a steep loss in November.
Sidford, meanwhile, also did a deal in Denver’s Athmar Park neighborhood last week, selling the fully leased 59,500-square-foot Athmar Park Shopping Center at 1901 W. Mississippi Ave. for $8.2 million.
Grooters said Sidford renovated the center after buying it in January 2024 for $4.6 million and brought in Planet Fitness as an anchor tenant. The company also parceled off a portion of the property’s parking lot, selling it separately for $400,000.
Cybersecurity experts are warning about scammers using QR codes to take advantage of unsuspecting victims.What is a QR code?Short for “quick response” code, the small barcodes are ubiquitous, getting scanned using a phone’s camera to link to restaurant menus, online payment systems or any other digital task.”We’re all familiar with these things,” said Jean-Paul Bergeaux, the federal chief technology officer for GuidePoint Security. “The concept is, ‘How do we give people a way to get to a link, where they don’t have to enter it, to simplify our life,’ which it does very well.”How does ‘Quishing’ work?Unfortunately, like most things, scammers are finding ways to use QR codes as part of a scam that’s known as “Quishing.””You’re just scanning it and hitting it and saying go, and so you can go anywhere, and the bad guys can send you anywhere,” Bergeaux said. “That’s the hook for them, right? It’s not only just ubiquitous and everywhere, but there’s a bit of (anonymity) to it.” Bergeaux said scammers most commonly use QR codes to send you to a dummy website to get your information — and money.”They’re going to steal things from your phone. They’re going to steal your information. They’re going to steal your accounts just by scanning it,” Bergeaux said.It happened in BaltimoreSo, say you’re trying to park your car. A fake QR code posted on a parking meter could take you to a website that looks like you’re paying for parking, when in reality, a scammer just stole your credit card information.It’s a problem that was reported in Baltimore earlier this year, when the Parking Authority of Baltimore City warned drivers not to scan QR codes on its meters.How do I avoid QR code scams?There are ways to protect yourself. For one, check whether the QR code has been tampered with, or whether it’s just covered up by a sticker or piece of paper. You could also avoid using them altogether.”You can simply just go to the app store, download the ParkMobile app — or whatever the app is —yourself, and don’t take the risk of being sent somewhere you potentially don’t want to go,” Bergeaux said.It’s also good practice to not reuse passwords and to turn on multi-factor authentication to keep information safe in your most important accounts.What do I do if I fell victim to a QR code scam?If hackers do access your phone, don’t wait to act.”The first thing is, what did they get? If they got an account, reset the account, retake control over that account, whatever that account is,” Bergeaux said.Bergeaux warned that even if a QR code is made with good intentions, the websites used to create the QR codes can sometimes do so maliciously. So, if something seems off or doesn’t seem right, check with the company or organization before scanning a QR code or clicking any links.
Cybersecurity experts are warning about scammers using QR codes to take advantage of unsuspecting victims.
What is a QR code?
Short for “quick response” code, the small barcodes are ubiquitous, getting scanned using a phone’s camera to link to restaurant menus, online payment systems or any other digital task.
“We’re all familiar with these things,” said Jean-Paul Bergeaux, the federal chief technology officer for GuidePoint Security. “The concept is, ‘How do we give people a way to get to a link, where they don’t have to enter it, to simplify our life,’ which it does very well.”
How does ‘Quishing’ work?
Unfortunately, like most things, scammers are finding ways to use QR codes as part of a scam that’s known as “Quishing.”
“You’re just scanning it and hitting it and saying go, and so you can go anywhere, and the bad guys can send you anywhere,” Bergeaux said. “That’s the hook for them, right? It’s not only just ubiquitous and everywhere, but there’s a bit of (anonymity) to it.”
Bergeaux said scammers most commonly use QR codes to send you to a dummy website to get your information — and money.
“They’re going to steal things from your phone. They’re going to steal your information. They’re going to steal your accounts just by scanning it,” Bergeaux said.
It happened in Baltimore
So, say you’re trying to park your car. A fake QR code posted on a parking meter could take you to a website that looks like you’re paying for parking, when in reality, a scammer just stole your credit card information.
There are ways to protect yourself. For one, check whether the QR code has been tampered with, or whether it’s just covered up by a sticker or piece of paper. You could also avoid using them altogether.
“You can simply just go to the app store, download the ParkMobile app — or whatever the app is —yourself, and don’t take the risk of being sent somewhere you potentially don’t want to go,” Bergeaux said.
It’s also good practice to not reuse passwords and to turn on multi-factor authentication to keep information safe in your most important accounts.
What do I do if I fell victim to a QR code scam?
If hackers do access your phone, don’t wait to act.
“The first thing is, what did they get? If they got an account, reset the account, retake control over that account, whatever that account is,” Bergeaux said.
Bergeaux warned that even if a QR code is made with good intentions, the websites used to create the QR codes can sometimes do so maliciously. So, if something seems off or doesn’t seem right, check with the company or organization before scanning a QR code or clicking any links.
Turkey Day is nearly here, and thousands are expected to line the streets for the 2025 Thanksgiving Eve Parade in uptown Charlotte.
The 79th annual event kicks off Wednesday, Nov. 26, at 5:30 p.m. and will air live on WCCB Charlotte from 6-8 p.m., according to the event website.
Dancers performance dancing routines at the Novant Health Thanksgiving Day Parade in Charlotte, N.C., on Wednesday, November 24, 2021. Khadejeh Nikouyeh Knikouyeh@charlotteobserver.com
If you miss it, no worries. Encore presentations of the event will run on Thursday, Nov. 27 at 5 a.m., 7 a.m. and 8 p.m., the station said.
As in years past, revelers can expect to see larger-than-life floats, more than a dozen marching bands, giant cold-air balloons, performers and much more. Vendors will also sell warm drinks, hot dogs and novelties as participants march along the parade route.
“Get ready for an unforgettable night at the Novant Health Thanksgiving Eve Parade,” the event website says. Here’s what to know before you go:
Thanksgiving Eve Parade route
This year’s parade starts at the intersection of Tryon and 9th Streets and ends at Good Samaritan Way.
The event is free to all, although VIP seating can be purchased ahead of time, according to the event website. Revelers who don’t buy a VIP seat can watch the parade from 9th Street to Brooklyn Village Avenue.
A map of the 2025 Thanksgiving Eve Parade route in uptown Charlotte. Screengrab from novanthealththanksgivingparade.com.
Designated wheelchair/ADA seating won’t be available along the parade route, so organizers suggest arriving early (around 4 p.m.) to secure a spot up front.
Road closures
The Charlotte Department of Transportation said the following roads will be closed for the parade:
Monday, Nov. 24 (starting at 6 p.m.)
Tryon Street between Brooklyn Village Avenue and Good Samaritan Way
Tuesday, Nov. 25 (starting at 10 p.m.)
Tryon Street between 9th Street and 11th Street
9th Street between College Street and Church Street
10th Street between Church Street and Tryon Street
Montfort Point between Tryon Street and College Street
Wednesday, Nov. 26 (starting at 4 p.m.)
Tryon Street between College Street and Church Street
All cross streets along Tryon Street between College Street and Church Street
All roadways will reopen at 11:59 p.m. on Nov. 26, city officials said.
Charlotte’s annual Thanksgiving parade used to take place on Thanksgiving Day but became a night-before event in 2021. Diedra Laird dlaird@charlotteobserver.com
Parking and public transportation options
The big event is expected to draw about 50,000 spectators, city officials said, so arriving as early is your best bet at snagging a good seat. Public parking is available in several lots and garages near the parade route and can be booked ahead of time at parkme.com.
If you want to avoid traffic, hop on the light rail to one of three stations along the route:
Balloons make their way through an intersection at the Novant Health Thanksgiving Day Parade in Charlotte, N.C., on Wednesday, November 24, 2021. Khadejeh Nikouyeh Knikouyeh@charlotteobserver.com
Tanasia is a service journalism reporter at the Charlotte Observer | CharlotteFive, working remotely from Atlanta, Georgia. She covers restaurant openings/closings in Charlotte and statewide explainers for the NC Service Journalism team. She’s been with McClatchy since 2020.
ENGLEWOOD — Metro Denver budtender Quentin Ferguson needs Regional Transportation District bus and trains to reach work at an Arvada dispensary from his house, a trip that takes 90 minutes each way “on a good day.”
“It is pretty inconvenient,” Ferguson, 22, said on a recent rainy evening, waiting for a nearly empty train that was eight minutes late.
He’s not complaining, however, because his relatively low income and Medicaid status qualify him for a discounted RTD monthly pass. That lets him save money for a car or an electric bicycle, he said, either of them offering a faster commute.
Then he would no longer have to ride RTD.
His plight reflects a core problem of lagging ridership that RTD directors increasingly run up against as they try to position the transit agency as the smartest way to navigate Denver. Most other U.S. public transit agencies, too, are grappling with a version of this problem.
In Colorado, state-government-driven efforts to concentrate the growing population in high-density, transit-oriented development around bus and train stations — a priority for legislators and Gov. Jared Polis — hinge on having a swift public system that residents ride.
But transit ridership has failed to rebound a year after RTD’s havoc in 2024, when operators disrupted service downtown for a $152 million rail reconstruction followed by a systemwide emergency maintenance blitz to smooth deteriorating tracks that led to trains crawling through 10-mph “slow zones.”
The latest ridership numbers show an overall decline this year, by at least 3.9%, with 40 million fewer riders per year compared with six years ago. And RTD executives’ newly proposed, record $1.3 billion budget for 2026 doesn’t include funds for boosting bus and train frequency to win back riders.
Frustrations intensified last week.
“What is the point of transit-oriented development if it is just development?” said state Rep. Meg Froelich, a Democrat representing Englewood who chairs the House Transportation, Housing and Local Government Committee. “We need reliable transit to have transit-oriented development. We have cities that have invested significant resources into their transit-oriented communities. RTD is not holding up its end of the bargain.”
At a retreat this past summer, a majority of the RTD’s 15 elected board members agreed that boosting ridership is their top priority. Some who reviewed the proposed budget last week questioned the lack of spending on service improvements for riders.
“We’re not moving the needle. Ridership is not going up. It should be going up,” director Karen Benker said in an interview.
“Over the past few years, there’s been a tremendous amount of population growth. There are so many apartment complexes, so much new housing put up all over,” Benker said. “Transit has to be relied on. You just cannot keep building more roads. We’re going to have to find ways to get people to ride public transit.”
Commuting trends blamed
RTD Chief Executive and General Manager Debra Johnson, in emailed responses to questions from The Denver Post, emphasized that “RTD is not unique” among U.S. transit agencies struggling to regain ridership lost during the COVID-19 pandemic. Johnson blamed societal shifts.
“Commuting trends have significantly changed over the last five years,” she said. “Return-to-work numbers in the Denver metro area, which accounted for a significant percentage of RTD’s ridership prior to March 2020, remain low as companies and businesses continue to provide flexible in-office schedules for their employees.”
In the future, RTD will be “changing its focus from primarily providing commuter services,” she said, toward “enhancing its bus and services and connections to high-volume events, activity centers, concerts and festivals.”
But agency directors are looking for a more aggressive approach to reversing the decline in ridership. And some are mulling a radical restructuring of routes.
Funded mostly by taxpayers across a 2,345 square-mile area spanning eight counties and 40 municipalities — one of the biggest in the nation — RTD operates 10 rail lines covering 114 miles with 84 stations and 102 bus routes with 9,720 stops.
“We should start from scratch,” said RTD director Chris Nicholson, advocating an overhaul of the “geometry” of all bus routes to align transit better with metro Denver residents’ current mobility patterns.
The key will be increasing frequency.
“We should design the routes how we think would best serve people today, and then we could take that and modify it where absolutely necessary to avoid disruptive differences with our current route map,” he said.
Then, in 2030, directors should appeal to voters for increased funding to improve service — funds that would be substantially controlled by municipalties “to pick where they want the service to go,” he said.
Reversing the RTD ridership decline may take a couple of years, Nicholson said, comparing the decreases this year to customers shunning a restaurant. “If you’re a restaurant and you poison some guests accidentally, you’re gonna lose customers even after you fix the problem.”
The RTD ridership numbers show an overall public transit ridership decrease by 5% when measured over the 12-month period from August 2024 through July 2025, the last month for which staffers have made numbers available, compared with the same period a year ago.
Bus ridership decreased by 2% and light rail by 18% over that period. In a typical month, RTD officials record around 5 million boardings — around 247,000 on weekdays.
The precautionary rail “slow zones” persisted for months as contractors worked on tracks, delaying and diverting trains, leaving transit-dependent workers in a lurch. RTD driver workforce shortages limited deployment of emergency bus shuttles.
This year, RTD ridership systemwide decreased by 3.9% when measured from January through July, compared with that period in 2024. The bus ridership this year has decreased by 2.4%.
On rail lines, the ridership on the relatively popular A Line that runs from Union Station downtown to Denver International Airport was down by 9.7%. The E Line light rail that runs from downtown to the southeastern edge of metro Denver was down by 24%. Rail ridership on the W Line decreased by 18% and on R Line by 15%, agency records show.
The annual RTD ridership has decreased by 38% since 2019, from 105.8 million to 65.2 million in 2024.
A Regional Transportation District light rail train moves through downtown Denver on Friday, June 27, 2025. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Light rail ‘sickness’ spreading
“The sickness on RTD light rail is spreading to other parts of the RTD system,” said James Flattum, a co-founder of the Greater Denver Transit grassroots rider advocacy group, who also serves on the state’s RTD Accountability Committee. “We’re seeing permanent demand destruction as a consequence of having an unreliable system. This comes from a loss of trust in RTD to get you where you need to go.”
RTD officials have countered critics by pointing out that the light rail’s on-time performance recovered this year to 91% or better. Bus on-time performance still lagged at 83% in July, agency records show.
The officials also pointed to decreased security reports made using an RTD smartphone app after deploying more police officers on buses and trains. The number of reported assaults has decreased — to four in September, compared with 16 in September 2024, records show.
Greater Denver Transit members acknowledged that safety has improved, but question the agency’s assertions based on app usage. “It may be true that the number of security calls went down,” Flattum said, “but maybe the people who otherwise would have made more safety calls are no longer riding RTD.”
RTD staffers developing the 2026 budget have focused on managing debt and maintaining operations spending at current levels. They’ve received forecasts that revenues from taxpayers will increase slightly. It’s unclear whether state and federal funds will be available.
RTD directors and leaders of the Southwest Energy Efficiency Project, an environmental group, are opposing the rollback of RTD’s planned shift to the cleaner, quieter electric hybrid buses and taking on new debt for that purpose.
Colorado lawmakers will “push on a bunch of different fronts” to prioritize better service to boost ridership, Froelich said.
The legislature in recent years directed funds to help RTD provide free transit for riders under age 20. Buses and trains running at least every 15 minutes would improve both ridership and safety, she said, because more riders would discourage bad behavior and riders wouldn’t have to wait alone at night on often-empty platforms for up to an hour.
“We’re trying to do what we can to get people back onto the transit system,” Froelich said. “They do it in other places, and people here do ride the Bustang (intercity bus system). RTD just seems to lack the nimbleness required to meet the moment.”
Denver Center for the Performing Arts stage hand Chris Grossman walks home after work in downtown Denver on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
Riders switch modes
Meanwhile, riders continue to abandon public transit when it doesn’t meet their needs.
For Denver Center for the Performing Arts theater technician Chris Grossman, 35, ditching RTD led to a better quality of life. He had to move from the Virginia Village neighborhood he loved.
Back in 2016, Grossman sold his ailing blue 2003 VW Golf when he moved there in the belief that “RTD light rail was more or less reliable.” He rode nearly every day between the Colorado Station and downtown.
But trains became erratic as maintenance of walls along tracks caused delays. “It just got so bad. I was burning so much money on rideshares that I probably could have bought a car.” Shortly before RTD announced the “slow zones” last summer, he moved to an apartment closer to downtown on Capitol Hill.
He walks or rides scooters to work, faster than taking the bus, he said.
Similarly, Honor Morgan, 25, who came to Denver from the rural Midwest, “grateful for any public transit,” said she had to move from her place east of downtown to be closer to her workplace due to RTD transit trouble.
Buses were late, and one blew by her as she waited. She had to adjust her attire when riding her Colfax Avenue route to Union Station to manage harassment. She faced regular dramas of riders with substance-use problems erupting.
Morgan moved to an apartment near Union Station in March, allowing her to walk to work.
She still hoped to rely on RTD for concerts and nightlife, and to reach DIA for work-related flights at least once a month. But RTD social media posts have alerted her to enough delays on the A Line that she no longer trusts it, she said. To reduce her “anxiety” and minimize the risk of missing her flights, she shells out for rides — even though these often get stuck in traffic.
She and her boyfriend recently tried RTD again, riding a train to the 38th and Blake Station near the Mission Ballroom. They attended “an amazing concert” there, she said, and felt happy as they walked to the station to catch the train home.
A man on the platform collapsed backward, hitting his head. He was bleeding. She called 911. Her boyfriend and other riders gathered. She ran across the street to an apartment building and grabbed paper towels. RTD isn’t really to blame, but “I just wish they had a station platform attendant, or someone. I do not know head-injury first aid,” Morgan said.
The train they’d been waiting for came and went. An ambulance arrived. They got home late, the evening ruined, she said.
“His head cracked open. He had skin flaps hanging off his head. This was stuck in my head, at least for the rest of the night.”
The city of Anaheim faces an annual deficit projected at $64 million, so every little bit helps. And, because of the Angels’ poor play, that is exactly what the city got in ticket revenue from its hometown baseball team this year: just a little bit.
Until Sunday, in fact, the city did not know for certain that it would get even a penny in ticket revenue.
As part of their lease to play in the city-owned stadium, the Angels are required to pay the city $2 for every ticket sold beyond 2.6 million. On Sunday, the final day of the regular season, the last-place Angels topped that threshold by 15,506. The payment to Anaheim: $31,012.
In better times — amid a run of six postseason appearances in eight years — the city received more than $1 million annually in ticket revenue. The high point: $1,613,580 in 2006, when the team sold a record 3,406,790 tickets.
Although major league teams do not disclose their financial data, Forbes estimated the Angels generated $120 million in ticket revenue last year. The Angels sold 2.58 million tickets last year, so the city received none of that revenue.
When the city and the Walt Disney Co. — then the owner of the Angels — agreed on that stadium lease in 1996, the 2.6 million figure was largely aspirational. The Angels sold 1.8 million tickets that year. In the previous 30 seasons playing in the stadium, the Angels’ attendance had topped 2.6 million only four times.
The city first received ticket revenue that year, when the Angels’ attendance shot past 2.6 million and topped 3 million. Under Moreno’s ownership, the Angels won five division championships in the next six years and sold more than 3 million tickets every year from 2003-2019.
The Angels have not made a postseason appearance in 11 years — the longest drought in the major leagues — and have not posted a winning record in 10 years. Attendance dropped sharply after the pandemic, and Anaheim has received a share of the Angels’ ticket revenue only twice in the past six years: this year, and $81,150 in 2023.
The city does receive revenue from parking and other stadium events, but only after certain thresholds have been reached. Under the lease, ticket sales are the primary driver of city revenue.
The Angels pay no rent under their lease, since Disney paid all but $20 million of a $117-million stadium renovation. The city said it would make its money back from development of the parking lots around the stadium, which has not happened in the three decades since the lease took effect.
Moreno twice has agreed to deals in which he would own the stadium and develop the land around it, but the city backed away both times: in 2014, after then-mayor Tom Tait objected to leasing the land to Moreno for $1 per year; and in 2022, after the FBI taped then-mayor Harry Sidhu saying he would ram a deal through and ask the Angels for a million-dollar contribution in return. (Sidhu was sentenced to prison last March, after signing a plea agreement that specified he had leaked confidential negotiating information to the Angels. The government has not alleged the Angels did anything wrong.)
In April, current mayor Ashleigh Aitken invited Moreno for a new round of discussions. He made no commitment, and the city subsequently decided to put any talks on hold until the completion of a property assessment designed to determine how many hundreds of millions of dollars would be needed to keep the 1966 stadium viable for decades to come. That study is expected to be concluded next year.
In January, the Angels exercised an option to extend their stadium lease through 2032. They have two other options to extend the lease if they wish: one through 2035, the other through 2038.
SALEM — An ordinance signed into law by Mayor Dominick Pangallo Monday eliminates Salem’s minimum parking mandates for new multifamily housing developments with three or more units.
The ordinance, intended to address the hundreds of unused parking spaces throughout the city, requires new multifamily housing projects receiving a Site Plan Review to identify how they will address residents’ transportation needs by submitting a “Transportation Demand Management plan.”
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CLEAR CREEK COUNTY, Colo. — The Clear Creek County Sheriff’s Office stated that it towed a dozen vehicles on Guanella Pass on Sunday as it began recently implemented parking enforcement efforts.
The sheriff’s office stated that the 12 vehicles were illegally parked on the narrow Guanella Pass Road, which can hinder access for emergency vehicles responding to an incident on the pass.
Recreation
Clear Creek County clamping down on illegal parking ahead of leaf-peeping season
Deputies also issued 50 tickets for violations such as parking in no-parking zones or blocking the roadway.
Parking violations will result in a $87.50 ticket, according to Jenny Fulton, a spokesperson for the sheriff’s office.
The sheriff’s office installed several “No Parking” signs along the route last month after hundreds of vehicles parked illegally last fall.
“In recent years, it’s gotten pretty bad up there,” said Georgetown resident Gary Wilkins in July.
A video posted to social media during the 2024 leaf-peeping season showed crowds of cars lining both sides of the narrow road.
A designated parking lot at the summit is clearly marked with green “PARKING” signs for legal use.
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Philadelphia International Airport is launching new programs designed to simplify the parking experience for travelers.
Park PHL, which was launched Thursday in collaboration with the Philadelphia Parking Authority, allows online booking for the airport’s economy parking lot. Starting Nov. 18, the airport will also offer valet services for the first time.
To reserve and pay for parking in the economy lot, customers can head to the Park PHL reserve section of the airport website and input their entry and exit dates and times. There is no additional fee for using the online booking, and guests can modify or cancel their parking — and receive a refund — up until two hours before their scheduled arrival. The online reservation service will expand to include the airport’s on-site garages early next year.
When PHL Valet launches next month, customers can book it online for $50 per day. People utilizing the service will drop their car off at one of three “Departures Roadway” kiosks at Terminals A-East, B/C and E. Upon their return to PHL, they can pick up their car at baggage claim. In the future, the airport expects to offer premium add-ons to valet packages, such as a car wash.
The current daily fee for PHL’s economy lot is $15, which includes shuttle transportation to and from the terminals and access to free emergency services like battery jump starts, flat tire assistance, auto lockout help and lost vehicle finder.
The economy lot, located along the 4400 block of Island Avenue, previously had more than 7,000 spots before it closed during the COVID-19 pandemic amid declining air travel. PHL began to reopen it gradually in 2022 as air travel began to rebound. It now has 4,200 spaces that are available on a first-come, first-served basis, according to the PHL website. Other parking options for PHL travelers include garages, short-term lots and multiple private lots near the airport
The grandstands continue to go up around the 18th green at Pinehurst No. 2, where the U.S. Open golf championship will be played June 13-16 at Pinehurst Resort and Country Club.
Chip Alexander
The 2024 U.S. Open golf tournament is returning to North Carolina, and will be played at Pinehurst’s famed Donald Ross-designed No. 2 course.
Whether you’re a seasoned attendee or a first-timer, here’s everything you need to know to make the most of your U.S. Open experience:
Tickets
If you haven’t snagged your tickets yet, do it now! The U.S. Open won’t return to Pinehurst until 2029, so head to the U.S. Open Tickets page to secure your spot.
Your tickets will be digital, so download the USGA mobile app on your iOS or Android device. Once logged in, tap the ticket icon, select “My Tickets” and follow the prompts to access your tickets. Don’t forget to have your QR code ready at the gate! Screenshots will not be accepted.
A link to the USGA Mobile Ticket Guide can be found here.
How to get there by train
Getting to Pinehurst will be a breeze this year, thanks to the “Open Express.” This alternative from the N.C. Department of Transportation and Amtrak will provide trains from Raleigh and Cary to Pinehurst each day from June 13-16.
These trains drop you off right near the Pinehurst No. 2 golf course, where the tournament will take place. Tickets are $25 each way and can be purchased in advance at Amtrak’s website. Type or select “Pinehurst NC” and either Raleigh or Cary when choosing your origin and destination.
The train leaves Raleigh Union Station at 7 a.m. and Cary at 7:15 a.m., arriving in Pinehurst around 9 a.m. The return trip departs Pinehurst at 6:35 p.m., stopping in Cary at 8:30 p.m. before arriving back to Raleigh by 8:45 p.m. Cost is $25 each way. It’s a stress-free and scenic way to get to the tournament.
How to get there by car
If you prefer to drive, Pinehurst is roughly 70 miles southwest of Raleigh, about a 1.5-hour drive. From Charlotte, it’s about a 2-hour drive.
Parking can be tricky with 250,000 spectators expected to attend. Thankfully, there are two complimentary public parking lots with shuttle service to the course. The Red Lot is to the north, while the Blue Lot is to the south.
Fans traveling from points north and using U.S. 1 southbound should exit onto U.S. 15-501 South in Sanford and follow signage to the Red Lot.
Fans traveling from points north using Interstate 73-74/U.S. 220 southbound should exit onto N.C. 211 East and follow signage to the Red Lot.
Fans traveling from points west using N.C. 24-27 eastbound should proceed to Interstate 73-74 South and follow signage to the Red Lot.
Fans traveling from points south using U.S. 1 northbound should follow trail signage to the Blue Lot.
From Interstate 95, fans should take Exit 31 in St. Pauls for N.C. 20 West and follow trail signage to the Blue Lot.
Fans traveling from points west using the U.S. 74 East Bypass should proceed to U.S. 1 North and follow signage to the Blue Lot.
Check out the U.S. Open Fan Guide for specific locations, maps and addresses. If you’re using rideshare services like Uber or Lyft, they will drop you off at a designated area near Midland Road (NC-2), which is a short walk from Gate 6.
These include 1878 Bed and Breakfast, Airport RV Park, Amerivu Inn & Suites Aberdeen or Cardinal Park.
Pinehurst: Beyond the greens
While golf is obviously the main event, there’s plenty to do in Pinehurst and the surrounding areas. Check out the new Golf House Pinehurst, which includes the World Golf Hall of Fame, or stroll through the quaint village of Pinehurst.
If you’re into craft beer, don’t miss the Sandhills Pour Tour, where you can get a passport and collect stamps as you visit local breweries. The area offers everything from Southern comfort food to fine dining and local favorites like the North & South Bar for a post-game bourbon or whiskey.
Final tips: Making the most of your day
Arrive early: Whether you’re driving or opting for the train, getting an early start can help you beat the crowds.
Dress comfortably: Temperatures will get up into the 90s this week, so wear lightweight clothing and comfortable shoes.
Stay hydrated: Bring a reusable water bottle (check the fan guide for rules on what’s allowed) to use throughout the day.
Download the USGA app: It’s your go-to source for interactive maps, event schedules, live streaming and real-time updates.
Too few parking spaces, lengthy queues for open spots, cramped designs that can’t handle crowds — Denver-area drivers brace themselves for headaches when they try to navigate the most stress-inducing parking lots in the city and beyond.
The Denver Post went searching for the worst parking lots in metro Denver, with help from more than 100 people who weighed in with their opinions in an informal survey on social media platforms X and Facebook. Within Denver’s city limits, older central neighborhoods like Capitol Hill — where space is at a premium — host parking lots that received an onslaught of criticism.
But that doesn’t mean suburban communities are immune to precarious parking set-ups.
Poor parking lot experiences can affect drivers’ loyalty to a business, one expert says. Consumers are constantly forming judgments about brands, so “parking is one of the critical elements for brands to get right,” said Brent Coker, a marketing lecturer at the University of Melbourne.
“Everything that happens to a consumer informs their attitude, which defines their future behavior,” including purchase decisions made minutes later, the Australian said. “If the carpark sucks, then yeah — that’s gonna give someone a negative attitude.”
Here are the parking lots that stand out the most in Denver:
1. Trader Joe’s urban locations
Grocery store chain Trader Joe’s has two Denver locations in older neighborhoods, with small lots that challenge drivers in Capitol Hill on Logan Street and in Hale on Colorado Boulevard.
“It’s no secret that Trader Joe’s parking lots are a nightmare,” said customer Rob Toftness, 42. “You add in their tight quarters with drivers’ inability to behave like adults, and you have a difficult recipe.”
On a rainy Monday afternoon, shoppers weren’t deterred from completing their errands at the Capitol Hill store. They stepped in front of cars waiting for openings in the lot. Drivers tried to squeeze into narrow spots, parking haphazardly before darting into the store themselves.
Four cars were queued in the left lane on Logan Street, turn signals blinking as they waited to enter.
However, for cyclists and pedestrians, the store is a breeze to navigate. Toftness, a Five Points resident, opts to ride his bike along the 7th Avenue bikeway, then locks it at the bike rack while he shops.
In an episode of the company’s podcast, Inside Trader Joe’s, co-host Matt Sloan said, “We don’t open stores with the world’s most ridiculous parking lot on purpose.” The size of a Trader Joe’s lot is based on the store’s square footage, with the chain’s locations often smaller than the average grocery store, especially when they’re squeezed into older neighborhoods.
“Stores of a more recent vintage — more recently open stores — have larger parking lots when we can get them,” Sloan added.
Trader Joe’s spokesperson Nakia Rohde declined to respond further.
A shopper exits a King Soopers grocery store on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024, in Capitol Hill in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
2. King Soopers in Capitol Hill
The King Soopers grocery store on East Ninth Avenue leaves local customers lamenting the amount of time it can take to secure a parking spot in the main lot.
Those who choose to park in the overflow lot are also inconvenienced, as the anti-theft wheel locks on shopping carts engage at the edges of the main lot, forcing patrons to carry their groceries across a busy street. Nine cars idled in the parking lot on a Monday afternoon, as drivers tried to park or back out of spots.
Kara King, 33, said she’s never secured a parking spot on her first go-round.
“You constantly have to circle the lot, waiting for one to open up,” the Speer neighborhood resident said. “Otherwise, your option is to park on the street and haul your groceries to your car.”
King Soopers spokesperson Jessica Trowbridge didn’t respond to requests for comment.
3. Whole Foods Market in Cherry Creek
At the Whole Foods Market on East First Avenue in Cherry Creek, customers’ criticisms are largely directed at its lot design.
“Whole Foods in Cherry Creek is awful,” said customer Krista Chism, 48. “All the spaces are designed for compact cars.”
She called the lanes “too narrow,” which heightens the risk of hitting another vehicle parked behind her car while reversing. When she visits, “I seriously weigh the cost of paying to park against the possible cost of someone hitting my car,” the Park Hill resident said.
The Whole Foods media team didn’t respond to a request for comment.
4. Denver Botanic Gardens
Visiting the Denver Botanic Gardens often comes with parking difficulties on busy weekends, despite a dedicated parking garage. The gardens are most heavily trafficked by guests during events, including Blossoms of Light, Glow at the Gardens, the Spring Plant Sale and the Summer Concert Series, said Erin Bird, associate director of communications. Popular times for visitors also include warm, sunny weekends and Scientific and Cultural Facilities District free days.
Bird said representatives understood visitors’ parking frustrations and urged guests to take extra time to secure parking in either the garage or the surrounding neighborhood.
“The Gardens’ multi-level parking structure was designed to maximize the limited space we have due to our location that borders city parks in an established residential neighborhood,” she said. “Timed entry has eased some of the parking strain.”
Denver’s flagship REI store on the South Platte River, pictured on Sept. 11, 2012, has a front surface lot (shown), an underground garage and auxiliary lots. (Photo by John Leyba/The Denver Post)
5. REI Co-op’s flagship store
The REI Co-Op Denver flagship store on Platte Street near downtown is the source of consistent parking gripes, including tight spaces, incidents of bike theft and the price to pay to park for lengthy shopping trips (after a 90-minute grace period).
Patrons say the outdoor co-op attracts the most crowds during the weekend, but that doesn’t mean its ground-level parking areas don’t fill up at times during the week, too. On a recent Wednesday evening, the metered street parking was also mostly occupied as a few customers dashed across the busy street to the former Denver Tramway Powerhouse building that now houses the retail chain.
The REI store earns 4.5 out of 5 stars on Google reviews, but at least 20 one-star reviews mention parking troubles. The designs of one surface parking lot and the underground garage are noted as cramped. One reviewer wrote: “The store itself really is great. But PLEASE fix the parking.”
The REI media team didn’t respond to a request for comment.
What about the suburbs?
Outside of Denver, plenty of parking lots throughout the metro area give shoppers and visitors grief, too. Here are some notable ones:
Costco: The warehouse club chain’s locations in Lone Tree, on Park Meadows Center Drive, and in Arvada, on Wadsworth Boulevard, draw particular complaints about parking lots that rattle the nerves. Costco stores face guff elsewhere, too: On Reddit, a thread asking the question “What’s your Costco’s parking lot situation?” has garnered hundreds of responses. Objections include waiting for spots during busy shopping hours and aggression in parking lots, such as honking, cursing and even car accidents. The Costco media team didn’t respond to a request for comment.
Construction workers pour concrete in the upper parking lot at Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre on Feb. 6, 2024, in Morrison. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post)
Red Rocks Amphitheatre: The Denver-owned venue is considered the pride and joy of the local music scene — but its parking, not so much. After a packed concert, drivers can look forward to sitting in their vehicles for long periods as they inch toward the venue’s exits. And they can’t turn to public transportation either — although that could change if a proposal for public shuttles to and from a nearby light rail stop in Golden gains traction.
This year’s Red Rocks season kicked off in April, but the venue used the offseason to pave some lots, increase roadside parking, and install new sidewalks and lighting to the south lots, Denver Arts & Venues spokesperson Brian Kitts said. The city also plans to add bathroom facilities and some covered spaces for patrons.
“Being in a city park, especially one with property in National Historic Landmark status, means that what Red Rocks can do with parking is fairly limited,” Kitts said. “New lots, new entrances and new roads through the foothills aren’t feasible, so visitors will continue to rely on the patience and kindness of fellow concert goers for ingress and egress.”
Is there a bad parking lot we missed? Tell us about it!
The Colorado legislature convened Saturday for a final weekend of work in its 2024 session, which is set to end Wednesday. Major pieces of legislation are still pending, with lawmakers expected to debate gun regulations, housing, land-use policy, transportation, property tax reform and other priorities in the final days.
This story will be updated throughout the day.
Updated at 1:30 p.m.: A proposed Constitutional amendment to remove defunct language banning same-sex marriage will go to voters this November after a referred measure passed the Colorado House on Saturday.
The proposed amendment would remove a ban approved by voters in 2006. It has been unenforceable since 2015, when the U.S. Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage nationwide with its ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges. A majority of voters will need to approve the proposal this November for it to take effect.
Senate Concurrent Resolution 3 needed at least two-thirds support in each chamber to pass. It passed with bipartisan support in the Senate but near party lines in the House, where Democrats hold a supermajority.
The Senate formally passed Saturday a bill to limit minimum parking requirements near transit areas. House Bill 1304 was substantially amended from its more expansive introduced version to overcome filibuster threats from Democrats and Republicans. The House and Senate will need to agree on changes before it goes to the governor’s desk. It is one of the suite of bills aimed at increasing density and public transit working its way through the legislature. Advocates argue this bill will remove costly parking spots and increase affordable housing construction.
The Senate also formally passed a pair of bills to reduce emissions from oil and gas production and levy a per-barrel fee to pay for transit and wildlife habitat. The bills were introduced this week, with the aim of easing simmering tensions between environmental groups, legislators and the industry and dueling legislation and ballot initiatives affecting the industry. They will now go to the House for consideration. The proposals will need to pass by Wednesday, when the legislature will adjourn.
Fans at Lovin’ Life Music Fest as seen from the Northwood Ravin Stage. Alex Cason CharlotteFive
Soon, more people will be packing the streets of uptown for day two and three of the festival to see Stevie Nicks, Noah Kahan and other pop, rock and rap artists.
If you missed the first day of Lovin’ Life here’s what to know about getting to and from the first-of-its kind music festival:
Parking, rideshare and public transportation options for festival
Getting through a busy uptown can be pretty difficult, and with a Charlotte FC match and several Cinco de Mayo events this weekend, it’s best to give yourself extra time to get to the festival — whether you’re driving or getting dropped off at the festival.
Lovin’ Life is held in First Ward at 300 N Brevard St. There is not a designated parking area for fans, but there are paid parking spaces and lots nearby that you can check for on www.parkme.com, like:
Though some fans left a little early Friday night, I’d say it’s helpful if you park a bit further away from the festival grounds to find a spot and beat the post-festival traffic if you plan to stay until it ends.
If you’re taking an Uber or Lyft, the official drop-off location is 406 N. College St. For the light rail, the festival is between the 7th Street and 9th Street stations. Tickets can be bought at a ticket vending machine at each station platform or on the CATS-Pass mobile app.
Getting in and out of festival gates
Gates at Lovin’ Life open at 1 p.m. and close at 11 p.m. but you can enter and exit as you wish as long as you have your wristband. On Friday, there weren’t really any lines getting in and out of the festival grounds, but organizers are encouraging fans to try to arrive at least two to three hours early for any artists they want to see.
Charging stations and cell service
As it is with any big event with a large number of people, the cell service was a bit spotty for some fans on Friday so be mindful if you split up from any friends or family at Lovin’ Life.
If you think you’ll need to charge your phone at the festival, there are charging stations if you reserve a locker on-site.
Food, drink spots in and around festival
Once you’re inside the grounds, there are several food trucks and vendors open during the entire festival, from burgers and pizza to ice cream and slushies. But to say the lines are long is an understatement. (To give context, the Bojangles line was a steady 45 minutes to an hour wait.)
Luckily, the festival grounds aren’t too far from several food spots in uptown, particularly The Market at 7th Street food hall right next to the festival.
So as I see it, you have three options: Eat a bigger lunch beforehand, take a field trip to a nearby restaurant or jam out in the long lines while you wait for a bite to eat.
Navigating the concert crowd
As expected, tens of thousands of people showed up to Lovin’ Life on Friday. Though that may not be the case Saturday and Sunday because of some potential storms, it’s still a good idea to plan ahead and grab a good spot early if there’s an artist you’re most excited to see.
There are three different stages at the festival, and (luckily) the sound from different performances doesn’t really bleed into the others at all.
Lovin’ Life Music Fest will be held at 300 N Brevard St. Courtesy of Lovin’ Life Music Fest
But depending on if you have general admission or VIP tickets, you should still be mindful of getting a good spot depending on which stage section you have access to.
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Chyna Blackmon is a service journalism reporter for The Charlotte Observer. A native of the Carolinas, she grew up in Columbia, SC, and graduated from Queens University of Charlotte. She’s also worked in local television news in Charlotte, NC, and Richmond, VA. Support my work with a digital subscription
Street parking was already scarce in Hoboken, New Jersey, when the death of an elderly pedestrian spurred city leaders to remove even more spaces in a bid to end traffic fatalities.For seven years now, the city of nearly 60,000 people has reported resounding success: Not a single automobile occupant, bicyclist or pedestrian has died in a traffic crash since January 2017, elevating Hoboken as a national model for roadway safety.Mayor Ravi Bhalla was a City Council member in 2015 when a van struck 89-year-old Agnes Accera as she crossed Washington Street in the bustling downtown business district. Bhalla didn’t know Accera but attended her wake and said her death inspired him to push for better safety.“I felt it wasn’t acceptable,” Bhalla said. “Our seniors, who we owe the greatest duty of safety to, should be able to pass that street as safely as possible. For her to actually be killed was a trigger that we needed to take action.”In the video player above: New report shows traffic fatalities down 16% in NYC, but only in wealthier neighborhoodsBhalla became mayor in 2018 and the city fully committed to Vision Zero: a set of guidelines adopted by numerous cities, states and nations seeking to eliminate traffic deaths. Proponents believe no accident is truly unavoidable and even want to do away with the word “accident” altogether when describing roadway fatalities.Sweden originated the concept more than a quarter-century ago, and U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg touted Hoboken in 2022 when announcing his department would follow Vision Zero guidelines. Major U.S. cities including New York, Minneapolis, San Francisco, Baltimore and Portland, Oregon, have integrated aspects of the program into their safety plans, including at least some form of daylighting, the term for the removal of parking spaces near intersections to improve visibility.Hoboken’s success has chipped away at the notion that reaching zero traffic deaths is more aspirational than achievable.“That goal is obviously bold,” said Leah Shahum, founder and director of the Vision Zero Network, a nonprofit advocating for street safety. “It’s also meant to help us kind of shake off the complacency that we’ve had for too long that traffic deaths are inevitable, that what we’re experiencing today is just an unfortunate and unavailable byproduct of modern society. That’s not the case.”While Hoboken’s plan has numerous components, including lower speed limits and staggered traffic lights, daylighting is often credited as one of the biggest reasons its fatalities have dropped to zero.Ryan Sharp, the city’s transportation director, said when roads need to be repaved, Hoboken takes the additional step of cordoning off the street corners to widen curbs and shorten crosswalks. It’s already illegal to park at an intersection in Hoboken, but drivers often do anyway if there aren’t physical barriers.Some of the new concrete structures are equipped with bike racks, benches and even rain garden planters that help absorb stormwater runoff. If there isn’t enough money for an infrastructure solution right away, the city puts up temporary bollards.“There really isn’t a silver bullet or any magic, innovative thing where we’ve cracked a code,” Sharp said. “Our approach has been more about focusing on the fundamentals. We’ve created a program where we’re layering these things in year after year.”But removing parking from a place where it’s in short supply has critics. Joe Picolli, who opened Hoboken Barber Shop on Washington Street in 2018, said the curb extensions — or bumpouts — have made it difficult for downtown merchants to win back business lost during the pandemic.“Before the bumpouts, there were a lot more buses, a lot more cars, a lot more parking,” said Picolli, who lives in Point Pleasant, New Jersey, and sometimes has to trail street sweepers to find parking. “It’s good as far as people walking on the street, but it’s bad because you’re not getting the flow from other towns.”Although a bit larger than its Mile Square City nickname would imply, Hoboken ranks fourth nationwide in population density, trailing three other New Jersey cities and two spots ahead of New York, according to 2022 census data.While the compact footprint means everyone is within range of public transit, cars still crowd the major streets and curbsides.“We’re not New York City, but we’re not a suburb, either,” said Tammy Peng, who has lived in Hoboken for more than 15 years. “We’re kind of a weird in between. A lot of families keep a car because they want to run errands on the weekend, but Monday to Friday they’re commuting into the city.”While daylighting slightly lengthens her trips to soccer practice or the grocery store, Peng said it’s much easier to spot pedestrians crossing the street.Overall fatality numbers have remained largely unchanged since New York joined the Vision Zero movement in 2014 with a plan that included widening some curbs. Mayor Eric Adams boosted the city’s commitment in November by promising to daylight 1,000 intersections each year.Some cities have even used the practice to beautify their downtowns. Baltimore hired artists to liven up curb extensions with geometric shapes and vibrant colors.States are embracing daylighting as well. More than 40 had enacted some sort of daylighting law when California’s Legislature approved a new statewide rule in 2023 that prohibits parking within 20 feet (6 meters) of an intersection. Cities can set shorter distances with proof their plans are safe. Violators started receiving warnings in January and face fines beginning early next year.Assemblymember Alex Lee, who authored California’s legislation, said he was troubled by the fact that his state’s traffic fatalities were even higher than the national average, with around 1,100 pedestrians killed in both 2021 and 2022. Deaths were recorded at a similar pace through the first six months of 2023.Although cities in the nation’s most populous state range from behemoth metropolises to sparsely populated rural communities, Lee figured a statewide standard would eliminate any confusion. The only thing better, he contends, would be a national standard.“Just as I assume in every state you can’t park in front of a fire hydrant or can’t park close to the train track, it should be the same whether you’re in California or Nebraska,” Lee said. Stefanie Seskin, director of policy and practice at the National Association of City Transportation Officials, said signs are fine, but not nearly as effective as infrastructure changes.“It certainly takes a next level of chutzpah for a driver to park on a curb extension than it does to park where a sign says ‘please don’t,’” Seskin said.Jeff Speck, author of the book “Walkable City,” which makes the case for pedestrian-friendly downtowns, commends cities like Hoboken for improving visibility at intersections. However, he said some communities go too far by taking away too many parking spaces without adding physical barriers, creating broad “sight triangles” leading to increased speeding.“What a number of cities have done is overreacted to the laudable goal of daylighting and placed oversized no-parking zones around every driveway and curb cut,” Speck said. “That’s counterproductive.”In 2012, Seattle was one of the first major U.S. cities to pursue zero traffic deaths. Mike McGinn, the mayor at the time, said he wanted to recalibrate the public’s expectation of road safety to make it more akin to their thoughts on airplane safety, where no fatality is considered acceptable.Why, he asks, should downtown areas where people work, shop, or attend entertainment events have to settle for a lower standard?“This is literally the easiest real estate that should be given over to safety,” said McGinn, now executive director of the pedestrian advocacy group America Walks. “It’s low-hanging fruit.”
Street parking was already scarce in Hoboken, New Jersey, when the death of an elderly pedestrian spurred city leaders to remove even more spaces in a bid to end traffic fatalities.
For seven years now, the city of nearly 60,000 people has reported resounding success: Not a single automobile occupant, bicyclist or pedestrian has died in a traffic crash since January 2017, elevating Hoboken as a national model for roadway safety.
Mayor Ravi Bhalla was a City Council member in 2015 when a van struck 89-year-old Agnes Accera as she crossed Washington Street in the bustling downtown business district. Bhalla didn’t know Accera but attended her wake and said her death inspired him to push for better safety.
“I felt it wasn’t acceptable,” Bhalla said. “Our seniors, who we owe the greatest duty of safety to, should be able to pass that street as safely as possible. For her to actually be killed was a trigger that we needed to take action.”
In the video player above: New report shows traffic fatalities down 16% in NYC, but only in wealthier neighborhoods
Bhalla became mayor in 2018 and the city fully committed to Vision Zero: a set of guidelines adopted by numerous cities, states and nations seeking to eliminate traffic deaths. Proponents believe no accident is truly unavoidable and even want to do away with the word “accident” altogether when describing roadway fatalities.
Sweden originated the concept more than a quarter-century ago, and U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg touted Hoboken in 2022 when announcing his department would follow Vision Zero guidelines. Major U.S. cities including New York, Minneapolis, San Francisco, Baltimore and Portland, Oregon, have integrated aspects of the program into their safety plans, including at least some form of daylighting, the term for the removal of parking spaces near intersections to improve visibility.
Hoboken’s success has chipped away at the notion that reaching zero traffic deaths is more aspirational than achievable.
“That goal is obviously bold,” said Leah Shahum, founder and director of the Vision Zero Network, a nonprofit advocating for street safety. “It’s also meant to help us kind of shake off the complacency that we’ve had for too long that traffic deaths are inevitable, that what we’re experiencing today is just an unfortunate and unavailable byproduct of modern society. That’s not the case.”
While Hoboken’s plan has numerous components, including lower speed limits and staggered traffic lights, daylighting is often credited as one of the biggest reasons its fatalities have dropped to zero.
Ryan Sharp, the city’s transportation director, said when roads need to be repaved, Hoboken takes the additional step of cordoning off the street corners to widen curbs and shorten crosswalks. It’s already illegal to park at an intersection in Hoboken, but drivers often do anyway if there aren’t physical barriers.
Seth Wenig
A car takes a corner at the intersection of Adams and 12th in Hoboken, N.J., Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024. This intersection has a number of pedestrian safety features, including planters as curb extenders, high visibility markings and textured surfaces, all in an effort to increase pedestrian safety. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Some of the new concrete structures are equipped with bike racks, benches and even rain garden planters that help absorb stormwater runoff. If there isn’t enough money for an infrastructure solution right away, the city puts up temporary bollards.
“There really isn’t a silver bullet or any magic, innovative thing where we’ve cracked a code,” Sharp said. “Our approach has been more about focusing on the fundamentals. We’ve created a program where we’re layering these things in year after year.”
But removing parking from a place where it’s in short supply has critics.
Joe Picolli, who opened Hoboken Barber Shop on Washington Street in 2018, said the curb extensions — or bumpouts — have made it difficult for downtown merchants to win back business lost during the pandemic.
“Before the bumpouts, there were a lot more buses, a lot more cars, a lot more parking,” said Picolli, who lives in Point Pleasant, New Jersey, and sometimes has to trail street sweepers to find parking. “It’s good as far as people walking on the street, but it’s bad because you’re not getting the flow from other towns.”
Although a bit larger than its Mile Square City nickname would imply, Hoboken ranks fourth nationwide in population density, trailing three other New Jersey cities and two spots ahead of New York, according to 2022 census data.
While the compact footprint means everyone is within range of public transit, cars still crowd the major streets and curbsides.
“We’re not New York City, but we’re not a suburb, either,” said Tammy Peng, who has lived in Hoboken for more than 15 years. “We’re kind of a weird in between. A lot of families keep a car because they want to run errands on the weekend, but Monday to Friday they’re commuting into the city.”
While daylighting slightly lengthens her trips to soccer practice or the grocery store, Peng said it’s much easier to spot pedestrians crossing the street.
Overall fatality numbers have remained largely unchanged since New York joined the Vision Zero movement in 2014 with a plan that included widening some curbs. Mayor Eric Adams boosted the city’s commitment in November by promising to daylight 1,000 intersections each year.
Some cities have even used the practice to beautify their downtowns. Baltimore hired artists to liven up curb extensions with geometric shapes and vibrant colors.
States are embracing daylighting as well. More than 40 had enacted some sort of daylighting law when California’s Legislature approved a new statewide rule in 2023 that prohibits parking within 20 feet (6 meters) of an intersection. Cities can set shorter distances with proof their plans are safe. Violators started receiving warnings in January and face fines beginning early next year.
Assemblymember Alex Lee, who authored California’s legislation, said he was troubled by the fact that his state’s traffic fatalities were even higher than the national average, with around 1,100 pedestrians killed in both 2021 and 2022. Deaths were recorded at a similar pace through the first six months of 2023.
Although cities in the nation’s most populous state range from behemoth metropolises to sparsely populated rural communities, Lee figured a statewide standard would eliminate any confusion. The only thing better, he contends, would be a national standard.
“Just as I assume in every state you can’t park in front of a fire hydrant or can’t park close to the train track, it should be the same whether you’re in California or Nebraska,” Lee said.
Stefanie Seskin, director of policy and practice at the National Association of City Transportation Officials, said signs are fine, but not nearly as effective as infrastructure changes.
“It certainly takes a next level of chutzpah for a driver to park on a curb extension than it does to park where a sign says ‘please don’t,’” Seskin said.
Jeff Speck, author of the book “Walkable City,” which makes the case for pedestrian-friendly downtowns, commends cities like Hoboken for improving visibility at intersections. However, he said some communities go too far by taking away too many parking spaces without adding physical barriers, creating broad “sight triangles” leading to increased speeding.
“What a number of cities have done is overreacted to the laudable goal of daylighting and placed oversized no-parking zones around every driveway and curb cut,” Speck said. “That’s counterproductive.”
In 2012, Seattle was one of the first major U.S. cities to pursue zero traffic deaths. Mike McGinn, the mayor at the time, said he wanted to recalibrate the public’s expectation of road safety to make it more akin to their thoughts on airplane safety, where no fatality is considered acceptable.
Why, he asks, should downtown areas where people work, shop, or attend entertainment events have to settle for a lower standard?
“This is literally the easiest real estate that should be given over to safety,” said McGinn, now executive director of the pedestrian advocacy group America Walks. “It’s low-hanging fruit.”
Last September, following years of political and technical hurdles, the City of Cleveland succeeded in its goal of permanently closing down Market Avenue in Ohio City to car traffic.
A sigh of relief came came for many: the tiny corridor filled with bars and restaurants would finally become the pedestrian street so many had envisioned it as. For good.
This week, the city announced its next target: West 29th in Hingetown.
“As one of the few open public spaces in the neighborhood, this new public space would allow for greater informal interaction between neighbors, greater safety and protection from car traffic,” a statement on its website read, “more robust gathering space for the community to patronize local retail, and the opportunity to increase the tree canopy in a formerly redlined neighborhood that still suffers from a generational lack of trees and greenspace.”
The city has eyed Hingetown for a serious makeover into an “open street” since at least 2022, when it involved local businesses in the pursuit of amplifying the neighborhood’s potential.
That is, as PFPS’ Co-Executive Director Nate Storring told Scene in an email, “the potential and local capacity to transform this roadway into a place for the community.”
Such energy—or at least the vision of what West 29th, between Detroit and Clinton, could be—stems in part from temporary closures that have proved successful, including the Cleveland Museum of Art’s City Stages concerts.
“But that’s just two concerts in July,” Dean Rufus, the owner of Dean Rufus’ House of Fun on West 29th, told Scene in a phone call. (City Stages used to have four to five shows annually.) “Even if the street were shut down, like, six days a week, that’s not 365 days a year.”
“I’m annoyed by the whole thing,” he added. “Either way, there’s nothing I can do about it.”
City Stages’ events, as shown here, pack West 29th St. But businesses worry that the event, which occurred just twice in 2023, is insufficient proof for a year-round closure.
Alex Budin, the owner of Jukebox up the block, said he was one of the numerous business owners the city reached out to in June of 2022 to gauge locals’ enthusiasm in the project.
After just hearing about PFPS’ grant “last week,” Budin is still doubtful that, like Market Avenue before it, pedestrianizing West 29th would be overall good for retail. The bulk of those concerns, he said, revolve around exactly what City Planning aims to do away with: the 20 or 30 on-street parking spaces up and down those two blocks.
Those, Budin argued, that Jukebox patrons, along with delivery trucks and DoorDash drivers, rely on regularly. As do, Budin added, Jukebox’s heated patio he’s sure to use “as early as October and as late as May.”
“That’s seven to eight months!” he said. “They’re talking about closing the street the whole time. I mean, I don’t know if there’s infrastructure to make West 29th hospitable for even half that time.”
As for other parking availabilty, the Church + State garage is less than a block off the street.
Though Budin, along with others in Hingetown feel like they’ve been “leapfrogged” by the city, the bar owner said he’s open to at least entertaining the result of City Planning’s study: “There’s some potential for some goodness there,” Budin said.
The CPC did not respond to a request for an interview in time for this article. Ohio City Incorporated deferred to City Hall for comment.
It’s likely that Planning’s eventual analysis of West 29th could follow the same approach as its Mobility Team did with Lorain Avenue to the south, where a two-mile long bike lane might be constructed by the end of the decade. As businesses there also lament, that include losing a quarter to half of the current on-street parking.
Storring pointed to open street projects in Baltimore, Detroit and New York, to show off perks, with traffic safety being the most obvious winner. And some raised property values, like after 34th Avenue in Queens was shut down to cars.
“The proof is in the pudding,” Storring said. But, “Of course, West 29th is its own place with its own community.”
Ironically enough, General Motors was the main sponsor of the grant money the city received.
As part of an ongoing Metro effort to build housing and community around transportation hubs, a new mixed-use development dubbed District NoHo is coming to North Hollywood’s Metro station.
The Los Angeles City Council voted Friday to approve the 15-acre project, greenlighting a massive development that will include 1,481 residential units as well as office, retail and restaurant space.
A quarter of the units will be rent-restricted, more than double the ratio required for the city’s density bonus.
“District NoHo will be a transformative project for this city,” City Council President Paul Krekorian said in a statement. Krekorian represents Council District 2, which includes North Hollywood.
“This is a truly transit-oriented development that will enable hundreds of Angelenos to live, work, study, shop and enjoy recreation without driving, parking or riding in anything other than zero-emission public transportation,” he said.
The project will also bring to the area 750 parking spots reserved for Metro customers, and two acres of open space for the public as well as three shopping plazas. The North Hollywood station is Metro’s third busiest.
District NoHo is one of Metro’s several joint development projects, which are real estate collaborations between Metro and private developers built on Metro land to create more housing around transit.
The project will feature improvements to North Hollywood’s Metro station, including a new entrance to the B Line subway on the west side of Lankershim Boulevard, improvements to the G Line busway terminus, and new internal streets and walkways to break up the large development site, a city report said.
Metro has made the ambitious commitment to build 10,000 housing units in Los Angeles County by 2031, “with the goal of contributing to solving Southern California’s housing crisis,” the agency said in a news release in July. Half of the units are intended to be rent-restricted for lower- to moderate-income households.
While District NoHo will include 366 rent-restricted units, some community members say the project isn’t doing enough to create affordable housing. Reimagine District NoHo, an effort driven by the nonprofit NoHo Home Alliance, has been fighting for the inclusion of more affordable units.
“The government’s obligation is to do the most good for the most people,” said Desmond Faison, with Reimagine District NoHo. “I think that it misses the mark. … We’re building a monolith to capitalism.”
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Faison said that only the most wealthy North Hollywood residents would be able to afford to live in District NoHo’s market rate units. Glenn Block, another North Hollywood resident who is involved with Reimagine District NoHo, said the 15 acres the development will be built on could be put to better use.
“This project fails on every level,” he said.
The property will have nearly 100 more rent-restricted units than the original proposal, according to Metro project manager Marie Sullivan. The number of affordable units is limited because funding for the units comes from many different sources, all of which have restricted budgets.
“There’s only so much affordable housing funding that comes from federal, state and local sources each year,” Sullivan said.
Metro is also using income from the market-rate units to fund other aspects of the project, including a park and shopping plazas, she said.
“We need the revenue from market-rate homes to fund a lot of these public benefits,” she said.
District NoHo will also boost the community by creating roughly 10,000 jobs during construction, according to a city report, and an additional 2,500 jobs through property operations. Construction is expected to generate $1 billion.
The development of the property includes the demolition of nearly 50,000 square feet of surface parking lots and industrial space.
The project, which has been in the works since 2015, “provides a model of sustainable development for the whole region,” Krekorian said. “This is a game-changer for the Valley.”
