On This Day | Downtown Parking Draws Debate

Why We Chose It

This debate took place in the moment when we hadn’t figured out how to manage parking. Minot is doing what we can with North Dakota’s laws, but managing parking for prosperous places is no longer a mystery. Put a price on it, i.e. using parking meters and price so that approximately 10% of spaces are open (unfortunately, state law makes them illegal), and let people choose whether to pay or not. The pricing ensures turnover, the vacancy rate ensures no one walks too far, and the revenue ensures the public doesn’t have to provide a hidden subsidy to car owners. But just because the solution is well known, doesn’t mean we’ll stop fighting over it.