THE CHOICE OF PARKING LOCATION BY WORKERS IN THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT

The journey to work has been a predominant characteristic of urban life since the Industrial Revolution. In early times, most people lived within direct walking distance of the office or factory. Later, when street railways were introduced, workers could take advantage of a transportation line. In order to reduce the amount of walking at the other end of the trip, business usually located close to a point where the lines converged. Although walking and mass transit are still important, the automobile has introduced another mode of transport. Whether a worker drives to a commuter train or to a central parking lot, there is a great convenience in having a vehicle that is able to leave directly from home at any time. In many cases, however, this door-to-door convenience does not extend completely to the destination. If the concentration of workers is high, the vast amount of space required for storing the automobiles usually creates long walking distances. This paper discusses the problem of automobile parking in the central business district. With a significant proportion of workers wishing to travel by automobile, a new force is competing for space in the CBD.