How can cities encourage more people to walk and cycle — and to do so safely? In this mini-symposium, we highlight success stories from cities around the world.

A Mini-Symposium from UCLA Institute of Transportation Studies  Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025 In 2005, UCLA Professor Donald Shoup published “The High Cost of Free Parking,” revealing the shaky foundations of minimum parking requirements and explaining how these mandates cause problems far worse than the one they were intended to solve. Since then, more than 100 U.S. cities have eliminated any requirements to provide a minimum number of parking spaces from their zoning code, with hundreds more lifting their parking requirements in key areas like commercial corridors and historic downtowns. In this online event, planners, public officials, researchers, and advocates whose cities were among the first to eliminate parking requirements will share their experiences. Speakers will share why their cities chose to end parking minimums, the new development and opportunities these changes have made possible, and the lessons they’ve learned along the way. After the speaker sessions, attendees are invited to participate in breakout room discussions to share their experiences and consider the effects of parking policies in their own communities. Session 1: Sharing City Experiences In this session, we’ll hear from local leaders about why their cities eliminated minimum parking requirements and see examples of new housing and small [...]