MIT Mobility Forum Reflects on Donald Shoup’s Influence on Parking Policy

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A recent episode of the MIT Mobility Forum examined the legacy of pioneering parking scholar Donald Shoup and the lasting influence of his ideas on urban planning and transportation policy. The discussion coincided with the release of “The Shoup Doctrine,” a collection of essays edited by Daniel Baldwin Hess, a former student of Shoup. The volume features contributions from dozens of planners, economists, and practitioners reflecting on how Shoup’s work reshaped thinking about parking and its broader impacts on cities.

For decades, many cities required large amounts of parking and treated curb space as a public good that should remain free. Shoup’s research challenged that assumption, arguing that parking is a scarce and valuable resource that should be priced and managed more thoughtfully. His work sparked a global movement among self-proclaimed “Shoupistas” who promoted reforms such as eliminating minimum parking requirements and better pricing curb space.

During the panel, Brian D. Taylor, professor of urban planning and public policy at the UCLA, recalled Shoup’s deep commitment to the issue. Taylor recounted Shoup telling him he would not move on from studying parking “until people got it right.” As Taylor summarized Shoup’s central insight: “Who pays for expensive free parking? Everyone but the drivers.”

To learn more about Donald Shoup’s legacy or support the parking reform initiatives he was passionate about, visit the new UCLA Center for Parking Policy, which carries forward his work by advancing research, education, and policy discussions on parking and urban mobility.

Taylor on Chicago Transit Overhaul Amid Funding Boost

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Chicago’s public transportation system, long criticized for delays that force commuters to plan extra time, is entering a period of historic investment. Illinois legislators have allocated roughly $1.2 billion per year to support the city’s aging transit infrastructure, with the goal of enhancing safety, service quality, and system coordination. The funding targets improvements across a network that has served the city for over 130 years, though officials caution that success is not guaranteed, especially amid broader economic uncertainty.

A central focus of the overhaul is service frequency, a critical factor for the city’s workforce. Many residents rely on timely and predictable transit to maintain employment, making reliability a top priority. As Brian Taylor, professor of urban planning and public policy at UCLA, shared with Crain’s Chicago Business, “Frequency is freedom,” underscoring the importance of consistent transit service as the city undertakes this major infrastructure effort.

Wasserman on the Purple Line Extension

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The D Line (Los Angeles Metro) subway extension is set to bring rail service from Koreatown, Los Angeles to Beverly Hills, California, with the next segment scheduled to open to the public on May 8. However, the full project remains years from completion, with construction delays likely pushing the final timeline to 2028. The extended timeline has left many riders wondering why the project continues to face setbacks.

Jacob Wasserman, research program manager at the UCLA Institute of Transportation Studies, shared with The LA Local that these delays are not surprising in the context of L.A.’s transit projects. “Unfortunately, it’s pretty common for transportation projects to run over budget and behind schedule… Agencies don’t have the expertise in house to make projects happen on time in part because they don’t do it often enough,” he stated. Wasserman notes, however, that this process may be expedited due to the impending arrival of the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. 

How “Course Shutouts” are Delaying Graduation for Many College Students

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Many college students encounter a frustrating barrier: limited availability of required courses, often called “course shutouts.” These restrictions can even delay graduation, increasing tuition costs and lost potential wages. A survey by Instructure found that 85 percent of students reported difficulty registering for required courses, and nearly three-quarters said limited course availability made it more likely they would need extra semesters to complete their degree.

This problem has also drawn national attention. A recent article in The New York Times highlighted students sometimes take courses at other institutions to stay on track, but transferring credits can be complicated, and many report difficulty enrolling or having credits accepted.

Some institutions have policies to help students manage these challenges. As Robert Fairlie, professor of public policy and economics at UCLA, explains: “At some community colleges, students who attend for multiple semesters may earn ‘priority’ enrollment for in-demand courses.” This system allows students with longer enrollment histories to secure spots in classes critical for degree completion.

Tilly on the Restrictions Placed on Large Vehicles in Unincorporated Communities

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In less than a month, a new ordinance will take effect placing additional restrictions on where RVs and other oversized vehicles can park in unincorporated communities across Los Angeles County. The rule will prohibit these vehicles from parking on certain streets and in public areas without a permit.

Supporters of the ordinance, including some local business owners, argue that large vehicles create safety hazards by blocking sightlines for drivers and taking up limited parking spaces that employees and customers rely on.

Critics, however, say enforcement should not move forward without first addressing the needs of the people who live in these vehicles. Many RV residents are low-wage workers or individuals who cannot afford traditional housing options in the region.

Professor of urban planning Chris Tilly shared with LAist that he has frequently sees RVs parked near his home, but stated that “we got to know the RV owner, as well as being familiar with the survey results from the recent UCLA report on vehicle residents, so we understand that these are people doing their best to survive under difficult circumstances…Please do not make their lives worse.”

Reimagining Parking Lots into Senior-Friendly Parks in Los Angeles Anastasia Loukaitou-Sideris led research transforming underused urban spaces into safe and inclusive parks for older adults.

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In Los Angeles, expansive asphalt parking lots often dominate urban landscapes, creating hazards and barriers for seniors. Interim dean and urban planning professor at UCLA Luskin Anastasia Loukaitou-Sideris has spearheaded research to reimagine these spaces as safe, accessible and welcoming environments for older adults. Her team’s study emphasizes that walkability, clear pathways, rest points, shaded areas and human assistance at gates or pay stations are critical to creating senior-friendly parking environments.

As detailed in the CityWatch LA article, Loukaitou-Sideris and her interdisciplinary team of urban designers, planners, and gerontologists translated these findings into actionable designs, culminating in projects like Golden Age Park in Westlake. Here, garden beds are raised for easy access, pathways are stumble proof and low-impact exercise stations encourage strength and mobility. The design draws from a toolkit called “Placemaking for an Aging Population,” developed under her leadership to guide the conversion of underused urban lots into vibrant community spaces.

Her work highlights shows how thoughtful planning can turn even small parcels of land into urban oases that support community well-being.

It Turns Out Podcast: Rethinking Traffic with Michael Manville From gridlock to smarter solutions, Professor Manville explains why understanding incentives is key to moving cities forward.

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In the latest podcast episode of It Turns Out, host Kara Miller sat down with urban planning professor Michael Manville to tackle one of the most familiar frustrations in modern life: traffic congestion.

Rather than accepting traffic as an inevitable part of city living, Manville explains that traffic isn’t just a nuisance—it “robs you of time, health, and sometimes sanity.” What’s striking, he argues, is that many of the “obvious” solutions people and policymakers reach for, like widening freeways or building new transit lines, often fail to make traffic better in a meaningful way.

The episode delves into the underlying causes of congestion, including how underpriced road space and urban design choices contribute to persistent delays and bottlenecks. Manville highlights transportation research showing that smarter pricing mechanisms — such as congestion pricing that adjusts fees based on demand — can reduce gridlock by encouraging more efficient use of infrastructure. “People oppose it when it’s first proposed. After it’s implemented in the area, people like it. And yet after that happens, it’s uniquely uncontagious,” he notes.

Reflecting on his early experiences in the field, Manville adds, “When I first started studying congestion pricing back in grad school, occasionally we’d get called by a government entity or an elected official who wanted to talk about ideas for reducing traffic. Their reaction when we proposed congestion pricing then was, ‘Don’t let the door hit you on your way out, and don’t ever come back.’ But now, people at least talk about it and even consider it. We’ll take progress.”

Watch the podcast episode on YouTube or listen to the episode on Spotify.

Matute on the Plans for a New Subway Route

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Traffic congestion in Los Angeles has long been among the worst in the nation, defying decades of costly and often unsuccessful attempts at relief.

Now, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority board of directors has approved an ambitious new proposal: a subway line running parallel to Interstate 405 through the Sepulveda Pass. The project is expected to serve more than 100,000 riders daily and could reduce commute times along the heavily traveled corridor by 20 minutes to as much as an hour.

Transit officials say the line would significantly improve access to major employment hubs that are bordered by affluent neighborhoods such as Bel Air, a dynamic that has forced many workers and students to endure lengthy cross-mountain commutes.

“Because of that jobs-housing imbalance, this corridor is where it can take an hour to go 10 miles,”Juan Matute, deputy director of the UCLA Institute of Transportation Studies, shared with Bloomberg that “having a much faster alternative is attractive.”

However, the projected cost of this project presents a challenge, as well as opposition from residents in Bel Air whose homes the subway will run under. Despite these concerns, supporters argue the subway could mark a transformative step for Los Angeles’ public transportation system.

Astor on Addressing Antisemitism in Schools

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Massachusetts is grappling with how schools should address antisemitism, highlighted by a federal complaint alleging repeated antisemitic bullying in a Concord-Carlisle district school. The case emerges as Massachusetts — home to one of the largest Jewish populations in the United States — confronts heightened concerns about antisemitism following the Hamas attacks and the war in Gaza. In response, the state’s Special Commission on Combating Antisemitism held extensive hearings and released recommendations urging expanded education on antisemitism, Judaism and Israel, stronger reporting systems, and public statements against bias.

Questions remain about the efficacy of school-based interventions aimed towards reducing antisemitism. Ron Avi Astor, professor of social welfare at the Luskin School of Public Affairs, shared with The Hechinger Report that, “there isn’t a lot of research showing that any of the stuff that we’re doing works.” He emphasized the need to prioritize discussion in addition to ensuring that people’s feelings are respected, stating, “What’s relevant in classrooms is how the kids feel and what they think about the other groups.”

UCLA Luskin’s Two-Year Evaluation of Community-Led Violence Intervention in Newark The Newark Community Street Team’s violence reduction model offers a scalable blueprint for public safety nationwide.

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On February 24, 2026, the Community Based Public Safety Collective and the Newark Community Street Team (NCST) hosted a virtual briefing to share findings from a groundbreaking two-year evaluation conducted by UCLA. The findings provide rigorous evidence that community-led violence intervention can significantly reduce violent crime.

Once facing one of the highest homicide rates in the nation, Newark has now achieved a 70-year low in homicides. The evaluation found that NCST’s high-risk interventions are directly associated with reductions in violent crime, particularly in neighborhoods most impacted by violence. Just as importantly, the research highlights how NCST has deepened community trust, strengthened resident engagement, and built durable local capacity for safety and healing.

In 2023, the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs received a $500,000 grant from the Ford Foundation and the Community Based Public Safety Collective to conduct a two-year, mixed-methods evaluation of NCST, a nationally recognized community violence intervention initiative in Newark, New Jersey. Led by Professor Jorja Leap and Professor Emeritus Todd Franke of Social Welfare, the study represents one of the most comprehensive academic assessments to date of a community-led public safety model.

“This project was truly national in scope,” said Leap. “It brought together the Luskin School’s research expertise and resources with the leadership of the Newark Community Street Team and the broader Newark community to demonstrate how community-based public safety can work in practice. It was an extraordinary and deeply meaningful collaboration.”

“What this evaluation sought to demonstrate was the real-time mechanics of the intervention model — when violence increased, the deployment of high-risk interventionists increased accordingly,” said Leap. “There was no delayed response; the reaction was immediate. One of our most important findings was that these efforts contributed to residents feeling safer and reporting a greater sense of well-being.”

The study adds substantial evidence to the national conversation on community violence intervention and offers a practical, scalable framework for cities seeking sustainable, community-rooted public safety strategies.

Read the full NCST evaluation report and the executive summary.