Parking Is for People: A History of Public Parking in Washington, DC (and Implications for Transportation Design Today)

The history and etymology of "parking" track a shift in meaning from a military term associated with lining up wagons to a public parklike space adjacent to a roadway to its current meaning as car storage. Parking thus historically had nothing to do with cars, predating their invention, and this unique history continues to evolve in the context of Washington, D.C. This paper seeks to trace this little-known history through historical research, as well as document the various plans that established public parking in the District of Columbia and then track its transition to the typical current meaning as car storage. Tracing the evolution of parking and connecting it to current work promoting green space and walkability could bring about a renaissance of public parking in its previous meaning, highlighting its story, and have implications for the significance and design of public space not just in the District but across the world.