Besides easing congestion, rate hike would be good for our health too

Sometimes, markets do create social value. Nearly 30 percent of cars in congested areas are looking for an open parking space, significantly adding to congestion and pollution. Fortunately, Boston’s recent test of demand-based parking fees (“Boston officials might expand parking meter rate hike pilot,’’ Metro, Feb. 22) found that small fee increases in high-demand areas produced, in the Back Bay, an 11 percent increase in available metered spots, a 12 percent decrease in illegal use of resident-reserved spots, a 14 percent drop in double parking, and an opening of loading zones for delivery vehicles.

More efficient use of our limited curb space is not only good for residents and businesses. Using market dynamics to ensure that there are always one or two spots open on every block also helps protect our personal and environmental health, reducing air and water contamination, encouraging people who can to walk a little more, and reducing the amount of climate-changing chemicals spewing into the atmosphere.

Over the next decade, this area will add more than 50,000 units of new housing and many thousands of new commuters. If we don’t deal with parking problems, we will find it virtually impossible to go shopping, return home, or breathe. Boston, and its neighbors, should implement this idea in all commercial areas.

Steven E. Miller

Cambridge

City should pursue this approach throughout Boston

Regarding the recently issued report on Boston’s Performance Parking pilot program, there were indeed some important lessons learned. Pricing parking so that one or two spaces per block are open at a given time is a benefit to everyone: businesses, residents, visitors, drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians. The increase in parking turnover, decrease in illegal parking, and decrease in cruising (drivers looking for spaces) results in streets that serve everyone better and are safer as well.

In addition, as the Globe article noted, the additional revenue helps the city better maintain and improve streets and other infrastructure. It therefore makes perfect sense to pursue similar efforts throughout Boston. In particular, we hope the city will include neighborhood business districts, many of which do not have meters today but do have parking availability issues.

Charlie Denison

Boston

The writer is a member of the board of LivableStreets Alliance.