Much of Buenos Aires is beautiful, even some of its parking facilities.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoaxhTZMjiTUOPI4neEct-o6Qdwm_HBg8LDjmnPmn-Eq6Jp0dUZjBeAI6ctTTJhDoi4nmrE7rPwzXcazUiRYq8Y7x1KzUNy8F28rvyySQo4ezO0y5Ma_XB602d-Pv9kP5QK_8TGv8Zwa4/s320/Image382.jpg) |
Beautiful? |
My understanding of the workings of Buenos Aires parking is superficial and based mainly on walking around its central areas. I learned a few things from the
Rosario conference but I am still a novice on Latin American cities and their parking.
So this post does not pretend any great expertise. Instead, I offer some visual impressions, comments and some questions.
There is a lot more to be said, so if you know Buenos Aires please share your insights via the comments!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJhj7pZ2Do5qKOjyyat9ufqWnkNQjbOj6cUqq9N6zu4LtnBqR2rvBG9IozPt7CPY00FyQ2rHJtUgYwJvmdi8oE9YHg-wek5vNSSooNjoX-_iA-TC4mtz1g867yluU-7WaQ8q7-56QJZ_c/s400/Image352.jpg) |
A beautiful facade but parking inside. Hmm. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVkmt6HC4rArpdYTJUOQokntx4JqHhleBz3QXKmUY7XQfKRSk_fsE-njj_Z2fXWeAgjI19Ul4f6ledPVu2fH2pm8MCJmc0DWbe10mgaXhhAwt_PdjtQRUctyB_fGVvs48hZn9VEV93aqI/s320/Image301.jpg) |
Not so beautiful ... |
Lots more below. Scroll down.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFIBqntjzXpyjSUGSzYgXCJ6YJ_FlJEFXRfVuN5B9l1FZgqs9V5miWYIAybWriXatF5-8rIBibHBY9uYoVyRQ_xXq4IxwyVHlVABsB9HgOVbkcRFYG4A7rQiVv_PoJZjgrGFKt-_zvLX0/s320/Image313.jpg) |
Most blocks we walked down seemed to have at least one commercial public garage, even in leafy Palermo quite a long way from the central commercial area. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuB0K9myzE9-PF3k2j91bKKvSW8vD5OCJK59XmbokOdTt3QZ1-DfgLVW7mIA_lvSN26mucRS5tHx7029QuI2gi3z5rtDAOtlt1MyO31vz77OiXcrjzmhPRnofcAXpJMzL5-S9D3a3jhpE/s320/Image379.jpg) |
On-street parking seems mostly to be free of charge, with predictable results. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLtpgTEgHqbDHVrTJEVEt692esYsIw2VkwIdqOipoGG511CzIunzBGCBz2dXPQScW8gy-aJkZ2dvZ1HkZ2Bdks9uOYZB9EPMhjtv68ROts9fHWdl20RaxclJzV_4vM0aXSqG9WfmJx97g/s320/Photo+May+16%252C+1+20+47+AM.jpg) |
Once consequence is illegal parking attendants, like this one in Palermo Viejo. I watched him operate while eating a delicious lunch of asado. I am not sure how common this is in BA. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQbmOcPKrwL-n7kaCREsHKSBjNNob3B_9cHGa_nbdo1slKrACQH6YOPPUdxaMHm71vhi-jIjeIkTqIThqMb-1pCeQ_QEIFNvDqsYoVh1r-Ou5uLEeh_QMM-5pWBaBjKLp0yJcQ-Qd0rR0/s320/Image395.jpg) |
But I also saw some areas with parking meters (saw both single-space meters and pay-and-display). The standard on-street price seems to be 1.40 Pesos per hour. One peso is about 25 cents US. |
|
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_afQnSqLKwGNERISYvJHlfLeMjzXYaZKYfzXVCBQX3A8cKc_wIX26XIl32Hb5K6_c9_f-ep6e66QlJvKr3RemVu0PRE_KmJYeqdd3SW0sbG1PklD8SPtEo1ETXq_4yahveW7BO2CRQp0/s320/Image304.jpg) |
Short stays in the nearby commercial garages cost a lot more than 1.40 per hour. Presumably, this is a recipe for a lot of 'cruising for parking'. | | | . |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe3sDvrK3R2qtvLrz9Z5SLjiZyBcNd0iLIFsbu5FL1Q3Y1uR7p57znl8Ko6xSjFv3uKyV7bvkCMG_p923PUIZHMuX0p4gurz_RuU6HR9QUqDvJzThTEBHDzbz0wgwILISAG6A-Xll5Jb4/s320/Image335.jpg) |
Various inner-city parks and plazas have local government parking lots under them (like Seoul and Taipei). Even the enormous boulevard, Avenida 9 de Julio, has a parking facility beneath. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlRVIkXZPGnEPb5-tFfXaN6Dq3kRCG7FJmCLMn0z4JSz_TguMJRuY9s0w_PZsQQhg-KObAp3EkHCkqX4_jgRs3XvjR6OXcVzESSv33qPZ-uZg2NqOem_MBc-dzJNaj_hS4NWrWDX0ieOM/s320/Image353.jpg) |
I didn't see many vacant lots used for parking but there are a few. These and the ubiquitous commercial garages made me wonder if there may be property tax anomalies that make the parking business an attractive use of inner city spaces. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjqABqvwLRdKHcdesP3VGPtbw1ZjWNkexgwaRw3WiknoDEFI6fEaMNS4HlPaaUXEjBOI4_4zwCtL6Yssu-85Xr157_Qu0yoF1jKP5NNVoHOl-BVaBSPcQn7iE1dt5VcTlNoVj5_eydpHo/s320/Image363.jpg) |
An impressive network of segregated two-way cycle ways is taking shape. I imagine parking has been an issue with some of them. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTgBP3elf6XjwhMBmmyUp7S4vPvVduQcuQM-w_HhUhMAvlenRHqwAXoGAM4JqAj2OEnONV6uYpCpf_wUfUX0i243CA0QgtuHUN2b_S3rbG_xItyCYhtXtrOOzWlCu_I1f-zULRcoPjd2g/s320/Image373.jpg) |
This monstrous surface lot is in the new but very central riverside area of Puerto Madero. Sadly, I also spotted various big box stores set amid oceans of parking from the toll road heading northwest through the outer suburbs. |
@transeunteba tweeted a response to this post (I have expanded the abbreviations):
ReplyDeleteBA definitely has a ton of parking attendants generally in areas with lots of bars/restaurants or near an event/game/concert
Buenos Aires has very liberal parking regulations for buildings and even on-street. A couple weeks ago the city opened up 40,000 new, free on-street spaces in the neighborhoods that were previously part of through streets. There's a disconnect between the traffic congestion which irks the daily lives of commuters and how bad policy decisions are the cause.
ReplyDelete