The Case for a Parking Revolt

The long-form piece argues for what it calls a “parking revolt” by examining how Chicago’s metered-street system has irritated drivers and enabled enforcement gaps. It recalls a deal from 2008 in which Mayor Richard M. Daley and the City Council transferred rights to about 36,000 meters for 75 years to a group led by Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners, in exchange for $1.16 billion. The author says the consortium’s gross returns are roughly twice its investment, with 57 years remaining and a lease sale underway. Through a Chicago commuter alias “Chester,” the article explains his decision to “gamble” by reducing meter payments based on perceived spotty enforcement.