During his recent visit to New York, Donald Shoup, professor of Urban Planning at UCLA, sat down with Open Planning Project’s Mark Gorton to discuss parking policy and play with Matchbox cars on a miniature New York City street grid.

Shoup argues that charging higher fees for curbside parking would free up more parking space, reduce congestion-causing cruising and generate funds for local street improvement projects. And unlike congestion pricing, City Hall doesn’t need permission from Albany to make it happen.

Check out the animation by StreetFilms’ Elizabeth Press. Not bad, eh? And, as always, here is the Shoup theme song:

• Related StreetFilm: Dr. Shoup: Parking Guru