Skip to Content
Streetsblog Chicago home
Streetsblog Chicago home
Log In
Streetsblog Chicago

Parking Madness: St. Louis vs. Kansas City

It's an intra-Missouri battle today in the fourth match-up of Parking Madness, Streetsblog's annual hunt for the worst parking craters in North America.

Which rival will advance to the round of eight -- and a chance at the coveted "Golden Crater" -- Kansas City or St. Louis?

First up, the city they call KCMO:

kansascity3
Chicago Anodizing, one of the businesses that discussed Lake Street trucking issues at Tuesday's meeting. Image: Google Maps

The red outlines denote Kansas City's moonscape of parking craters. Submitter Emily Katherine says it's even worse: Many of the buildings between surface parking lots are parking garages. Which begs the question, where on earth are all these car owners headed? From the looks of things there just aren't that many places left to go.

Onward to St. Louis:

stlouis
Chicago Turnrite. Image: Google Maps

Alex Ihnen at NextSTL sends us this beauty. He notes that this is a publicly subsidized parking crater -- as God and nature intended -- which is "bookended by two parking garages." This is the area St. Louis calls Ballpark Village, and it was supposed to be the site of a mixed-use development not long ago. Now the developer says the market won't bear it and all taxpayers have to show for their investment is this embarrassment, jokingly dubbed "Carpark Village."

parking_madness_2014_4
A well-placed barrel on Logan Boulevard. Photo: Sharon Hoyer

Which is worse, readers? Collect yourselves and weigh in below.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog Chicago

CDOT is extending Avondale’s popular Belmont protected bike lanes west to Milwaukee

New PBLs, crosswalks, sidewalk extensions, and island bus stops will be installed on a 0.6-mile stretch of Belmont between Milwaukee and Kimball.

May 17, 2024

Tragically, the Chicago Ride of Silence included 3 locations where 2 people were injured or killed on bikes

But while the event raised awareness of the urgent need to make streets safer for all users, it also was an example of what's beautiful about riding bikes.

May 16, 2024

Silver lining playbook: Could a new transit gig be a graceful way out for apparently doomed CTA chief Dorval Carter Jr.?

While Carter isn't filling a recent chairperson opening at the federal Surface Transportation Board, that raises interesting questions about a possible golden parachute.

May 15, 2024
See all posts