Skip to Content
Streetsblog USA home
Streetsblog USA home
Log In

Parking Madness, our hunt for the worst parking crater in an American downtown, continues today with two formidable contenders.

In one corner we have Tulsa: Oklahoma's second largest city, birthplace of the teen sensation Hanson (mmmBOP!), home to nearly 400,000 people. In the other corner, Philadelphia: cradle of democracy, birthplace of the Fresh Prince, and home of the cheesesteak.

Don't forget to vote at the bottom. Now, without further ado... Show us what you got, Tulsa!

Streetsblog reader Stephen Lassiter of Bike Walk Tulsa, sent us this description:

The southern half of downtown is almost entirely surface parking. Our City Council recently passed a moratorium on demolishing old buildings for surface parking while the city tries to come up with new parking regulations.

A recent article in Urban Tulsa Weekly reported the new surface parking lot ban passed with barely a peep of opposition. We can certainly see why. Now it looks like they need a plan to redevelop it.

Meanwhile in Philly, Twitter user @jjshetler singled out this eyesore at 13th and Market Street in the heart of the city:

Right near City Hall (visible in the background of the second photo), this lot mars Philadelphia's historic Market Street, also home to the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall.

This parking lot definitely has the cavernous, crater-like ambiance going for it.

Winner: Tulsa!

(Update: It's come to our attention that the Philly photographs are out of date, and this site is no longer much of a parking crater. So, feel free to continue voting for the fun of it, but we are advancing Tulsa to the next round by default.)

Yesterday, Milwaukee blew away Jersey City.

Next up: Los Angeles versus Dallas

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog USA

Friday Video: An ‘Oh the Urbanity’/Streetfilms Montréal Mashup

Find out why the City of a Hundred Steeples is so magnifique.

September 12, 2025

Sharing Is Caring for Friday’s Headlines

Young adults are driving less, and that may have something to do with the rise of shared micromobility devices.

September 12, 2025

Talking Headways Podcast: This Boat is Doing Something Amazing for Transit!

Could a simple sale of old train cars inspire a new generation of transit fans down in Lima, Peru? It's all part of a very special edition of our podcast.

September 11, 2025

In Trade Deal With Trump, Europe Sells Out its Pedestrians

The new trade deal between the European Union and the U.S. means that pedestrians from Lisbon to Helsinki will be endangered by big, American-made trucks.

September 11, 2025

Thursday’s Headlines Are Day Trippers

It took me so long to find out one-way streets are bad, but I found out.

September 11, 2025

How Chicago Cyclists Are Protecting Immigrants During Trump’s ICE Crackdown

Bike riders are notifying residents who may be at risk of what Mayor Brandon Johnson recently called "militarized immigration enforcement without due process."

September 10, 2025
See all posts