Skip to Content
Streetsblog USA home
Streetsblog USA home
Log In

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

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

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

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

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog USA

How One Artist Is Helping Neighbors Decide How Their City Should Sound

An Italian researcher is challenging tactical urbanists to think about sound — and helping neighborhoods imagine something better for their auditory environments.

November 5, 2025

PART III: Policy Solutions to the E-Moto Problem

What happens when existing state laws don’t quite seem to fit newer types of electric motor vehicles that are being sold and used? How should we address this problem? Here's Part III of our series.

November 5, 2025

Wednesday’s Headlines Breathe in the Air

Congratulations, you have a slightly less chance of developing dementia due to half-hearted efforts to curb climate change.

November 5, 2025

Study: Why Can’t San Francisco Plant More Street Trees?

Advocates fight for greenery in their neighborhoods and ask the question: why is the city ripping out more trees than it's putting in?

November 4, 2025

Is a ‘Life After Cars’ Really Possible?

"This book is an invitation to imagine a better world in which people are put before cars," says co-author Sarah Goodyear.

November 4, 2025

PART II: Unpacking the Risks for Riders and Families of Illegal E-Motos

In this second installment of our series, we examine the legal, financial, and safety risks that e-moto riders and their families face every day.

November 4, 2025
See all posts