Skip to Content
Streetsblog USA home
Streetsblog USA home
Log In

Of all the places that have been marred by surface parking, the saddest might be city blocks served by transit, where walking should reign and driving should not be necessary. We're seeing in this year's Parking Madness tournament that there's an abundance of these places around the United States.

So far, parking craters in St. Louis, Medford, Massachusetts, and San Bernardino have advanced to the second round, and voting remains open in the Metro-North showdown of Poughkeepsie vs. Fairfield until tomorrow.

On to today's matchup of transit-adjacent parkingscapes...

Little Rock -- River Cities Travel Center

Arkansas Transit Center

Downtown Little Rock is dominated by surface parking, says reader Cary Tyson, and this site by the River Cities Travel Center -- Little Rock's main bus station and an important transfer point for the regional transit system -- is no exception. The surrounding area, as you can see, is none too walkable or welcoming.

Awareness is growing that downtown -- and the transit center in particular -- could be much more. A temporary installation last October set up market stalls and public art at the site while demonstrating a bus rapid transit-type service for downtown.

Atlanta -- Luckie Street and Centennial Olympic Park Drive

Atlanta Parking Crater

This entry comes from reader Michelle Rushing. Atlanta Streetcar stops are marked by purple stars, surface parking is outlined in orange, and parking decks are in blue. She writes:

There is a park on one side but the surrounding blocks are parking and more parking, punctuated by an occasional restaurant or hotel. In the 2+ years since the streetcar was completed, the only development has been to add solar panels to the parking lot next to the stop.

Landscapes like this help explain why the Atlanta Streetcar is attracting just 700 riders a day. While city officials get defensive about the project's performance, local writer Darin Givens says they should be doing more to develop these sites.

Vote below -- this poll closes on Monday at 2 p.m.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog USA

Thursday’s Headlines Want Five-Minute Cities, Maybe?

Fifteen-minute cities are great, but polls show that most people with cars would still rather drive than walk 15 minutes.

May 15, 2025

How To End Your City’s Fight Over Scooter Parking Once and For All

Micromobility riders need a good place to end their ride just like everyone else — and cities can accomplish several goals at once by giving them one.

May 14, 2025

Blue State AGs Sue Trump Over ‘Strong-Arm’ Tactic of Tying DOT Funds to Immigration Crackdown

The U.S. Department of Transportation is illegally threatening to withhold billions in transportation funding to states that don't "cooperate" with the administration's immigration crackdown, a new suit argues.

May 14, 2025

Let Wednesday’s Headlines Clear Our Throat

Congestion pricing is doing what its supporters promised it would do.

May 14, 2025
See all posts