Recent Streetsblog USA posts about Special Reports

Parking Madness 2015: Can Your Parking Crater Compete?

By Angie Schmitt | Mar 3, 2015 | 45 Comments

March is a special month on Streetsblog. It’s the time when the nation’s worst downtown parking scars face off head-to-head for the shame of winning the “golden crater” — and the local publicity bonanza that comes with it. For the third year running, we’re asking you to help seed the bracket in our Parking […]

Parking Craters Aren’t Just Ugly, They’re a Cancer on Your City’s Downtown

By Payton Chung | Apr 10, 2014 | 12 Comments

Streetsblog’s Parking Madness competition has highlighted the blight that results when large surface parking lots take over a city’s downtown. Even though Rochester, winner of 2014’s Golden Crater, certainly gains bragging rights, all of the competitors have something to worry about: Cumulatively, the past 50 years of building parking have had a debilitating effect on America’s downtowns. […]

Rochester Wins 2014 Parking Madness Title and Claims the Golden Crater

By Angie Schmitt | Apr 9, 2014 | 22 Comments

An asphalt scar in Rochester, New York, has triumphed over 15 of the world’s worst parking craters to become the Parking Madness 2014 champion. It was a surprising run. Who would have guessed a couple of weeks ago that this scrappy upstart would prevail over some of the sprawliest, most highway-marred urban spaces in North America? […]

It’s Rochester vs. Jacksonville in the Parking Madness Championship!

By Angie Schmitt | Apr 8, 2014 | 19 Comments

Forget Huskies vs. Wildcats — today is all about parking crater vs. parking crater. Through 14 matches pitting some of the most hideous parking expanses in the world against each other, two cities are still standing: Rochester and Jacksonville. These are the worst of the worst downtown asphalt scars. But only one city can claim […]

Parking Madness Final Four: Kansas City vs. Rochester

By Angie Schmitt | Apr 7, 2014 | 19 Comments

The hunt for the worst parking crater on earth nears its epic conclusion with the second Final Four match of Parking Madness. Today’s matchup features a formidable entry from Kansas City and the upstart parking crater from Rochester, New York, which knocked out Detroit in the previous round. The winner will take on Jacksonville tomorrow for […]

Parking Madness Final Four: Chicago vs. Jacksonville

By Angie Schmitt | Apr 4, 2014 | 6 Comments

We started with 16 parking craters and now we’re down to the Final Four of Parking Madness. After two bruising rounds of competition, four hideous parking expanses in Kansas City, Rochester, Chicago, and Jacksonville are still in it to win it. Each one is an ugly and awe-inspiring waste of potential in its own way. Today’s […]

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