Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In

We're on to the second round in Parking Madness, Streetsblog's annual tournament devoted to shaming our national addiction to huge expanses of surface parking. This year's bracket exclusively features parking craters by transit stations -- and it's a crowded field.

There is one more undecided match from the first round: The poll for Hartford vs. Cleveland is open until tomorrow afternoon.

Today a small town commuter rail station takes on a big city subway stop in the first Elite Eight matchup.

Queens -- Willets Point/Citi Field

mets_willets_point
A subway line and a commuter rail stop both serve the site where the Mets play, which overcame a Norfolk, Virginia, parking crater in the first round of the tournament. Reader Hugh Shepard says it would be put to better use as badly needed housing.

As other readers pointed out, the site has been the subject of some fierce development battles. It was slated for a mega-mall until a court put a halt to that idea in 2012. Currently, Governor Andrew Cuomo envisions building a rail connection to LaGuardia Airport that starts here -- a project that's been roundly derided as a waste of money.

And guess what Cuomo wants to build here for the new transit connection? More parking, of course.

Poughkeepsie

poughkeepsie_train_station

This Poughkeepsie eyesore at the terminal station on Metro-North's Hudson Line beat out another Metro-North stop in Fairfield, Connecticut, in round one.

Jay Arzu, who submitted this site, says downtown Poughkeepsie has been decimated by parking lots, but the city has been working to redevelop this particular site. If that ever happens, it looks like a big improvement:

Rendering: Harriman.com
Rendering: Harriman.com
false

Clearly both of these sites could be so much more than parking lots. Which deserves the shame of making it to the Final Four?

parking_madness_2017

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

OPINION: Can Regional Governance Break New York Out of Its Constant State of Transit Emergency?

The New York region needs to fundamentally change the way it governs its transit system, our contributor writes.

December 20, 2024

Friday’s Headlines: ‘So, How Was Your Day?’ Edition

You didn't come here to find out about yesterday's crime news. Instead, here's the livable streets news!

December 20, 2024

Albany Should Use ‘Underutilized’ Transit Fund For LIRR, Metro-North Discounts: Report

An "underutilized" pot of state transportation funds could help lure more New York City residents onto the LIRR and Metro-North, according to a new report.

December 19, 2024

See It: The McGuinness Road Diet Works — But Only Where the City Installed It

The road diet works, exposing the need to extend it all the way.

December 19, 2024

Thursday’s Headlines: Snow and Tell Edition

The Sanitation Department is even better prepared for winter. Plus other news.

December 19, 2024
See all posts