Parking Crater

A parking lot that covers an absurdly large section of a city. Often found outside stadiums, megachurches, and Walmarts. They typically take up more land area than the establishment itself. Parking craters typically have no tree cover, making them unpleasant to walk through, contribute to the urban heat island effect, force urban sprawl, thereby lengthening commute times, and take up valuable space that could be devoted to other businesses.

The center of my hometown used to be such a fun and lively area, but now it’s nothing but a big parking crater.

Coined by Urban Paint Explainer.

Parking Crater by Shepherd Guy November 14, 2025