Skip to Content
Streetsblog California home
Streetsblog California home
Log In
Streetsblog USA

Visualizing LA’s 18.6 Million Parking Spaces as One Enormous Blob

Here's how much space it would take up if all of L.A. County's parking spaces where pushed together. Map by Shane Phillips, Better Institutions
Here's how much space all of L.A. County's parking spaces would take up if they were pushed together. Map: Shane Phillips/Better Institutions

Here's a great visualization of how much land parking spaces consume in our cities, via Shane Phillips at Network blog Better Institutions.

Inspired by a post from Copenhagenize, Shane created a map showing the collective size of Los Angeles County's 18.6 million parking spaces (as estimated by the American Planning Association) if they were arranged side by side, assuming each one is 300 square feet.

When you step back and look, he writes, it's pretty amazing:

This imaginary parking lot, which is 16 miles in diameter, is enough to completely wipe out downtown LA, Boyle Heights, Chinatown, Koreatown, Westlake, Glassel Park, Silver Lake, and Echo Park; most of South LA; Hollywood, West Hollywood, and Beverly Hills; Mid-Wilshire; Culver City; most of the Westside; and all of USC, UCLA, and Griffith Park. Rather than getting you from Downtown to Santa Monica, the 10 would get you from one end of the parking lot to the other. On the bright side, there would be plenty of parking for the beach, LAX, and the Rose Bowl Parade -- though walking from the lot might take you a few hours.

No one's arguing that all 18.6 million parking spaces in Los Angeles are a waste; there's an obvious need for parking, and for the automobiles that require them, in a variety of circumstances. But put together, this 200 square mile area is home to about 2.3 million people, 900,000 homes, and near one million employees. And without so much parking it could be home to many more, at a time when our region is struggling with an unprecedented housing shortage, booming population, and a strong economy.

Elsewhere on the Network today: The Urbanophile talks to Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown about the city's bold new "Green Code." BTA explains how some Oregon residents are fighting to ensure a safer Tualatin Valley Highway for people who bike. And Cyclelicious explains how biking can reduce vision problems.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog California

Covina to Begin Construction on Recreation Village

The new facility will be next to the Metrolink station and include a variety of opportunities for fitness and amusement

July 26, 2024

Talking Headways Podcast: Have Cities Run Out of Land?

Chris Redfearn of USC and Anthony Orlando of Cal Poly Pomona on why "pro-business" Texas housing markets are catching up to "pro-regulation" California and what it might mean for future city growth.

July 26, 2024

Friday’s Headlines

Oakland identifies sites for speed camera pilot; E-bike tariffs conflict with US climate policy; Pollution spikes around warehouses, shipping hubs; More

July 26, 2024

What the Heck is Going on with the State E-bike Incentive Program?

The program's launch has been delayed for two years, and currently "there is no specific timeline" for it. Plus the administrator, Pedal Ahead, is getting dragged, but details are vague

July 26, 2024

The Paris Plan for Olympic Traffic? Build More Bike Lanes

A push to make Paris fully bikable for the Olympics is already paying dividends long before the opening ceremonies.

July 25, 2024
See all posts