It might not feel like it when you're hunting for a spot, but there's lots of parking—and parking lots—in Salt Lake City
On the Street
By Bryant Heath
There are a few hot button Salt Lake City issues that seem to have an uncanny ability to rile up emotions anytime they get mentioned. Parking is definitely one of them.
According to Visit Salt Lake—a non-profit tourism promoter of the city—downtown SLC alone contains more than 32,000 parking spots. Citing just this number alone is enough to stir the pot: Urbanists will be repulsed, suburbanites (who chronically complain about the lack of parking) will be skeptical and many retailers will probably wish there were even more.
Where exactly do I land on the spectrum? I think parking lots are currently a necessary evil, but one that I hope gets phased out over time. After all, no one comes to a city to check out the coolest new multi-level garage or to take photos of surface level lots.
Well, no one except me, I guess.
The two lots that I have spent the most time photographing can be found near the intersections of North Temple and 300 West and at 400 South and Main Street. I find these particular ones fascinating due to their immense sizes, their prime real estate locations and their general lack of use. And whereas the lot near Temple Square is an asphalt wasteland (upper left), the other, which lies across from the Orrin G. Hatch U.S. Courthouse, at least possesses some basic landscaping that makes it much less of an eyesore (upper right). Like most things, a little effort goes a long way.
But you can't talk about parking lots in Salt Lake City without mentioning the most notorious one outside the strip mall on 600 East and 400 South—trigger warning to all those who have been booted here while trying to get a Jimmy John's sandwich (below photo). This lot and its hyperactive towing policy is so famous that it has its very own NPR Planet Money episode and, like Groundhog Day, there is a constant stream of Reddit posts by fresh transplants falling victim over and over and over again.
But maybe that's the key to revolutionizing parking in the city: Make it so painful that people will seek better alternatives. Hold that thought, though, I think I see a spot over there. ...
More by Bryant Heath
-
Kei trucks prove that less can be more when it comes to driving in Utah.
Small Lake City
- Apr 24, 2024
-
A street by any other name would still lead to the Utah State Capitol
Small Lake City
- Mar 13, 2024
-
It may not seem like it, but most of Salt Lake City sits west of the freeway—waaaaay west.
Small Lake City
- Dec 6, 2023
- More »
Latest in News
Readers also liked…
-
Raise a glass for E.L.T Harrison, architect of the Beerhive building on Main
Small Lake City
- Oct 11, 2023
