The 10 worst parking lots I found on Staten Island this year

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – What makes for a lousy parking lot?

Staten Islanders know: narrow driving lanes, tight spaces and drivers who don’t follow the rules. And that’s just for starters.

And we’ve got plenty of these bad parking lots on Staten Island. The Advance last year highlighted some of the most notorious.

But here are some more that we found in our travels around the Island.

What do you think? Is your nightmare parking lot on the list?

Heartland Village Shopping Center, New Springville

There are several issues with this lot. The internal row of parking spots is diagonal, but on either side, the spots are straight lines. So you can’t see people coming when you’re maneuvering in the lot, especially when you’re leaving. And you have to back out of the spots because you’re only supposed to drive in one direction. The driving lanes are narrow, giving the whole lot an overall hazardous feel.

Eltingville Shopping Center

The lot has many popular stores, including a big Rite Aid, and is always busy. So you’re always dodging other cars. The parking spaces are tight and motorists too often disobey the directional arrows on the pavement, constantly driving the wrong way in the lot. That makes it dangerous for cars and for shoppers walking back and forth to stores.

Parking area on Canal Street, Stapleton

There are two parallel rows of parking here, but they are all diagonal, back-in spots, which can be tricky to park in properly. But worse is that you have to do it in the face of oncoming traffic, including city buses, on narrow Canal Street. One benefit: the parking is free.

Armstrong Avenue and Amboy Road, Great Kills

Home to a bagel store and a pizzeria that are both popular, this lot is hilly and just too small for the traffic it generates. Customers will park on Armstrong instead and walk in and out. Drivers can also avoid a traffic light by using the lot as a cut-through from Old Amboy Road to Armstrong, increasing the hazard.

Stop & Shop parking lot, Amboy Road, Eltingville

This lot, featuring the supermarket, eateries, a drug store and other businesses, is right across from the Eltingville Shopping Center and is no prize parking lot either. One big problem is the long straightway in front of the stores that encourages drivers to speed through the lot. Oh, and the fire lane where people park illegally.

Key Food, Forest Avenue, West Brighton

This popular lot has very narrow driving lanes, making for a claustrophobic feel as you’re navigating. The diagonal parking slots make it tough on those who like to park front-out, forcing drivers to back out when they leave. Faded paint makes the actual parking spots hard to see. Extra hazard: cars bombing into the lot off Forest on the City Boulevard side.

Oakwood Center, Amboy and Clarke Avenue

Home to Net Cost Market and other stores, one driver described this lot as “hellish,” with multiple access points and not enough spots. A lack of directional arrows in the lot makes for helter-skelter traffic flow. Worse: cars attempting to leave onto busy Clarke Avenue, especially those looking to make a left turn, can quickly back up into the lot.

Forest Promenade, Richmond Avenue/Forest Avenue, Graniteville

This lot, anchored by a ShopRite supermarket, serves too many stores and is too big and intimidating. There are multiple access points, meaning drivers have to constantly have their head on a swivel for other motorists as well as pedestrians while looking or spots that can sometimes be scarce.

Parking lot at Giffords Lane and Amboy Road, Great Kills

Oddly shaped and hilly, with weird angles, maneuvering in this busy lot in a high traffic shopping area is like trying to park in a shoebox.

Nome Plaza, New Springville

This lot, on Nome Avenue, is just too hilly and narrow for a shopping area that’s packed cheek-to-jowl with stores. Exiting onto Nome Avenue can also take a minute.

Thanks for reading all the way to the end. If you have another bad parking lot, please write to me at wrobleski@siadvance.com.

Most Popular Stories by Tom Wrobleski

• Secret Staten Island mob ‘Commission’ meeting in 1984 helped bring down Mafia titans, including godfather Pau
• Here’s how crafty squatters connive to steal your home. And how you can stop them
• NYC’s lowered 20 mph speed limit the latest speed camera money grab (opinion)