We write about parking issues quite a bit here on CHS so we won’t add much to the Friday announcement of new paid parking rates in various zones across the city and an extension of paid parking in certain neighborhoods — including ours — by two hours to 8 PM, Monday through Saturday. Market-driven parking pricing is a good thing for a neighborhood — It helps make sure space is well utilized and, contrary to conventional wisdom, is proven to improve parking conditions for shoppers and residents.
The new hours and rates will begin February 1st.
We have included the announcement from the City of Seattle, below, attached the new paid parking schedule and map and added a round-up of coverage from varying sources in the city, some who get paid parking, some who continue to treat it as yet another thing that is bad/scary/irritating about living in a city.
- Publicola: Parking Rates Raised to $4 In Much of Downtown, Reduced North of Central City
- Seattle Transit Blog: Live: 2011 Seattle Parking Rates
- Seattle Times: Seattle changes parking rates
- Seattle PI: Parking rates go up, hours extended in Seattle neighborhoods
City Announces 2011 On-Street Parking Rates and Releases Parking Report
Data-driven process sets rates to achieve one to two open spaces per block
SEATTLE — The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) today announced on-street parking rates for 2011, based for the first time on information gathered in a comprehensive citywide study of parking occupancy. The information helped the department set rates that vary by neighborhood, with the goal of achieving on average one to two open spaces per block.
For 2011 on-street parking rates will range from $1 to $4 per hour, instead of the current $1.25 to $2.50 per hour. (Specific rates per neighborhood, along with the number of spaces and occupancy, can be found in the attached chart.) Rates will increase in nine neighborhoods but remain unchanged or decrease in 13 other neighborhoods, leaving 62 percent of paid spaces with either no change or a rate reduction. Additionally, nine neighborhoods with active nightlife and high evening parking demand will have paid parking extended until 8 p.m. to provide better access for customers.
City crews will begin implementing the new rates as of Feb. 1, rolling them out neighborhood by neighborhood through March 30. New graphics on all parking pay stations will clearly highlight the revised rates, in addition to providing information about other parking rules and how to use the machines.
To develop its report, SDOT conducted assessments of every neighborhood containing on-street paid parking. Over the past months, SDOT collected data that reveals:
-On-street peak occupancy is highest in the neighborhoods of First Hill (100 percent), the Commercial Core (97 percent) and Pioneer Square (91 percent)
-On-street peak occupancy is lowest in the Uptown Triangle (29 percent), Denny Triangle North (42 percent), and Belltown North (46 percent) neighborhoods
The rates announced today will remain in effect for the rest of 2011. SDOT will monitor the effect of the rate changes and parking usage to determine rates for 2012. SDOT is also undertaking a comprehensive study of the feasibility of variable-rate parking for 2012 and beyond.
For additional information on 2011 on-street rates and rules, please visit the SDOT website at: http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/parking/paidparking.htm
You state, “proven to improve parking conditions for shoppers and residents.” Really? What study?
It would be confusing enough if you knew that the regulations varied and you had to look at the hours on every single parking pay station – BUT – those things are magnets for graffiti and in many cases the instructions, and even the screens, are illegible. What a spectacularly STUPID idea…
Why include charts and graphics that can’t be read? I’d rather just not see one than strain to read the fuzzy lettering on yet another example of this on your site. Why not include a link to the original file on the graphic instead of the link to even smaller versions?
“Market-driven parking pricing is a good thing for a neighborhood — It helps make sure space is well utilized and, contrary to conventional wisdom, is proven to improve parking conditions for shoppers and residents.”
Any proof to support this claim? Common sense tells me that free parking also insures space is well utilized, that is, unless your definition of “well utilized” means a specific type or category of person, ie yuppie bastards who worry about poor people and people of color bringing down the value of your home. I have an idea for what would insure that space is well utilized. How about we tax the rich and use that money to develop a rational public transportation system in the area?
On the contrary, market-driven policies and practices are NOT effective, beneficial, or for the community. Market-driven solutions benefits only the companies and corporations pushing for them. It is one of the wonders of capitalism that a policy or plan is wonderful if it makes a profit, even if it hurts everyone else. These lies about the “free market” are the reason we are in the economic crisis we are in. “Market-driven solutions” in health care are the reason we have a shitty health care system, especially after a “reform” package that further entrenches the market in the fulfillment of basic human needs.
“Market-driven solutions” in environmental protection are one of the reasons BP was allowed to spew oil into the Gulf of Mexico non-stop for nearly three months.
And of course, market-driven solutions are the reason why our schools rank near the bottom in the country and the reasoning behind the Bush/Obama attack no public education and Bill Gates’ perverse fetish for privatization of public education.
Mr. JSeattle, if you are trying to be a journalist, please be a journalist and stop simply regurgitating crap you are sent in a press release. And please don’t advocate a political position you know very little about that has horrific consequences for the community in which you live.
Please do us all a favor and stop repeating the lies that the wealthy, who don’t pay taxes, are telling us.
I like agree with above that this iz stoopid. Bad and confusing to my little brain. Oh, now my head be swimming in the unfairness two! If only planners wood stop trying to solve the problems!
this will prevent people coming home from their 9-5 and parking on the street all evening and night
How is this confusing? If they post the hourly rates on the parking meters (like they already do) how will out of towners and locals get confused?Seems to me like folks on the Hill just want to complain about something.
Way to fuck with locals with cars AND out of towners. I wonder how this will affect businesses. Seattle is not as cool as it thinks it is, especially down town. Residents in the area have options. East-siders will have even more reasons to stay on the east side. As a Seattle resident with a car, I often wait until 6pm to drive somewhere in the city.
I voted for the other guy. McGinn is a misguided idealist whose damaging policies will haunt the city for decades to come. Don’t turn Seattle into another California.
Do you guys enjoy not ever being able to find a parking spot so much that you are not willing to consider a policy that might actually benefit the community? The whole point is to ensure parking availability. Sounds like an improvement to me.
wow. seriously?
Nicely stated and absolutely correct. Thank you!
I did NOT vote for this mayor because it was quite obvious he would be a disaster. The majority of Seattleites voted for McGinn, without really knowing anything about him, because they always vote for the more liberal candidate, in knee-jerk fashion. I think Greg Nickels was a much better mayor, in so many ways, and I fervently hope he runs again and makes McGinn a one-term mayor.
Very well put, thank you!
Agreed.
Here’s the readable version:
seattle.gov/transportation/parking/docs/2011 Parking Rates Map.pdf
Let’s not be niave. If all they wanted to do was improve the amount of parking available, you could make it “pay until 8 PM” and LOWER the rate, but limit the amount of time you can park to 30 minutes or one hour.
This is nothing more than an excuse to raise the parking rates and grab more money from working class people who have proven that they are too gullible and poorly organized to oppose it. It’s pathetic on all sides.
Also, I sure don’t want Nickels back. Most of McGinn’s idiotic policies started life on his predecessor’s desk.
…i’m blowing my rape whistle. city really knows how to kick its citizens while they’re down. at least offer a tax credit for people that live in the city and have to drive.
It really is cute that people REALLY actually people that this is about parking availability and not revenue. I would like to see the ‘studies’ besides the general ledger of accounting in the mayors office that are justifying this outlandish parking increase. With a crap public transportation system, I am forced to drive to the hill or spend hours on several buses. It will now be cheaper to park in some surface lots and garages than to feed these meters. McMoron will take this city down.
Proof: http://www.ncpa.org/sub/dpd/index.php?Article_ID=20523
Seattle isn’t the only city utilizing market based parking; SF, Tacoma, NYC, and even Kirkland are doing this too.