UPDATE: SDOT says Capitol Hill’s new rates won’t begin until the end of the month

Last week, we brought you news that the plan extend paid parking hours until 8 PM on Broadway and in Pike/Pine was going forward — and that Broadway was still slated for a rate increase along with First Hill and a few other car-clogged areas of the city.

This first day of February the new $3 hourly rate is now in effect around Broadway, Cal Anderson and Seattle Central. You can see the full details of the changes in this post and the attached maps and tables.

But when do the new paid parking hours kick in? And what do you do when pay kiosks are busted. We asked SDOT for a few answers on the new paid parking realities. Answers are below.

 

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Q.  Is there a specific date for start of 8pm paid parking on Broadway and in Pike/Pine? What has to happen before the longer paid hours begin?

A. SDOT will phase in the parking rates that go until 8 p.m. starting in April, and expects to complete the change within six months. We don’t yet know what part of the city we will do first.

Q. How will the paid stickers transfer between zones with different rates? If I pay a lower rate in part of the city, drive to Broadway and park using my existing sticker, will I get a ticket?

A. You may use unexpired time on a two-hour paid parking sticker anywhere in the city regardless of the difference in rates. You won’t get a ticket as long as you don’t go beyond the time limit.

Q. We have ‘problem’ pay stations on the Hill that are broken/sabotaged regularly. What should a driver do who finds multiple pay stations in the immediate area broken?

A. We are not aware of a particular problem with pay stations on Capitol Hill. If a pay station is not accepting credit cards for some reason, you may be able to use coins. If a driver finds that a pay station is broken, the driver should look for another pay station where he or she can get a receipt. We appreciate it when a driver reports a malfunctioning pay station so we can repair it. To report a problem with a pay station, please call (206) 684-5260. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Q. Is it really going to cost $3.00 an hour to park on one side of Pine street and $2.00 on the other? Is the map detail accurate?

A.  Our general policy will be to have the same rates on both sides of a street. Parking on both sides of Pine Street will have two-hour limits and will cost $2 an hour. The parking rate map is for illustrative purposes and provides general information.