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Following the Data: Updating Parking in Seattle

SDOT has been adjusting on-street parking rates annually since 2010 based on data we collect each spring as part of the Performance-Based Parking Pricing Program.

The 2016 Annual Paid Parking Study describes occupancy data from this year and last year and the program uses this information to determine parking rates. New rate changes have a target occupancy level of one to two on-street spaces open per block throughout the day.

Changes happening in 2016-17

SDOT will make about 40 rate changes this year through the first quarter of 2017. There will be 21 rate increases and 16 rate reductions. These are at various times of day – morning, afternoon and evening – depending on the parking occupancy results from the 2016 study.

A few examples:

In South Lake Union, street parking south of Mercer Street is quite full most of the day (94% and 98% full in the morning and afternoon respectively), so rates will increase from $2/hour to $2.50/hour.

Along 12th Avenue near Seattle University, new pay stations will be installed in November to replace the older models. At that time, the afternoon and evening hourly rates will increase 50 cents to $2.50 because occupancy is over the target range.

How to use this information

See SDOT’s 2016-17 rate changes here. Using this information, drivers might be able to shift a trip to park earlier in the morning or a few blocks away in order to save money.

15540506189_a3cf8d60a7_hConnected to these rate changes is SDOT’s effort to replace our old pay stations with modern equipment, through early 2017. New pay stations will deliver more reliable performance, faster transaction times and a more user-friendly interface. They also allow us to set parking rates by time of day because parking demand is different in the morning, afternoon and evening in many business districts.

For more information about paid parking in Seattle, please visit www.seattle.gov/transportation/parking/paidparkingupdates.htm.