SDOT received a request from the Central Ballard Residents Association to create a new Restricted Parking Zone (RPZ) on residential streets around the Ballard business district. We’d like to hear from residents, employees, and visitors in Ballard about how adding RPZ restrictions might affect them.
Here is a link to the survey to provide your feedback.
What is an Restricted Parking Zone?
An RPZ is meant to ease parking congestion in residential neighborhoods, while balancing the needs of all people to use the public right of way. RPZs help neighborhoods deal with parking congestion with signed time limits and vehicles displaying a valid RPZ permit are exempt.
What is the RPZ being proposed? (See Map)
We are proposing an RPZ with the following restrictions:
• The gray area on the map highlights where residents would be eligible for permits.
• SDOT would install RPZ signs on the solid blue lined blocks, limiting vehicles without RPZ permits to 2-hour parking Monday – Friday, 7 AM – 8 PM. We are proposing RPZ signs on one side of the street only, to balance a variety of on-street parking demands.
• All blocks with RPZ signs would be subject to signed parking restrictions and residents within the gray area would be able to purchase permits (currently $65 for two years)
• We do not install RPZ signs next to ground floor retail or other non-residential uses. Many of the blocks in this area already have paid or time-limited parking; this RPZ proposal will not change those signs or regulations.
Why are these changes being proposed?
In the fall of 2014, SDOT received an RPZ review request from the Central Ballard Residents Association. In mid-2015 we made changes to Ballard commercial area on-street parking. In September 2015 we studied parking in the area shown and found street parking to be on average 93% full during the day, with over 35% of vehicles not belonging to residents. The goal of the proposed RPZ would be to limit all-day parking by non-residents, decrease parking congestion and circling within the neighborhood, and make it easier for residents to find parking near their homes.
Comments or questions?
To provide feedback on this proposal, complete a brief survey by May 31, 2016.
Send additional comments or questions to Ruth Harper at (206) 684-4103 or ruth.harper@seattle.gov.
Learn more about the RPZ program and the Ballard RPZ request.