Setting effective and affordable parking rates improves customer access so our businesses can continue to recover. Photo from SDOT Flickr Based on recent parking data analysis, we’re adjusting street parking rates in a few neighborhoods so that customers will have an easier time finding a parking space. These rate changes go into effect Wednesday, February 17.
Setting effective and affordable parking rates improves customer access so our businesses can continue to recover.
Here’s what’s changing on Wednesday and what’s not:
- Parking rates will decrease to $0.50 per hour in the morning in parts of Chinatown International District.
- Parking rates will go up to $1 or $1.50 per hour in parts of Ballard, Chinatown International District, Denny Triangle, First Hill, Pike-Pine, and South Lake Union.
- Parking will remain $0.50 per hour in other times and locations.
- All 3-minute and 15-minute loading zones remain free, including over 600 food and retail pick-up zones.
- Street parking remains free on Sundays and some holidays.
- Privately owned parking lots are not affected.
Check out our interactive parking rate map to find parking rates at different times of day throughout Seattle (the map will be updated when the rates take effect on February 17). Other parking rules related to the COVID-19 pandemic are here.
Before the COVID pandemic, Seattle’s paid parking rates varied between $0.50 and $5.00 per hour depending on the time and location. With these changes, rates now range between $0.50 and $1.50 per hour.
Unlike other cities around the country that have returned to their full pre-COVID parking rates, Seattle’s approach is to start conservatively to adjust rates based on demand as the city continues to recover economically.
We will review parking conditions and data quarterly this year to make incremental adjustments and be responsive to changes in demand in our business districts.
We continue to work with local businesses and use data to help make sure people can find parking.
Our goal when adjusting street parking rates is to help make it easier for people to find parking and for customers to get to local businesses. Learn more about how we use data to set paid parking prices so that there will be one or two parking spaces available on each block.
We’re also helping restaurant and retail businesses with temporary priority pick-up zones and other outdoor vending permit options.
Starting this spring, we will convert many of the temporary easels to permanent 5-minute load/unload regulatory signs supplemented by the blue Food Pick-Up Priority signs. We continue to permit street and sidewalk cafes for outdoor eating as part of the Safe Streets program.
If your business would like a loading zone or Safe Start permit, please contact us at 206-684-ROAD.You may also email 684-ROAD@seattle.gov for information about parking, or publicspace@seattle.gov for information about permits.