Changes to late-night on-street parking restrictions are under consideration for areas of Capitol Hill. The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) is taking a particularly close look at on-street parking near the commercial corridors of Broadway and Pike/Pine. SDOT says that parking utilization continues to regularly reach the 100% utilization mark from the 8pm to 11pm time period. To address the high demand, SDOT is evaluating changes that could extend paid park and and two-hour time limit restrictions to encourage more turnover of parking spaces. Importantly, higher turnover rates generally increase access to a location and increase business activity.

Parking utilization in the Capitol Hill South area in 2015 and 2016, which is locate north of E Pine St and includes the areas along and between E John St to the north, Harvard Ave E to the west, and 12th Ave E to the east. (City of Seattle)
Parking utilization in the Capitol Hill South area in 2015 and 2016, which is locate north of E Pine St and includes the areas along and between E John St to the north, Harvard Ave E to the west, and 12th Ave E to the east. (City of Seattle)
Area of where the parking changes are proposed. (City of Seattle)
Area of where the parking changes are proposed. (City of Seattle)

Currently, paid parking and time restricted parking is in force Monday through Saturday across Capitol Hill. Paid parking is variable by time of day with the highest rates generally in the evening. Paid parking runs from 8am to 8pm with two-hour time limits from 8am to 5pm and three-hour time limits after 5pm.

SDOT has put forward three different options for changes with all three extending paid parking until 11pm. Option 1 would retain the three-hour maximum time limit with variable demand-based pricing. Option 2 would create a flat-rate paid parking price between 5pm to 11pm. And Option 3 would create an hourly paid parking scheme between 5pm and 11pm; this would drivers to pick a minimum of one hour and up to six hours of paid parking.

The three options that SDOT is considering. (City of Seattle)
The three options that SDOT is considering. (City of Seattle)

Option 1 would lead to the most amount of parking turnover out of the three options while Option 2 would likely have the least.

Examples and comparisons of the options. (City of Seattle)
Examples and comparisons of the options. (City of Seattle)

Public input on the proposals is due by Friday, May 12th. SDOT plans to institute a change this fall, so feedback on the draft proposals will be instrumental in shaping the outcome. Other changes to Capitol Hill parking restrictions are already in the works with the major expansion of Restricted Parking Zones (RPZ) near Capitol Hill Station. SDOT is currently installing the signs with the expansion coming into effect in June. Separately, SDOT has chosen not to create an RPZ in Central Ballard due to opposition to the proposal.

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Article Author
Stephen Fesler
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Stephen is a professional urban planner in Puget Sound with a passion for sustainable, livable, and diverse cities. He is especially interested in how policies, regulations, and programs can promote positive outcomes for communities. With stints in great cities like Bellingham and Cork, Stephen currently lives in Seattle. He primarily covers land use and transportation issues and has been with The Urbanist since 2014.