Parking is set to become a lot more complicated and more expensive for motorists trying to find a spot for their cars in Lower Queen Anne. The changes from Roy Street to the north to Denny Way to the south, and from Second Avenue West and Fourth Avenue North will wipe out formerly free or time-limited free parking in many sections of the neighborhood by installing new parking pay stations.
And several blocks will be turned into residential parking zones (RPZs) at night, meaning only local residents with paid permits will be allowed to park there.
The Seattle Department of Transportation determined the changes were needed based on an SDOT study last winter that showed most parking in the area was full most days and evenings, according to an agency press release.
But the argument for making the change has been framed as one that will help local merchants. "We are committed to supporting short-term parking in business districts," said SDOT director Grace Crunican. "More parking turnover means more customers for neighborhood business districts."
SDOT spokesman Gregg Hirakawa agrees. "The only reason why we're doing this is to turn parking over." Free parking that has been limited to one or two hours on some streets doesn't work very well because the city doesn't have the enforcement capacity, Hirakawa said, admitting that even he has left his car in free spots for longer than the time limits allow. "With the (parking) kiosks, it's easier to enforce because you don't have to chalk the tires," he said of parking restrictions.
No one from the Greater Chamber of Commerce returned calls for comment as of press deadline about the issue, but Hirakawa insisted that the changes were made after consulting with local business owners. He also said the parking changes were made because new business are opening up in Lower Queen Anne.
Several of the new parking pay stations were in place but covered up with green tarps late last week. That was by design, according to Hirakawa. "Normally our policy is when we put in a pay station, we leave it (covered) for (around) a week so people get used to it," he said.
All of the new pay stations should be in place by the end of October or early November, Hirakawa added.
- Russ Zabel
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