City planners have proposed a land-use package that, among other ideas, eliminates parking requirements for new developments within a quarter-mile of “frequent transit” and for such major institutions as colleges and hospitals when they expand in dense urban areas. The mayor-appointed, 28-member advisory group based its proposal on the promise of more people using buses and light rail to travel around town once light-rail expansion is completed.
While it’s admirable to encourage the use of mass transit and reduce air pollution, doing so much so soon will only cause more frustration for people who rely on cars as their main means of transportation in and out of the city.
While the developers would be able to construct their buildings in less time since they wouldn’t need to worry about literally carving out space for underground parking, Sound Transit still has years of light-rail construction ahead before a serviceable system is available to more than just between downtown and the airport. And even the existing Link light-rail line isn’t accessible to the thousands who don’t live or work within walking distance to the Southeast Seattle stations.
And it should be noted that King County Metro continues to cut service each year to numerous routes because of budget constraints, further limiting how and when people travel.
City planners also seem to ignore the fact that not everyone who works in Seattle lives in Seattle and vice versa. And college students don’t all live on or near campus, nor do hospital patients and visitors all reside in the transit service area. The heavy traffic congestion that occurs in all directions during the morning and evening rush hours speaks for itself.
With city officials increasing pay-parking rates and proposing to extend liquor-service hours in bars and restaurants into the wee hours when transit is even more limited, late-night workers and other drivers would need to compete for the few spots they can find and afford. Even the “free spots” available in the residential areas adjacent to the light-rail stations will require a paid Residential Parking Zone sticker allowing them to park there, if Beacon Hill and Rainier Beach are any indication.
With so many factors working against everyone but the developers, the city shouldn’t give a free ride to this particular proposal. Instead, it should park it somewhere else — until a parking spot actually opens up for it.
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