Neighbors to the south, particularly the downtown core, Pioneer Square and First Hill, are soon to feel the sting of new peak-hour parking increases.
Those who want to park in these neighborhoods will now have to pay $4 an hour, a sizeable jump from the previous rate of $2.50 downtown and in Pioneer Square, and $2 in First Hill. And in eight neighborhoods including downtown, Belltown, Chinatown, University District, Capitol Hill and Pioneer Square, paid parking will continue through 8 p.m., two hours longer than before.
Yet while these neighborhoods will see an increase, several others will see a decrease, including Lower Queen Anne and Westlake. The rates in Lower Queen Anne, from roughly First Avenue West to Fifth Avenue West had been $2 per hour. Now it’s $1.50. Westlake used to be $1.50, now it’s $1.
The changes were proposed in November when Mayor Mike McGinn, at the helm of a $67 million deficit, submitted his budget to the City Council. In the budget were several cuts across the board – including Metro Bus route cuts. The parking rate increases were designed to add customer turnover while decreasing the amount of emissions from drivers patrolling neighborhoods for a spot. Businesses downtown and in Pioneer Square were not thrilled with the move. Owners saw the increase, which has made Seattle one of the most expensive places to park in the country, overdoing it. A group of businesses and local organizations wrote a letter to City Council asking it to reconsider.
With the increases, the city expects to generate $35 million in 2011, up from $27 million last year.
When the announcement was made, Seattleites were upset. The City relented a bit and cut the rate in Pioneer Square from $4 to $3.50, but nowhere else.
But all’s well in Lower Queen Anne depending on how you look at it. Some see the rate decrease as a way to invite more people to shop in the neighborhood. Others think it might add to the congestion.
“I take the bus because there is no parking in Queen Anne,” said Pam Rall, a manager at Dick’s Drive-In at 500 Queen Anne Ave. N. “The people who come to Queen Anne to work…” she added, her voice trailing off indicating the hopelessness of such an endeavor to bring a car into the neighborhood.
Rall has been working for Dick’s for 32 years, most recently at the Queen Anne store. She is a West Seattle resident and would rather spend the $4.50 round trip bus fare than have to continually feed the meter. She felt bad for those parking in the street for concerts at KeyArena or other nearby venues.
Now that the rates will continue through 8 p.m., some will not have a chance to exit a venue to refill the meter.
That said, she sees the changes having no adverse affect on her place of work.
For four years Ryan Gipson has been working at T.S. McHugh’s Irish Pub & Restaurant at 21 Mercer St. The former Queen Anne resident had heard about the rate changes but was unsure of what the consequences would be. He thought if the rates on the street rose, then more people would use parking garages.
On the other hand, “If [street parking] is cheaper, there might be more people trying to find a place to park.”
Waiting for a table outside Toulouse Petit at 601 Queen Anne Ave. N, Jamie Bozied said a rate increase downtown may add parking turnover, but it would “dissuade” her from shopping and parking downtown. Bozied has lived downtown for 10 years and drives only when she has to. She sees the environmental benefits from this, yet is wary about it. McGinn’s administration said the rate hike would reduce emissions downtown as there would be fewer cars having to circle to find a spot. But Bozied isn’t sure it’s a good thing.
“It’s a disinclination,” Bozied said. “Why go downtown?”
Despite the rate increase, parking on Sunday will remain free. And there are a handful of other free-parking days:
January: January 1st* and the third Monday
February: The third Monday
May: The last Monday
July: July 4*
September: The first Monday
November: Nov. 11* and the fourth Thursday
December: Dec. 25*
*If a date above falls on a Sunday, the Monday that follows is a free parking day.
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