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Seattleites will see paid parking rates in two-thirds of the city increase, beginning this week.
The majority of paid parking areas in the city will see a rate increase in the afternoon and evening hours. Morning periods will remain steady or decrease with rates mostly at 50 cents or $1 per hour. The changes went into effect Monday.
“This seasonal adjustment is part of our regular process to help ensure enough parking is available, based on the latest real-world usage data and seasonal trends,” the Seattle Department of Transportation said in a statement.
The Seattle Department of Transportation said that parking activity in the city has been increasing since last year. Seattle suspended on-street parking rates in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Revenue losses for 2020, relative to 2019 were about $28 million, falling from $38.3 million to $10.4 million, according to city statistics. Revenues in 2021 increased slightly to $11 million. The city brought in approximately $19.8 million in total parking revenue in 2022.
The city expects revenue to substantially increase “to $30.9 and $37.7 million in 2023 and 2024 respectively.”
Revenue generated by on-street parking fees go to the city’s general fund, which is utilized for improvements such as bike and pedestrian infrastructure upgrades, bridge safety projects and general mobility improvements.
Parking locations in Fremont, the Pike and Pine Street Corridor and South Capitol Hill will have the highest hourly rates amongst the increases, at $4.50 per hour. Some areas are seeing steady decreases in parking rates. For instance, the First Hill District parking rates were $5 per hour in early 2020. They now range from $2.00 to $3.50 per hour, depending on the time of day.
A number of parking rates remain lower than they were before the pandemic, particularly in and around downtown Seattle, according to the department.