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Downtown Seattle Association: Don’t Raise Parking Rates

City Hall, Politics   January 24, 2011 at 2:23 pm Erica C. Barnett

In a move that is, presumably, too little, too late, the Downtown Seattle Association has called on the city council to refrain from raising parking rates as high as $4 an hour until it has time to “reevaluate” the proposed rate increases. In a letter today, the DSA—along with a number of business groups, most of them downtown—writes,

[W]e do not believe that increasing meter rates to $4.00 per hour Downtown, or $2.00 per hour in neighborhoods such as Fremont and the University District, is consistent with the policy objectives established by the City Council nor do we believe the proposed increases are supported by [the Seattle Department of Transportation]’s study. Further, charging for on-street parking until 8 pm in some neighborhoods will directly impact many restaurants that bring pedestrian-scale vitality to our business districts.

Noting that parking demand is less than the maximal 78 percent (enough to leave a space or two per block free) through most of the city for most of the day, the DSA letter continues, “Setting all day rates based on the one hour of the day when demand is greatest is the equivalent of the Seattle Seahawks charging Super Bowl ticket prices for regular season games. We believe this approach is fundamentally flawed and will discourage people from parking in neighborhood business districts.”

As we reported earlier this month, the city plans to raise on-street metered parking rates to $4 downtown and reduce rates in neighborhoods north of the central city.


  • Jon Scholes
  • Grover

    I thought it was strange that the report showed most blocks had under 78% parking spaces utilized, but the parking rates were going to go up on many of those blocks, anyway. Does the city really want to make onstreet parking more efficient, or does the city just want to jack up parking rates for the sake of jacking up parking rates?

  • Mikos

    …or to increase income?

  • http://www.twitter.com/joeszi Joe Szilagyi

    We’re in a massive budget deficit because of a unique economic situation. Everyone has to pay their fair and equitable share to bail out the boat, both residents and local business.

  • Econ 101

    You do not solve a massive budget deficit by creating additional obstacles for downtown businesses that create employment and generate tax revenue. The rate increase will be counter productive to solving the budget deficit or improving employment. Raising parking rates is about penalizing those that choose to use automobiles instead of bicycles or mass transit.

  • Jakers

    So is this just about revenue to you and once we’re out of this hole it can go back to how it was? If not, don’t use the “we’re in a hole” argument.

  • Jakers

    Short-term budget problems need to be fixed with short-term solutions. If this we’re just a short-term fix, it would not create the obstacles that you state.

    Assuming that you’re conservative, wouldn’t you want the city to be run more like a business, and don’t businesses set their prices based on what the market can sustain? Surely the market can sustain $4/hour and if it can’t and revenue falls, the city will lower it’s price back down.

  • Jakers

    Short-term budget problems need to be fixed with short-term solutions. If this we’re just a short-term fix, it would not create the obstacles that you state.

    Assuming that you’re conservative, wouldn’t you want the city to be run more like a business, and don’t businesses set their prices based on what the market can sustain? Surely the market can sustain $4/hour and if it can’t and revenue falls, the city will lower it’s price back down.

  • http://www.bruteforcecollaborative.com/bfc/blog/ Mikeg

    raising street parking rates to less than half of lot rates is not a penalty. it’s a gift.

    just like farmers having to raise prices due to market fluctuations is not a penalty to shoppers.

    for someone who uses the handle econ101, you seem to have a horrible misunderstanding of the basics of economics.

  • Grover

    You have a horrible understanding of what lot rates are. What do you think the average downtown lot charges for 2 hours? More than $16? Not even close.

    Also, lots want all-day parkers. They set rates very high for one or two hours, but very low (per hour) for all day. The city (supposedly) wants short-term onstreet parkers to encourage turnover and give people places to park to shop, dine, go to doctor appointments, etc. Therefore, private lots have different objectives than the city. Comparing onstreet parking rates to 2-hour parking rates in private lots is simple-minded, to be kind. And, your math is wrong, to boot.

  • Grover

    You have a horrible understanding of what lot rates are. What do you think the average downtown lot charges for 2 hours? More than $16? Not even close.

    Also, lots want all-day parkers. They set rates very high for one or two hours, but very low (per hour) for all day. The city (supposedly) wants short-term onstreet parkers to encourage turnover and give people places to park to shop, dine, go to doctor appointments, etc. Therefore, private lots have different objectives than the city. Comparing onstreet parking rates to 2-hour parking rates in private lots is simple-minded, to be kind. And, your math is wrong, to boot.

  • sarah

    That’s it.

  • Econ 101

    Obviously you do not work in the foodservice industry, you don’t worry about being out of a job because of parking rates going up and hours being extended and many restaurants already being on the brink of closing. That is my reality and to think the city will ever roll back meter pricing is insane.

  • Econ 101

    When is the last time you paid $16.00 to park for dinner downtown? I suggest you check your math!

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=509524638 David Meinert

    If you’re worried about parking rate increases, come to the 5 Point Cafe in North Belltown. Parking near here is going down to $2 per hour and we welcome you. Even better, just across Denny you can buy a sticker for $1.50 per hour and then park anywhere. Relieve some stress, park, drink, and eat cheap in Belltown!

    Ps – as a downtown multiple business owner, I support this parking rate plan.

  • Grover

    I park for free downtown after 6 pm. The restaurants I go to validate parking in garages. How much do you pay? lol

  • Jakers

    That is a fine point of view. But at least look at it as what it is, government subsidizing business. And as a policy, if that is what you want to promote, that is okay. But don’t call it punishment.

  • Jakers

    If it’s validated, you still pay, but is subsidized by your fellow diners that you do not park in a validated spot.

  • Econ 101

    With the new schedule you will be paying until 8:00 pm. That is part of the problem. It will kill the dinner trade for restaurants.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=509524638 David Meinert

    I own restaurants in Seattle. I disagree that it will kill our business. First, in North Belltown, where one of my restaurants is, rates are actually decreasing. So definitely not there. And on Capitol Hill, where rates will increase and it’s very hard to find a space at 6, I think we’ll see better parking turnover between 6 and 8pm, and I believe that will help business. Remember that many neighborhood business groups originally asked for parking meters in areas where there weren’t any for the very reason that not having them resulted in residents, employees and commuters parking for long hours meaning no parking for customers – http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/parking/metersbelltown.htm

  • Matt the Engineer

    I wonder if this 78% is an artifact of looking at parking by area. You may have a 5-block radius of parking 100% full but then a single mostly-empty street hidden away somewhere that skews the total to 78%. I don’t know this to be the case, but the results go against my experience looking for parking.

  • Matt the Engineer

    I wonder if this 78% is an artifact of looking at parking by area. You may have a 5-block radius of parking 100% full but then a single mostly-empty street hidden away somewhere that skews the total to 78%. I don’t know this to be the case, but the results go against my experience looking for parking.

  • http://www.twitter.com/joeszi Joe Szilagyi

    How about getting a bunch of like minded business owners to counter the letter? It’s refreshing to see people be honest and stuff.

  • http://www.twitter.com/joeszi Joe Szilagyi

    Yes, that’s what its about for me. In case you missed it, I’m not one of the anti-car zealots. I’m (usually) from the stupidly realist crowd I thought.