Are the ‘no parking’ problems in Seattle and Capitol Hill SDOT’s fault?

Don’t blame the construction company when your car gets towed; it’s the Seattle Department of Transportation’s fault. That’s the message from an employee at AA Asphalting, which has been accused of moving “no parking” signs to tow cars.

Related: ‘Shocking’ incompetence is great opportunity to kill SDOT program

KIRO 7 detailed a controversy that they say is happening all too often in Seattle: a man parked on the street and had pictures from a neighbor of a construction worker picking up a “no parking” sign from elsewhere, putting it in front of his car, which was ticketed and then towed away. The car’s owner, Kyle, told KIRO 7 that he attempted to show the construction worker the photographs and “he walked away and acted like I was still in the wrong.” The man had to pay $250 to get his car out of impound, a $47 ticket and also found damage during the towing.

Something similar happened in September. For that incident, an SPD employee wrote on Reddit that officers were canceling the four citations and the tow fees, and that “this shouldn’t have happened.”

A listener named Kim, who said she works for the Sumner-based asphalt contractor involved in these cases, defended her company to KIRO Radio’s Dori Monson, saying the last thing they want to do is have cars towed and that they make every attempt to make contact before contacting the Seattle Department of Transportation about violations.

Kim said she was not on site that particular day but that parking enforcement gives them the authority to reserve those spots 72 hours prior to the sign placement. She added that each sign notes there is a 50-foot limit and that she believed there was another unmoved sign that was technically within that range.

“There were four signs out on site, three were left and he was still within 50 feet of that sign on his side,” she said. “I’m allowed to reserve up to 1,500 feet per job site. I don’t like that because I don’t like putting people out. I want to make sure that … the less impact the better.”

SDOT told KIRO 7 in September that permit holders should verify no parking signs are properly in place at least 72 hours beforehand, but cars can be towed with just 24 hours notice.

Kim explained that her job is to work 72 hours ahead of the crews to verify every detail about the “no parking” sign placement. Part of the problem, she said, is that the signs can get moved or taken down by the public.

“That happens a lot in the Capitol Hill area,” she said. “Residential areas not so much but in the Capitol Hill area where there are very few parking spots, it does happen.”

She called the case in question “very unfortunate” but called into question any time there would be photo evidence of something like this – saying that it’s usually because the person knows he or she has done something wrong. She said there was one incident where a Capitol Hill man tried to extort the company by moving a sign and taking pictures of a legal park.

The real culprit, she said, is SDOT and its director Scott Kubly.

“Scott Kubly is in charge of the Department of Transportation. When things like this happen, Seattle does not stand up for us and say, ‘Yes, AA Asphalting did exactly what they are supposed to do,’” she said. “We follow to the ‘T.’ If I (make) one mistake on the form that I fill out, then the crews don’t get to work. Those crews get sent home early or they get sent home without pay. I don’t want that on my shoulders. That’s the last thing I want in the world and to have people towed. I know that’s very frustrating and like I said before, we try to do everything possible to find the owners of those cars so they can move them without us having to call parking enforcement.”

Other ‘no parking’options?

Dori wanted to know what citizens are supposed to do when they park in a seemingly legal spot, only to have the car towed anyway.

“That would be a question for parking enforcement, Department of Transportation,” Kim responded. “We follow our steps to the T so our crews can come out and do the work that they have to do. We don’t want to make it harder on the public at all. We just want to go in, do our work, and go home at the end of the day just like everybody else.”

Dori asked why the company doesn’t use signs that can’t be moved.

“I don’t know. I would like to see a sign that cannot be moved,” she responded. “How can you make a sign that cannot be moved?”

“I’m talking about something that is very difficult to move by sheer weight, that you’d have to have four guys carrying,” Dori retorted. “It just seems like there are innocent people who think they are parking legally getting their cars towed. I’m not blaming you guys and I’m not blaming SDOT, the only thing I know for certain is, it’s not the citizen’s fault.”

“Well, sometimes it is because they’re the ones that are moving the signs on purpose so they can get in there and park because they don’t want to park three blocks around the corner,” Kim replied. “We can get in and do our work. We have permits [from] the City of Seattle.”

Dori likened a car that is seemingly parked legally but then gets towed to theft. Kim disagreed with that assessment.

“I wouldn’t consider it theft. Like I said, we’re not taking the car. Department of Transportation is the one taking the car,” she said. “We just simply put our signs out, want to show up to work and there’s a car in the way and we have been given the OK through the Department of Transportation that we stand that sign back up where it originally was and continue on our way. The only way I can see this being fixed is if they put meters on every single street in the City of Seattle and then I can have the meters turned off at each location.”

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