Seattle parking changes and where it’s most expensive to park
Oct 7, 2016, 4:16 PM | Updated: 4:34 pm
Trying to decipher the Seattle parking rates is like playing chess while putting together a puzzle — there are a lot of moving pieces. Rates go down or up — mostly up — all depending on location and time of day.
Forty rate changes will start rolling out now and through early 2017. They include 14 decreases and 23 increases — each by 50 cents. The city isn’t posting these price changes anywhere side-by-side, but you can see the changes here, and the former rates buried in Seattle’s annual parking report. Some areas — Westlake for example — are still waiting for data to determine to whether or not there will be changes.
Related: Seattle considers charging for parking as late as midnight
The Seattle Department of Transportation uses a “performance pricing” program to manage its parking system. That basically means the city uses low and high pricing to encourage drivers to park at certain places and at certain times. It also changes that pricing depending on the time of day. The goal is to have two parking spots open on a block at any given time. But there remains some areas where parking is constantly overwhelming the meters. A recent SDOT video points out Capitol Hill as one area where parking is in extremely high demand during evening hours.
The most expensive area to park in Seattle is the First Hill neighborhood. Parking is allowed in 2-hour increments — 3 hours after 5 p.m. — and costs $4 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Previously, there was no charge for parking on First Hill after 6 p.m. Now Seattle is extending paid parking hours on First Hill until 8 p.m.
After all the changes, Seattle parking will remain most expensive — $4 — in the following areas:
• Pioneer Square 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• First Hill 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Capitol Hill 5-8 p.m.
• Waterfront 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Downtown retail 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Downtown financial 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The cheapest places to park in Seattle, where the fee is $1, are the following places and times:
• Uptown Triangle 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. (no charge after 6 p.m.)
• Uptown 8-11 a.m.
• University District 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. (no charge after 6 p.m.)
• Roosevelt 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Green Lake 8-11 a.m.
• Fremont 8-11 a.m.
• Ballard 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. (no charge for parking around the locks after 6 p.m.)
• International District 8-11 a.m.
• Bell Town 8-11 a.m.
New Seattle parking meters
Seattle parking pay stations are also slated for a change.
New stations will replace the current pay meters. SDOT claims the new meters will be more reliable and faster when making transactions, and will be more user-friendly.
The new stations will also allow the city to change parking rates depending on the time of day.
