Rummel: SDOT’s new parking signs strike a weird tone

I knew expanded parking hours were coming to my Seattle neighborhood, but the signs still caught me off guard.

I live in Capitol Hill and I had seen an article or two floating around letting me know parking hours were going to extend from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. As someone who already decided months ago against keeping a car in the city (largely because of exorbitant parking fees), I mostly met this news with indifference.

Maybe I felt a little annoyance when I thought about how much my sister had to pay to park during her most recent visit. That price seemed a little high back then and, under the expansion, she’d likely have to pay more, but I realize I live in a rapidly growing city and this is just the new reality.

I certainly didn’t think the extended hours were cause for celebration, and that’s why the tone of the Seattle Department of Transportation’s new promotional signage kind of irked me.

“NEW! Pay Until 10PM” read the bright orange triangles that popped up all over my street. The all caps and exclamation points; those features seemed more at home in a grocery store “deals” pamphlet, not a government sign informing me they’d soon be demanding more money from my fellow residents and any of my visitors.

I understand this expansion is likely a necessary evil, and there might not be any way around it, but I’m an adult and can handle that information. I don’t need SDOT to sugarcoat it.

The other signs that accompanied the orange ones were just straight-up confusing.

“Play Like a Parking Pro.” I honestly don’t even understand what that’s supposed to mean. I understand the whole sign is, for some reason, Monopoly themed. But why? Why is that the metaphor SDOT selected?

Have they ever even tried searching for parking before? It’s immediately tedious. Then it’s stressful. Then suddenly you’re yelling at your family members. Wait, I get it, that’s exactly what playing Monopoly is like.

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