Free parking curbed on Seattle Waterfront
Jul 17, 2012, 5:56 AM | Updated: 7:19 am
Drivers will no longer be allowed to park all day for free on Sundays on Seattle's downtown waterfront (image courtesy Downtown Seattle Association)
With Sunday parking spaces at a premium, drivers won’t be
allowed to park all day for free anymore along the
downtown waterfront.
While parking is free on Sundays across the city, the
Seattle City Council voted unanimously Monday to limit
free parking in a 22-block span along the waterfront to
between two and four hours depending what the limit
usually is on the meter, the Seattle P-I reports.
Business owners have complained downtown residents and
employees were dominating the spaces, preventing customers
from finding a place to park. They’re already concerned
about the impact of the upcoming removal of the Alaskan
Way Viaduct and construction of a tunnel on business in
the area.
“The benefit of the time limits is that they would allow
some turnover so that businesses that depend on customers
during holidays and weekends would see some turnover and
their customers could conveniently park nearby,” said
Councilmember Tom Rasmussen.
The limits would apply to 450 spaces on Alaskan Way and
Western Avenue from Columbia to Virginia Streets, plus
side streets up to First Avenue and under the Alaskan Way
Viaduct, the P-I reported.
The new limits will go into effect 30 days after Mayor
Mike McGinn signs them into law.
