Last month, the city unveiled its final plans for overhauling the parking rules around Broadway and Cal Anderson Park. One big change the Seattle Department of Transportation put off was the extension of paid hours past 6 PM on Broadway. But along with the new rules the city is putting into effect are proposals for three new RPZ sticker areas that will allow residents to get decals for their cars permitting them to utilize street parking beyond the proposed limits SDOT is considering:
Install (proposed) three blocks of Zone 21 Restricted Parking Zone (RPZ) parking with 2-hour paid parking (Zone 21 permit holders will be exempt from time limits and payment) Install (proposed) additional Zone 21 RPZ parking west of Broadway and south of East Olive Way (not originally proposed in October 2009) Install (proposed) additional Zone 4 RPZ parking to fill existing gaps and improve residential access (adding three more blocks than the October 2009 proposal)
The purpose of the RPZ program is to create limited-hour parking zones near high traffic areas without taking away the ability to park on the street from people who live in the area. The program is currently limited to people who live, not work in the RPZ areas — though an enterprising employee might consider changing some of their bills over to their work address to see if that might get them through the requirements put in place by the city to get a RPZ pass.
Note that SDOT is calling the sticker program Restricted Parking Zones, not the euphemistic Residential Parking Zones they used in the past. Not sure what this is a harbinger of other than government wordsmithing but it does leave the door open to changes in the program to include local businesses and organizations. A goal for revamping was to “create a pilot program to issue RPZ permits to eligible businesses and institutions in the Sound Transit LINK station areas only.” We’ll check in with SDOT to find out if such a program is going to be implemented on the Hill anytime soon. Here is more about last year’s big round of changes to the program. UPDATE: We talked with SDOT’s Ruth Harper who told us there are no plans to trial any business zones on the Hill. The RPZ trials for businesses will occur in the south around light rail stations to help preserve street parking for what Harper called the area’s “mom and pop” business owners and employees.
The new RPZ proposals will be presented at a public hearing Tuesday, March 9 at Seattle Central Community College where public comment on the new zones will be officially recorded for consideration in the approval process. UPDATE: We’ve also learned that the approval process for the zones requires the public comment as part of the new rules for RPZs developed and passed by City Council last year but that the final decision on the proposals will be made by SDOT’s director, the newly appointed Peter Hahn.
Here is a look at Restricted Parking Zones 4 (what the city calls ‘Capitol Hill) and 21 (Pike/Pine) as they stand now:
I think it’s unfortunate that you are encouraging people who work near an RPZ zone to game the system in the way you suggest. If I lived in an RPZ`area where this was happening, I would not be amused.
I can tell you that the (at least) 30 or so people who received tickets yesterday in the Denny/Boylston area, without any new signs being posted, were not amused. It was a bloodbath out there and the ticketers probably won’t have to work for a few months now and the courts will be busy with challenges.
Calhoun, people have thought of this without CHS. It comes up whenever I talk about parking with people who work on the Hill (and, yes, it’s my odd place in world that I talk about parking with people. I’m great at parties)
Interesting. We’ll give the powers that be a call about this. All part of the pedestrian safety and traffic flow overhaul for the area:
http://www.capitolhillseattle.com/2010/02/20/olive-way-gets-
Personally I think the RPZ doesn’t have much teeth unless #1 – It’s enforced (not so much where I live kitty corner from Cal Anderson) and #2 – There are restrictions in place that allow Zone permits to get priority parking after 6pm. It is literally impossible to park near my place after 6pm – especially on the weekend.
Ruth Harper from SDOT sends word that you can also provide feedback on the RPZ proposals via e-mail through March 15:
I live near the Redwood (on Howell) and have circled the neighborhood on multiple occasions for 45 mins. at a time looking for street parking. I am not in favor of incentivizing cars when there are so many bus routes nearby, but the reality is…when you have a car you need a place to put it. For the record, I would like to see a restricted # of permits available per household (2 max.) and I think the cost per household should be much greater than proposed. I shared this with SDOT in their survey last year.
This is one of the few areas on this part of the hill that doesn’t currently have RPZs. Parking around here is DIFFICULT. I believe that many people use this area, esp. on weekends, as a place to park then hit the bars. The thought that people would register their cars at work and take away a spot for residents is infuriating.
Isn’t all the Zone 4 parking restricted in the daytime as well? Do these changes suggest they will go to round-the-clock restrictions? I don’t know what it’s like during the day, but parking at night in Zone 4 has gotten steadily harder — I’d imagine partially because of spillover from the other areas that are now zoned.
What would have to happen to extend the Zone 4 restrictions into the evening?
I sent Ruth an email regarding evening Zone 4 restrictions. I would encourage others to do the same. It would be nice to get this issue addressed.
Not so fast, jseattle, you’re not off the hook! Even if you did not originate this (bad, illegal, unethical) idea, you are encouraging/promoting it by writing about it in a non-negative way.