Viaduct plan could eliminate chunk of street parking

Viaduct plan could eliminate chunk of street parking

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Story Published: Apr 7, 2008 at 5:57 PM PDT

Story Updated: Apr 8, 2008 at 8:36 AM PDT

By KOMO Staff

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SEATTLE -- Do you think it's hard to find a parking space in Downtown Seattle? Just wait.

Less parking spaces on downtown streets is one way to deal with the crush of traffic expected when the Alaskan Way Viaduct closes for replacement.

For the first time ever, Seattle city council members and King County council members met jointly to talk traffic.

"I think it reflects a maturing region that is ready to collaborate and coordinate their efforts to address a really big problem," said King County Councilman Dow Constantine, who chairs the viaduct project.

State and local leaders say the viaduct needs to be torn down and rebuilt because the current version is vulnerable to earthquakes, and fears are a big quake could cause the viaduct's collapse.

But right now, 100,000 cars and trucks use the viaduct every day. And when it closes, much of the traffic will spill onto Seattle streets.

To deal with the extra traffic, transportation experts recommend the city eliminate street parking through the heart of the downtown core, from Belltown's busy First Avenue all the way to Sixth Avenue.

"That's very difficult to do," said Seattle City Councilwoman Jan Drago. "Every neighborhood will protest that."

If the plan is approved, parking spaces could be closed just during peak hours. The hope is that commuters would rely more on garages and mass transit.

The councils know they need buy-in from everyone, including the state. Closing the viaduct will also push traffic onto I-5. Planners think adding freeway ramps and even closing some existing ramps would keep traffic moving.

With more downtown traffic could come more buses. Five new routes are on the table, including a plan to link the central waterfront to Sound Transit light rail. They would also create better connections between I-5 and Highway 99.

Planners say they've listened to the community and its concerns, but some council members said they expect to get an earful -- especially if it means fewer parking spaces.

"It's going to take a lot of political will to accomplish, but it's do-able," Drago said.

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