Schrammie: Sunday parking vote shows little interest in waterfront visitors

It's just really annoying to do this, especially in the summer when people want to spend their days on Seattle's beautiful waterfront. I see a limit to keep people from parking there for more than a day, but I can say that I can easily spend more than 4 hours on the water. Just a shame.

Ken, if you want more than four hours to "ride the ferris wheel, go to the aquarium or chow down at Ivar's" you've got the cash to pay for parking. The only free thing in Seattle is looking around. Doing anything costs you an arm and a leg. It's all designed to squeeze revenue out of tourists.

 

I wish your column was more like Scott's. Interesting and informative instead of fishing for things to stir people up and get them mad or defensive.

And we wonder why people avoid downtown Seattle like the plague. Why not go to Bellevue where parking is free and plentiful, for now.

Don't worry Ken. I've stopped visiting downtown years ago. The only time I visit is when I have out of town company that have never been.

$44 could be cheaper than some of the parking garages around Seattle.

Straight to the point, parking would be a non issue if our public transportation were in fact an effective means to transport the public. Case in point, When in Boston I can put $2 on my charlie card, catch the train 20 miles outside the city and travel to all points of commercial and civic interest within 30 minutes. Here at home we can hop on the Metro where comparatively boarding at Kent Station to the waterfront will cost you $22, take 4 hours and you risk serious bodily harm traveling unsecured through the 6th highest crime rate per capita area in the nation.

Agreed -- things like this make it difficult to even consider patronizing businesses along the waterfront.  $44?  I have handicapped plates so, in theory (i.e., legally), I'm exempt from the time limit ... but it's not something I want to bet on.  The possibility of having to fight a ticket in court is just one more reason to go elsewhere.

 

Funny how Seattle tends to make rules to chase people away, then complains that tourists don't come.

So now the city will have to pay salaries for parking enforcement officers to make sure people don't park for free for too long. Yeah, that makes perfect sense. Maybe theyll make enough revenue on game days to justify it. Or not.

I left town for the weekend with my family, I am now wanting to move away from Seattle, Taxed to poverty, Take  Take and Take. Whats next double tax my macncheese?

Who goes to Seattle and parks for two or even four hours?  I would think anyone who spends the day is will generate revenue for the city.  What's the old saying, bite off ones nose despite your face?

I agreee with the idea of turnover. Many people park and jump on a ferry and take a space for the entire day. Where that same spot could be used by a family from Mt. Vernon pumping money into the city. I think the question is, what is a reasonable amount of time? 5 hours? That my deter the ferry folk and leave ample time to hangout and spend money along the waterfront.  

I was in Portland last weekend and was very impressed with their parking rates.

 

Downtown parking meters operate from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday, unless otherwise posted. The current rate for on-street parking in the Downtown district is $1.60 per hour.

 

Reasonable, and I would be more than willing to pay.  Seattle rates are ridiculous.

What you actually want free parking to attract visitors to spend money for the local economy? What are you thinking Ken?  <Sarcasm> 

 

 

Does Seattle want to continue to grow as a city and economy?  If so, then it needs to grow up and be a big boy.  Part of that involves better public transportation so parking downtown isn't necessary.  Part of it involves things like this - public parking spaces are not free or unlimited time the other 6 days of the week, so why should Sunday be different?

 

If you want to bring your family in from Mt. Vernon on the weekend, park at the Lynnwood TC or Northgate P&R and take the bus the rest of the way.  Then you have more time to explore.

 

Alternatively, drive in and be ready to pay for parking.

Ken, the idea is to keep parking available for everyone, and that ain't gonna happen if we let people park in spots all day. Not to mention the businesses say they will benefit from this since these all day parkers are hurting their businesses. Explain how that makes everything harder for everyone else. It's not like they're charging for Sunday parking now. Your Schrammie is way off base! You should award it to them for all the BS on the arena deal instead!

The main problem is the employees of all the shops, restaurants, hotels and Pike Place Market park in those spots on Sunday and stay there the whole day.  It's unfortunate, but there really is no easy solution - and besides, it seems to work pretty good Monday through Saturday. 

The entire parking situation is Seattle is screwed up. It's driving many, many people away. Whether we're headed to Ballard for dinner, to Capitol hill for a movie screening, or to Pike Place for great produce, parking is always a hassle and usually very expensive. We just don't spend nearly as much time in the city center as we would like to as a result.

So should 1 car get that parking space for the day?

 

OR

 

Do we get 3 turns per day allowing even more people to enjoy the waterfront on Sunday?

 

The answer seems pretty obvious to me Ken.  More people getting to use a public benefit seems far more appropriate.