Current and Past Large Zone Changes

Current RPZ Changes

New restaurants and store are coming to the Yesler & Broadway area in early 2024.  SDOT is making updates to parking management in the area in line with our curbside priorities to provide short term parking and loading access.  This includes changing some areas to paid parking and installing new Zone 7 Restricted Parking Zone (RPZ) parking areas on other blockfaces. 

Changes are expected to be in place early in 2024.

Yesler Broadway Map

Project information flyers:

For general information on paid parking and rates, see: https://www.seattle.gov/transportation/projects-and-programs/programs/parking-program/paid-parking-information

For general information on RPZs, see: https://www.seattle.gov/transportation/permits-and-services/permits/parking-permits/rpz-permits

For questions on these changes, contact us at RPZRequests@seattle.gov

Project Background and Purpose

The opening of the future Judkins Park light rail station will bring increased demand for access in the surrounding area. As part of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process, Sound Transit is required to mitigate certain impacts in neighborhoods near new light rail station areas, with the EIS calling out areas within ¼ mile of the new light rail station. Sound Transit and SDOT have an agreement to work together on these mitigation efforts, with SDOT taking the lead in implementing changes. Using a combination of technical parking studies, parking management tools and input from the community, SDOT will create a curb space management strategy that will be guided by the following goals: 

  • Balance the needs of various users of curb space in the new station area
  • Prevent all-day commuter parking on neighborhood streets
  • Minimize the parking and mobility impacts of the new Judkins Park light rail station on surrounding neighbors, businesses, and organizations
  • Promote walk, bike, and transit connections to/from the new light rail station

Learn more about this project. 

Updated March 6, 2024

We've started work carrying out our final plan for on-street parking changes near Eastlake Ave E.!

We shared our final plan for on-street parking changes near Eastlake Ave E in October 2023. We are now working to implement those changes and expect to complete work by early fall 2024:

February 2024 - March 2024 Standardize general time limits on non-RPZ blocks to 2 hours.
February 2024 - March 2024 Standardize RPZ restrictions to 2 hours except by permit, 7AM to 6PM, Monday through Saturday.
February - March 2024  Add new 2-hour time limits for parking around business and commercial areas.
April - end of project Install or relocate load zones as project progresses. 
June 2024 Add new 4-hour paid parking (Monday - Saturday 8AM to 6PM) on the southern end near offices and businesses. 
June 2024 Add new RPZ 8 restrictions (2 hours except by permit, 7AM to 6PM, Monday through Saturday) on some currently unrestricted blocks adjacent to residential addresses. 

Project Background

The RapidRide J line project will upgrade the current Route 70 to RapidRide service, improving transit connections to Downtown, Belltown, South Lake Union, Eastlake, and the University District neighborhoods. In addition to improving bus reliability with all day transit service, the project will install new bus stations, repave streets, upgrade utilities, add new protected bike lanes, and improve pedestrian accessibility. Project construction is anticipated to begin in summer 2024. 

The project will remove most of the curbside access along Eastlake Ave E to provide improved transit and bicycling infrastructure. SDOT Curbside Management staff took a comprehensive look at curbspace in the area, including data from a formal parking occupancy study (more information below), and developed a plan to help address the curbspace impacts of the project.  

For more information on the RapidRide J project, please visit the project website by clicking here.

Curbspace Change Process

SDOT released a proposal for area curbspace changes in a July 2023 Mailer sent to the Eastlake neighborhood. There was a public hearing on August 15, 2023 to take comments, feedback and questions on the Restricted Parking Zone (RPZ) changes proposed.   
 
The proposal and final plan include the following:  

  • New RPZ 8 restrictions (2 hours except by permit, 7AM – 6PM Monday-Saturday) on currently unrestricted blocks around residential parcels  
  • New 2-hour time limits for parking around business and commercial areas
  • New paid parking blocks on the southern end around dense commercial office and businesses
  • Standardize RPZ restrictions to 2 hours except by permit (7 AM – 6 PM Monday-Saturday) throughout the area
  • Standardize general time limits on non-RPZ blocks to 2 hours where signed throughout the area
  • Remove the “No Parking, except by Zone 8” evening restrictions  

 
New RPZ blocks will help increase the supply of available parking for residents, while new time limited and paid parking blocks will help increase turnover for businesses and improve short-term access for customers. This proposal represents a balance among many competing needs at the curb. In addition, standardizing restrictions across the area will help make parking enforcement more efficient and effective, as well as make restrictions clear for customers and visitors to the area.  

SDOT used public comments received via email and at the public hearing to develop a final plan. Changes from the proposal include:

  • Removal of some proposed time limit and paid parking areas near E Garfield St and E Blaine St to better match local conditions and use
  • Additional RPZ areas and RPZ eligibility areas based on specific requests 

See the final plan figure for more information and the final plan mailer.  

RPZ Eastlake Map

Parking Occupancy Study

In October 2022, SDOT conducted a parking occupancy study of the Eastlake neighborhood. The study area included all blocks with parking from the north end of Eastlake Ave E where Fairview Ave E meets I-5 down to the southern end of the neighborhood around the E Galer St/Eastlake Ave E area. The study method followed the standard practice for the RPZ program, which counts vehicles on each block within the study area at 4 AM, 10 AM, 2 PM, and 8 PM on a typical weekday. Vehicles present at 4 AM are assumed to belong to residents or residential guests and are used to determine resident/non-resident percentages throughout the day. 

To see the results of the parking study, please click here.

Materials

October 2023 Final Plan Mailer

August 15 Public Hearing Presentation

July 2023 Mailer

Parking study results

Questions or comments

If you have a question, or would like to provide comments or feedback prior to the hearing, please contact us at the following address:RPZ8@seattle.gov

Past RPZ Changes

Current Status 

Updated May 27, 2022 

Notice of Decision: SDOT will not create a new East Capitol Hill Restricted Parking Zone (RPZ) 

Thank you to everyone who provided feedback and comments on the proposal to create a new East Capitol Hill RPZ.

SDOT collected over 450 responses from residents, visitors, employees and business owners. The major themes from the responses: 

  • Over 60% of residents did not support creating a new RPZ in east Capitol Hill
  • Over 70% of business owners/employees/visitors did not support the proposal
  • New off-street parking has been constructed since the initial 2019 request and subsequent study that has provided additional parking options
  • Many voiced concerns about the potential for an RPZ to limit employee and visitor access to the area  

One of the requirements in the Seattle Municipal Code to create a new RPZ is “. . . a strong and effective community engagement effort indicating that generally stakeholders in the designated area have reviewed and support the restricted parking zone . . . “ In this case, survey results indicate a lack of support. Due to this feedback, SDOT will not proceed to create a new East Capitol Hill RPZ. 

Thank you, again, to all who provided feedback and comments on this proposal. 

Background 

In response to requests from residents, the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) completed a parking study in the East Capitol Hill area in Fall 2019. The study results showed that on average this area is about 85% full, with 45% non-residents parking during weekday, daytime hours.  This area is eligible for a new Restricted Parking Zone (RPZ) if the neighborhood supports it.

Mailers and Materials 

Contact

Email us at ECapHillRPZ@Seattle.gov

Current Status

The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) has reviewed public input and is issuing a decision regarding the proposed RPZ changes in SE Wallingford. 

  • We are not expanding Zone 22 east, as previously proposed. Through SDOT's standard petition process, individual blocks adjacent to Zone 22 signed blocks may be able to have Zone 22 signs installed, including blocks east of Wallingford Ave N.
  • We are standardizing current Zone 22 restrictions to be in effect 7 AM - 6 PM, Monday - Friday with a 2-hour limit for vehicles without a Zone 22 permit.
  • We are expanding Zone 34 south to NE Pacific St.

You can see the Notice of Decision mailer for more details along with a summary of survey responses and report of all comments received on the proposal. Thank you to all who participated in this process.

For more information see:

Next Steps

In October, we will mail information on how to purchase Zone 34 permits to residents within the expanded Zone 34 are. In late November, SDOT crews will begin installing Zone 34 signs and changing current Zone 22 signs to reflect the new hours.

Background

The Wallingford Community Council (WCC) requested that SDOT study the feasibility of an RPZ in the area east of existing Zone 22 - approximately east of Wallingford Ave N and south of N 38th St. SDOT conducted a parking study in the area in May 2018 and found that the area met the criteria of having at least 10 contiguous blocks being over 75% occupied with parked vehicles, over 35% of which did not belong to residents of the area, and having an identifiable generator of non-resident vehicle traffic.

SDOT presented the results of the parking study to the Wallingford Community Council on October 3, 2018 and sent a mailer requesting feedback to the broader community in early December 2018. Click here to see a summary of what we heard from our December 2018 outreach. SDOT sent a final proposal to the broader community in late May 2019 and took comments via online comment form, email, phone, and public hearing. 

Mailers and Materials

Current Status

SDOT is issuing a decision to create a new RPZ 35 in the West Seattle Junction in fall 2019 along with additional unpaid time limits and individual parking space changes. Thank you to all who participated in this process. See the notice of decision mailer for more details. See more information about proposed parking changes at the Community Access and Parking Program website.

Next Steps

We will send residents in the new RPZ 35 area information on purchasing permits prior to RPZ sign installation. Zone 35 signs will be installed beginning the week of November 18. 

Background

In January 2017, the West Seattle Junction Neighborhood Association (JuNO) requested that SDOT study the feasibility of an RPZ in the area northeast of the West Seattle Alaska Junction. SDOT conducted initial field studies in March of 2017 and found that this area met the criteria of having at least 10 contiguous blocks being over 75% occupied with parked vehicles, with an identifiable generator of non-resident vehicle traffic. SDOT also surveyed blocks south of SW Alaska St and west of California Ave SW and found that these blocks should also be considered as part of this request. SDOT sent a mailer with information on a potential RPZ to the community and collected feedback through summer 2018. SDOT sent out a final proposal mailer to the community in February 2019 and held a public hearing. After reviewing parking and access in the area with local stakeholders to determine potential improvements to area parking management, SDOT will be implementing parking changes in fall 2019.

Mailers and Materials

Current Status

Zone 34 signs were installed and went into effect in early December 2018. Residents within Zone 34 can purchase permits here. 

View a map of the full plan.

Background

In late 2015 and early 2016, the Wallingford Community Council requested that SDOT study the feasibility of both new and expanded RPZs in three areas within Wallingford. SDOT conducted initial field studies in the fall of 2016 and found that two of the three areas met the criteria of having at least 10 contiguous blocks being over 75% occupied with parked vehicles, with an identifiable generator of non-resident vehicle traffic.

In 2017, SDOT completed a formal parking study of residential streets in Wallingford to determine the occupancy in the area as well as the percent of non-resident parking throughout the day and evening. The study area included the existing Zone 5 and parts of existing Zone 22, as well as many currently unrestricted blocks. SDOT studied the area holistically and presented results to the Wallingford Community Council on September 6.

SDOT used the results of the parking study and feedback from the community to develop the proposed changes. We took comments on the proposed changes via online comment form, email, and phone, as well as by spoken and written comment submitted at an April 4 public hearing.

After considering the data we collected and comments we received, we have decided to create a new RPZ 34, remove RPZ 5, and to split and expand RPZ 22 into two zones at N 40th St. View a map of the full plan.

Zone 5 signs were removed in late June 2018. Existing Zone 22 signs on blocks north of N 40th St were replaced with Zone 33 signs in July 2018. 

Mailers and Materials

Current Status

The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) is making changes to paid parking hours in the Capitol Hill area. As part of this project, we are also changing the Restricted Parking Zone (RPZ) designations on a few blocks. Starting in late October, we are removing the Restricted Parking Zone (RPZ) 4 signs from the following paid parking blocks, representing approximately 26 spaces:

  • 10th Avenue between East Pike Street and East Union Street (both sides)
  • 11th Avenue between East Pike Street and East Union Street (east side)
  • 12th Avenue between East Pine Street and East Pike Street (east side)

These will become paid parking blocks with no payment exemptions for vehicles displaying Zone 4 permits. Vehicles displaying a Zone 4 permit will no longer be able to park on these blocks beyond the posted time limit or without paying the posted rate. These three blocks have commercial business on the ground floor and therefore no longer qualify to allow RPZ parking. SDOT prioritizes curbspace in business districts for passenger/delivery loading and for customer short-term trips, as well as other mobility purposes.

Mailers and Materials

Current Status

The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) has considered public input and is issuing a decision regarding the expansion of existing Restricted Parking Zone (RPZ) 29 in Columbia City. The map below highlights the areas where RPZ 29 is expanding. We plan to install signs for the expanded RPZ area at the end of October 2017. We will mail applications for permits to addresses in the new expansion areas in late September. There are no changes to existing RPZ 29 blocks.

For more information on the new expansion area see our Notice of Decision mailer.

SDOT held a public hearing on July 10th from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM at Rainier Arts Auditorium at 3515 S Alaska Street. SDOT accepted comments on the proposed RPZ expansion at the hearing, by mail, and by email to ColumbiaCityParking@seattle.gov through July 21st.

Columbia City RPZ map

Background

The Columbia City Parking Plan is the outcome of a year of outreach and data collection in Columbia City and includes new areas of time limits, paid parking, added parking, and an expansion of existing RPZ 29. For more information, see the larger neighborhood plan.

Mailers and Materials

Current Status

Permit applications will be mailed to residents in Zone 32 and the new Zone 15 blocks on May 19. Residents on these blocks can purchase permits after May 23, 2017. Permits will not be available before this date.

Zone 32 signs and Zone 15 signs (for newly added Zone 15 blocks) have been installed. The signs are covered by bags and are not in effect. The signs will be uncovered and restrictions will go into effect July 1, 2017.

If you have questions about the permit application, please contact the Traffic Permits Counter at (206) 684–5086.

Background

SDOT and Sound Transit have been working together to manage on-street parking around the new Capitol Hill light rail station. Sound Transit identified blocks with unrestricted parking northwest of the station that could be used by commuters seeking to park near light rail. Feedback from public outreach in fall 2015 included suggestions to add RPZ parking in the presently unrestricted area north of E Olive Way/E John St and west of Broadway. SDOT also proposed an expansion of Zone 15 and a change in hours to prevent commuter parking and standardize the hours between these two neighborhoods.

SDOT took your comments throughout July and September at a public hearing, by email, phone, and through a survey. After considering public input, SDOT decided to create a new Restricted Parking Zone (RPZ 32) northwest of the Capitol Hill light rail station and change the hours of the existing Zone 15 from noon – 6 AM, every day, to 7 AM – 8 PM, Monday – Saturday. These changes are occurring in spring and summer 2017. 

Mailers and Materials

Current Status

The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) would like to thank everyone who participated in the opportunity for public comment. After considering public input, SDOT will not create a new Restricted Parking Zone (RPZ) around the Ballard business district. The majority of comments we received did not indicate support for the new zone. Read the full Notice of Decision.

Background

In the fall of 2014, SDOT received a request from the Central Ballard Residents' Association to create a new Restricted Parking Zone (RPZ) on residential streets around the Ballard business district. In September 2015, SDOT conducted an RPZ parking study. We took comments from the neighborhood on an RPZ proposal in May.

Mailers and Materials

Current Status

The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) would like to thank everyone who participated in opportunity for public comment, attended the public hearing and engaged with us in developing and considering a proposal for a new Restricted Parking Zone (RPZ) in Green Lake near the business district. Because a majority of comments from the public hearing, online survey and emails to us reflected lack of support for this new zone, SDOT will not install an RPZ in the Green Lake neighborhood.

Read the full Notice of Decision.

Background

In July 2014, the Green Lake Community Council (GLCC) requested that SDOT study the feasibility of a new RPZ around the Green Lake business district. SDOT studied the area in December 2014 and found that the area met the minimum criteria. In September/October 2015, SDOT proposed a draft RPZ to the Green Lake Community. We received feedback and made changes to the proposal based on comments we received. SDOT held a public hearing on April 19, 2016 to take comments on the revised proposal.

Mailers and Materials

Current Status

SDOT issued a decision in May 2016 regarding the expansion of Restricted Parking Zone 2. After considering public input, SDOT will expand Zone 2 north to include the blocks bounded by E Madison St, 14th Ave, and 23rd Ave in July 2016. More information and a map of the area being added.

Residents in the newly expanded area have received permit applications by mail. Signs were installed in July 2016.

Background

The Capitol Hill Community Council and residents of the area requested the City make more blocks eligible for RPZ 2. In response, The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) held a public hearing concerning the proposed addition of blocks to RPZ 2 on February 9, 2016, and took comments through February 29.

Mailers and Materials

Current Status

The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) issued a decision in January 2016 concerning the addition of blocks to RPZ 10. The area between Roosevelt Way NE, NE 56th St, I-5, and NE Ravenna Blvd will be added to RPZ Zone 10 in summer 2016. More information and a map of the area being added.

Next Steps

Residents in the newly expanded area have received permit applications by mail. Signs were installed in July 2016.

Background

SDOT received a request in fall 2015 to expand Restricted Parking Zone 10 to blocks west of Roosevelt Way NE and north of NE 56th St. SDOT conducted a survey of the parking on September 16, 2015, which found parking occupancy in the area was approximately 75% full. Based on the residents' request and the data collected, SDOT created a proposal to add RPZ parking on one side of the street in the request area while making residents on both sides of the street eligible. SDOT held a RPZ Public Hearing concerning the proposed addition of blocks to RPZ 10 on Wednesday, November 4, 2015.

Mailers and Materials

Transportation

Greg Spotts, Director
Address: 700 5th Ave, Suite 3800, Seattle, WA, 98104
Mailing Address: PO Box 34996, Seattle, WA, 98124-4996
Phone: (206) 684-7623
684-Road@seattle.gov

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The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) is on a mission to deliver a transportation system that provides safe and affordable access to places and opportunities for everyone as we work to achieve our vision of Seattle as a thriving, equitable community powered by dependable transportation.