DSA Analyzing Downtown/First Hill Parking Proposal

The City of Seattle is considering implementing a four-hour restriction on the use of disabled parking placards at metered spaces on First Hill and within a specific zone Downtown near City Hall. The intent of the proposal is to limit the abuse of placards and free up short-term parking spaces for disabled individuals who are coming to medical appointments or coming to shop Downtown and on First Hill.

Current City policy allows individuals with disabled parking placards to park free all day with no time limit. Because there is no time limit for the use of the placard, illegal use of placards has become an attractive way for some individuals to avoid paying for all-day parking Downtown.

The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) estimates that 30-40 percent of the on-street spaces are occupied by vehicles with disabled placards at any given time and there are 750,000 placards in circulation in Washington state.

The DSA is considering recommending that the City expand the four-hour zone throughout Downtown, not just in the few blocks around City Hall and adjacent to First Hill as has been proposed. DSA believes that if a four hour restriction on parking is implemented just in the vicinity of City Hall and First Hill, it will invite individuals to seek long term parking in other areas of Downtown.

SDOT is expected to make a decision on the proposal later this spring.

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Have an opinion you’d like to share? Email DSA’s Policy Director Jon Scholes at jons@downtownseattle.org.