When it comes to Sound Transit's light rail stations in Seattle, walking, biking or even busing to them works. But what happens if you want to drive and park near a station?
KING 5 Investigator Linda Byron discovered that Seattle has set up a series of roadblocks to driving and parking near light rail stations in the city limits. If you try to find street parking, you will find it both scarce and time limited so commuters will find parking difficult, if not impossible. When entrepreneurs tried to satisfy the demand for parking by making their lots available on a daily and long-term basis, the city said they were in violation of city ordinances.
New Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn issued an executive order that stops enforcement of the parking ban. He now has 30 days to come up with an alternative proposal.
What will McGinn propose? There are some hints on his blog. He writes in part: “As I stated when I announced my position, I certainly don’t support construction of new parking structures, tearing down buildings for parking lots, or letting station areas turn into a sea of parking lots. None of these is a good long-term outcome. On the other hand, the current economy means we are not going to see existing parking lots converted to new development anytime soon. As an interim measure, allowing all-day paid parking gives us some benefits.”
The larger issue is one that critics have needled Seattle laws and lawmakers about for years. From plastic bags, to recycling, to parking and driving, is Seattle government trying to turn Seattle into a “nanny” state, where the law is used to micro-manage resident behavior? Let us know what you think.
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