Street parking rates to change in Ballard

Meghan Walker Ballard

Street parking is about to get cheaper in the mornings, but more expensive at night in Ballard.

The Seattle Department of Transportation has changed parking rates around the city, with some areas hit with higher rates and others seeing a drop in on-street parking costs. The changes come from SDOT’s 2018 Annual Parking Report, which found that in Ballard, during peak hours of 5pm to 9pm, on-street parking was at 95 percent capacity.

In Ballard, parking at the Locks will drop by 50 cents for all hours of the day, making it $1.50 per hour in the morning, and $2 for both afternoon and evenings. Parking in the core of Ballard — a total of 206 on-street parking spots — will change in two ways: mornings will be cheaper, dropping 50 cents to $1.50 per hour, and evenings will be more expensive, going from $2.50 per hour to $3, with SDOT considering extending the paid hours to 10pm. Afternoons will stay the same, ($2 per hour), as will all rates not in the Ballard core (341 total spots, and named Ballard “edge” in SDOT’s report).

According to the Seattle Times, on-street parking changes are based on supply and demand: “If rates are too high, not enough people are parking and spaces sit empty; if rates are too low, too many people try to park and it becomes harder for those who need a space to find one.”

SDOT is also in the process of changing on-street paid parking from pay-and-display to pay-by-plate. Rather than printing out a ticket to display on your window, users will go to a pay station, enter their license plate number, select amount of time desired, and confirm the transaction. They’ll offer optional online accounts to speed up the process.

The new rates will be rolling out soon around the city — click here for a full list of the rate changes across Seattle.

 

30 thoughts to “Street parking rates to change in Ballard”

  3. It’s time to start charging bicycles to park as well…$1 per hour. Bicycle riders need to be charged a $200 bicycle tab fee per year to register. The free ride for the spandex club is over. Time to pay up!

    And…All junkie meth lab RV’s need to be towed to Aberdeen or in front of Lyin’ Mike O’Brien’s house.

    1. Fun Fact: football players wear spandex. Cage fighters wear spandex. Runners wear spandex. Do you enjoy subsidizing the Mariners’ sweetheart mega-low rent stadium upgrades? How about paying up for a new traffic snarl in Key Arena? Are the Hawks above .500 yet this season? Wow we can only dream, amirite?

      Speaking of spandex, does it make you uncomfortable? I enjoy women in spandex. Do you find yourself staring longingly at the men? It’s ok. Just remember to look up from your phone once in a while while driving and remember that red means “stop” not “speed up”! I wouldn’t mind paying a tab fee if I would ride in the street without getting slaughtered by someone’s teenager or a surly wino mom speeding to the mall.

    2. I’m not against your idea, but the problem is that the city of Seattle administrative costs would be $300 per pike, and your property taxes would go to subsidizing the bicycle registration tax.

      1. Sure, just hand over more of your rights and more $$ to our misguided government officials. That’s working so well already, right pal. Perhaps our fine neighbors that own 4-5-6 autos are the problem. Do you also want government telling my idiot neighbor how many cars he can own? He feels he really is part of THE solution ya know. He’s a good solid democrat too.

        1. your rights? that street doesn’t belong to you pal.

          I think this is a great idea. either park on your property or pay to park on the street. easy peasy

    2. You make a joke about this, but do you think this greedy money grabbing city hasn’t already concocted a plan to do exactly this; make people purchase a sticker to park in front of THEIR OWN HOMES? The war on autos will continue on, with many whom own none making policy/voting.

  5. This city is for the wealthy, white collar folk now. Construction workers
    making expensive homes they could never
    afford while they go home to their small apartment after a hard days work

  6. This article is about paid street parking. The comments about RVs are precious… since nobody with an RV actually parks in paid street parking! Get a grip, people, and do something constructive with your time. I suggest reading comprehension classes.

    1. hey now, what about all the the people that are economically anxious! (aka the ones that will be forced out of ballard next, let’s hope!)

    2. Sara: Yes they do. See: Near the library. There are several camper cars with (somehow) disabled placards in the window, and they never leave.

  7. Last summer across the street from Portage Bay Cafe cars were parked in front of fire hydrant all day long with no tickets issued at all. Once the tourists leave it’s back to ticketing locals. A few Sunday’s ago I was parked on parking strip like hundreds of other vehicles in Ballard yet was approached by a meter man at 10:30 AM and was told to move or get a ticket. Seems like the city only enforces local parking ordinances when tourists aren’t inconvenienced. I guess I could take a bike to Ballard like the two or three I see only on nice days travelling down 24th NW. Never see any bikers on 32nd for some reason and 15th NW, well I never see a biker there also. They seem to congregate on the sidewalks though. More free parking would be nice as we already pay outrageous car tab fees. Free Ballard.

      1. Yea, those are all locals visiting the Locks huh? Or the Nordic Museum. You may need to either get out more or just plain pay attention and actually converse with them when you do. I’ve met lotsa outta state folks here for the history of Ballard and the many charming restaurants, like Hatties Hat.

  8. Why are all the derelict vehicles parked around the Ballard Commons exempt? They seem to have disabled placards on them. Disabled from what? Laziness and drugs and alcohol.

    1. “Service Animals Only Permitted”
      Same sort of assholery applies here too.
      Have 20 kids by 3 different guys as a teen, get paid by the state and the Times will call you a Disney Hero Princess!

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