SDOT seeks feedback on potential RPZ in Ballard

Danielle Anthony-Goodwin Ballard

After receiving a request from the Central Ballard Residents Association (CBRA) to create a new Restricted Parking Zone (RPZ) on residential streets around the Ballard business district, SDOT is seeking feedback from the local community.

“We’d like to hear from residents, employees, and visitors in Ballard about how adding RPZ restrictions might affect them,” says Norm Mah from SDOT.

Not sure what an RPZ is? An RPZ is put in place to ease parking congestion in residential neighborhoods, while balancing the needs of all people to use the public right of way.

In central Ballard, the RPZ is being proposed in the area featured on the below map:

rpz

The RPZ is being proposed with the following restrictions:

  • The gray area on the map highlights where residents would be eligible for permits.
  • SDOT would install RPZ signs on the solid blue lined blocks, limiting vehicles without RPZ permits to 2-hour parking Monday – Friday, 7 AM – 8 PM. We are proposing RPZ signs on one side of the street only, to balance a variety of on-street parking demands.
  • All blocks with RPZ signs would be subject to signed parking restrictions and residents within the gray area would be able to purchase permits (currently $65 for two years)
  • SDOT does not install RPZ signs next to ground floor retail or other non-residential uses. Many of the blocks in this area already have paid or time-limited parking; this RPZ proposal will not change those signs or regulations.

This proposal was been created after SDOT received an RPZ review request from the Central Ballard Residents Association in Fall 2014.

In September 2015, SDOT studied parking in the area shown and found street parking to be on average 93% full during the day, with over 35% of vehicles not belonging to residents.

The goal of the proposed RPZ would be to limit all-day parking by non-residents, decrease parking congestion and circling within the neighborhood, and make it easier for residents to find parking near their homes.

Locals are asked to give their feedback via a brief online survey before May 31.

Send any additional comments or questions to Ruth Harper at (206) 684-4103 or email ruth.harper@seattle.gov.

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