The hourly rate for parking in downtown Ballard and at the Ballard Locks is going down. The current rate is $2, but today the Seattle Department of Transportation announced new rates, which includes a $.50 decrease for Ballard.
See a larger version of the map here.
Over the next two months SDOT will implement the new rates, which include rate increases for four neighborhoods and decreased rates in 11 neighborhoods.
Two weeks ago the city released its first parking rate modification plan which didn’t include a change for Ballard. “We’ve taken a critical second look at our data and methodology for setting parking rates,” said Charles Bookman, SDOT’s director of Traffic Management. “These modifications are a reflection of the mayor’s and City Council’s commitment to data-driven policies to make it more likely for motorists to find an open spot on the street.”
From SDOT:
In adopting the 2011 budget, the Seattle City Council directed SDOT to set rates to achieve an average of one or two available spaces per block in each neighborhood. During its review process, the department revised its methodology for achieving such on-street availability to more closely align with this policy direction. Most significantly, SDOT adjusted its target occupancy range to 71 percent to 86 percent, instead of the previously used 58 percent to 78 percent, which better corresponds to the seven parking spaces per block found on average in paid parking neighborhoods. The plan to extend paid parking hours for the nine neighborhoods with active nightlife and high evening parking demand, announced on January 14, remains unchanged.
Once the new rates have been in place for awhile, SDOT will collect data to determine if the new rates are successful at achieving SDOT’s goals.
![](https://www.myballard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024-My-Ballard-Tile-Ad-Troop-100.png")
This won’t please the car haters.
It’s OK. They’ll tear up a street or two to make up for it.
i guess it won’t please the unicorns either, as neither “car haters” nor unicorns nor flying spaghetti monsters have showed up to knock down your straw man.
I hope the Ballard Chamber and retail businesses in Ballard will take the time to thank SDOT for making the changes – bashing and criticizing have their place, as do giving credit and complimenting.