Seattle City Council could approve steep parking rate hikes for major events at Climate Pledge Arena

Parking for major sporting events and concerts in Seattle’s Uptown neighborhood could soon become more expensive.

Last week, the City Council’s Transportation & Utilities Committee unanimously approved a Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) plan that would raise the toll on-street parking limit for events at the Climate Pledge Arena, which is estimated to have over 10,000 attendees, to $ 12 . The arena is well on its way to opening sometime this fall and hosting the city’s National Hockey League team, the Kraken, for its inaugural season.

Councilor Alex Pedersen, the chair of the committee, encouraged more residents who came to the arena to use the available public transport to avoid the higher prices.

“We would like to encourage all fans to take the light rail and then get on the monorail,” said Pedersen during the meeting on July 7th. “Sound Transit is working really hard to open these additional light rail stations in time for the opening of the Climate Pledge Arena.”

The current plan is specific to the Uptown neighborhood, and the walks would only apply to the area within one mile of Seattle Center. More coverage is expected in the future in Sodo, Pioneer Square and Chinatown-International District to see if a similar program of events near the stadiums is warranted.

But just because the cap is set at $ 12 doesn’t mean it will be charged.

“Our intention when the arena opens in October is not to charge $ 12 an hour,” said Mike Estey, manager of Curbside Management at SDOT. “Our plan is to start with a progressive tariff structure. For those staying in the uptown area for just a few hours, they would only pay $ 3 an hour four or five hours, we suggest charging $ 8 an hour. “

The map shows where chargeable and restricted parking options would be expanded.

SDOT

Estey also dispelled some stories that residents and business owners in the Uptown neighborhood had not been notified of the change in parking fees, saying the department had sent planning documents to 10,000 people and received assistance on four separate occasions. Councilor Andrew Lewis, who represents the neighborhood but is not on the committee, has also spoken out in favor of the increases.

The bill is expected to be submitted to a full vote in the Council on July 26th. If the council is passed, the tariff increases will not come into effect until October. In the same month, three new light rail stations in the University District, Roosevelt and Northgate neighborhoods will be set to open.

The Sound Transit Service will expand exponentially in the coming years, even expanding into Snohomish County. The East Link extension, due to open in 2023, will bring a total of 10 new stations and 40 miles of track to Judkins Park, Mercer Island, Bellevue and Redmond. The Federal Way and Lynnwood extensions will open in 2024.