PARKING: West Seattle Junction RPZ expanding, at residents’ request

(WSB photo, November 2019)

Thanks to Terri for the tip on this. Less than half a year after its launch, the West Seattle Junction RPZ is expanding. Our tipster was told it’s at the request of residents. SDOT for confirmed that when we inquired:

We created the new West Seattle Junction RPZ 35 in fall 2019, and shortly after started hearing several requests from neighbors who wished to have their blocks added into the RPZ:

44th Ave SW between SW Dakota St and SW Andover St
42nd Ave SW between SW Hudson St and SW Dawson St
SW Hudson St east of 42nd Ave SW (cul-de-sac)

In January, we provided petition forms to each of the block residents who had requested the expansion. They circulated the petition to their neighbors and returned qualifying forms showing that over 60 percent of their neighbors supported their blocks being added to the RPZ. In late February, we mailed information to every resident on those blocks about the program and how to obtain a permit.

We had originally planned to install RPZ signs later this month, but the COVID-19 pandemic may effect this timeline. In the meantime, now is a great time for residents on these blocks to get ready and apply for a RPZ permit online today, if they have not already done so.

See the RPZ’s original area in this WSB story from last September. Not sure what an RPZ is? It’s explained here. The one in the Junction area was created after two community requests spanning a decade.

Res April 10, 2020 (4:21 pm)

And the people who work in and patronize the businesses in that are are to park where?

Steven Lorenza April 11, 2020 (10:10 am)

At their place of business, or a pay lot or….take the bus.

RPZ resident April 10, 2020 (4:48 pm)

And so it begins. The RPZ will keep radiating outwards and generate a nice bundle of money for the city. Also the fact that the city lets a household purchase up-to 4 RPZ passes makes those with multiple cars monopolize the street parking both during RPZ and outside of RPZ hours. Pushing cars into the next closest nonRPZ streets.

Jeff April 10, 2020 (5:02 pm)

What bundle of money? The permits are so cheap they are basically worse than free parking from a congestion standpoint. If paid parking is always full, then it’s priced too low. What we get now is the worst of both worlds, where parking is so cheap it’s nearly free, but people are still all indignant about it.
Ice April 11, 2020 (6:48 pm)

Bundle of money? what are you talking about? The amount that the city charges for RPZ permits is nowhere near market rate for parking. They charge pennies. I’d be surprised if the amount of revenue that they get from the new RPZ will even cover all of the bureaucratic costs associated with it. RPZs are basically a giveaway of a publicly owned good to people who live in a certain neighborhood.

Ljf April 10, 2020 (5:05 pm)

Yep, just north of 44 th and Andover, and I can guarantee that the street has discussed the implications to our street along with density behind us on California and we will absolutely ask for extending the permittsimagine the streets going north will ask as well when the parking becomes tight you start this kind of rationizing and it will just ripple out

Jon Wright April 10, 2020 (5:24 pm)

At $65 for two years, RPZ passes generate a negligible amount of revenue for the city. And that’s the problem…RPZs are a complete giveaway of public right-of-way.

Huck April 11, 2020 (8:25 am)

I’m so happy with the new RPZ I can’t even tell you. I can finally park in front of my house!

RPZ resident too April 11, 2020 (6:30 pm)

I feel the same!!! I think it’s great!

Richard Barrientos April 12, 2020 (1:22 pm)

I’d like to point out that the retail and restaurant workers in the junction are the most impacted by this parking zoning. It hurts business. Most are low wage part time workers who are not parking all day. This could be mitigated by giving passes to local business for employees. There is a reasonable solution on the impact of these workers who don’t live in the neighborhood they work in. The extenuating issue is the commuters who park all day 10+ hours in these neighborhoods.

Sorry, comment time is over.