Downtown Tacoma Parking Update

Since paid parking began in downtown Tacoma in September of 2010, there has been a steady increase with over one million transactions taking place last year alone.

Today, Kurtis Kingsolver, Tacoma’s Interim Public Works Director/ City Engineer, along with the Parking Technical Advisory Group Co-Chairs Rollie Herman and Judi Hyman, presented a parking update to the Tacoma City Council Economic Development Committee. The presentation provided an overview of Tacoma’s parking system, key issues, potential solutions, and next steps.

The presenters identified two key parking areas. First, the area surrounding the Pierce County Court House and Bates Technical College in between South 9th Street and 13th and Yakima and Tacoma Avenue was identified as being at capacity for street parking. Currently, this area does not have paid street parking. Typically, those visiting the court house need parking for around four hours, whereas the nearby students need parking all day. Both users, however, likely do not have the ability to pay for parking.

The second area identified is the area surrounding the University of Washington, Tacoma from 17th to 21st Street and Jefferson and Pacific Avenue. Even with paid street parking, this area is often at capacity, limiting local business’ customer volume. The advisory group proposed three suggestions to encourage higher turnover: 1). Reduce the time from two hours to 90 minutes; 2). Extend the paid parking time from 6 pm to 8 pm; and 3). Remove Saturday’s all day parking.

The advisory group also described how the City could promote parking in their off-street parking structures by improving signage that would make it easier to locate and enter and possibly tying into the current Pacific Avenue Streetscape Wayfinding project.

Moreover, the advisory group noted how License Plate Recognition (LPR) technology may be used to promote better compliance, high scofflaw capture, and improved payment compliance through greater system efficiency and the collection of data.

Lastly, the City is well overdue for an updated Parking Master Plan (the last one was completed in 1992), which would take into account parking demand and occupancy data, pricing, an evaluation of the current system’s performance, an evaluation of the City’s role in parking, stakeholder input and public outreach, and a financing strategy.

Tacoma to Offer Free Holiday Parking Downtown

The City of Tacoma is offering free holiday parking downtown through January 1, 2013 in the Park Plaza North Garage, located behind Pantages Theatre.

The City is giving away 25 parking vouchers good for up to two hours to any interested merchant. An additional 25 vouchers may be purchased for $6.25 (or approximately $0.13 per hour). When a customer uses the voucher, the first two hours are free with every additional hour sold at half price, or $1.25 per hour.

If this promotion is successful, the City may seek to expand it into next year while Pacific Avenue is revitalized.

Downtown businesses interested in the promotion should contact Jennifer Smith of Republic Parking at (253) 627-4401.

Free Bike Cages for Bike Month

If you didn't know, DOTG manages two bike cages in downtown Tacoma.  The bike cages provide handy, safe, & dry bike parking at all hours.  In honor of bike month they are now being provided free of charge.

Okay, so the weather outside is a little questionable right now, so we may have to extend the free period into June where we're sure it'll be sunny.  This is your chance to try the cage out and see just how convenient they are.  Once the free period is over, it's only $25 for the year if it works for you.  (That's about 2 days of car parking in the same garages.)

To sign-up for the free cages, please contact Downtown On the Go at dotgo@tacomachamber.org.

For more on the bike cages and other bike parking in downtown, please visit www.downtownonthego.com/go/biking/downtown-bike-parking.

Proposed Changes to the City's Downtown Off-Street Parking Requirements

The City Council’s Environment and Public Works Committee has been approached by the Planning Commission with an array of recommended changes to downtown’s off-street parking regulations. Proposed changes include the elimination of a minimum number of parking stalls developers must build, a cap on the number of parking stalls allowed, and limitation on new or expanded on-site surface parking lots. The many aspects of the proposed revisions could be both advantageous and harmful to the development of downtown.

The proposal recognizes that getting rid of the requirement to build a minimum number of parking stalls within new developments encourages movement to a market-based system. No minimum requirements mean that developers will not build stalls that are unnecessary for their developments. Developers will be able to tailor to the unique parking needs of each project.

However, the proposed revisions also would include implementing a maximum number of parking stalls within the IFSA and decreasing the maximum number of stalls within downtown. This moves away from the City’s original intention to create a market-based system. In comparison, the much denser Portland allows 36% more stalls than proposed by the City of Tacoma. A cap on the number of stalls would hinder developers from building the amount of parking that some tenants may require, which puts downtown Tacoma at a clear disadvantage for future development.

It is vital to recognize that the proposed amendment being brought to the City is loaded with potential. While the city is encouraging smart development with one regulation, it is limiting opportunities with another. The City Council will hold a public hearing on the proposed amendment on today, January 24, 2012, at 5:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers, providing an opportunity to those who want to encourage the future growth and development of downtown to give their opinion.

Free Downtown Parking Today

So I've received a few questions about this already, so I figure it is worth noting: Today, November 11th is Veterans Day, a City observed holiday.  This means the paystations are turned off and time limits do not apply to those spaces where holidays are excluded.  (This is not all spaces, so please read the signs.)

The best resource I've seen for parking holidays is located on the side of the paystations themselves or on the City's parking website here.  Scroll down to General Information for the holidays.

Regardless, have a good holiday and remember to appreciate the veterans and active duty service members in our community.  A list of events can be found here.

Changes to the on-street parking system

When paid on-street parking began in September the message from the City of Tacoma was the system is designed to be flexible and over time adjustments will be made to the system. In the last several months the City of Tacoma and The Downtown Parking Management Advisory Task Force has been listening to your suggestions for improving the operations of the new pay stations to benefit its many users. Here are several changes you will see in the coming weeks including:

• On Saturdays, buy two hours and you can park all day. Parkers will be able to purchase all day parking on Saturday at each pay station for just $1.50. Users can still purchase less than two hours of time when needed, but they will not get the all day parking benefit. This is a pilot program to be evaluated in February.

• Parkers can now pre-purchase parking time for the next day beginning at 8 p.m. This change will allow more parkers to conveniently purchase time and display their receipt before enforcement begins the following morning.

• No charge for parking on portions of Market Street from S. 11th to S. 21st Streets. This is a pilot program to be evaluated in February. During this period, the City will collect parking data to assess parking demand and turnover in support of local businesses. A 90-minute time limit will be enforced.

Did you know…

• You can take your unexpired pay station time receipt to another parking space. Each pay station receipt has a time stamp that can be used in any stall within the paid parking area downtown.
• Twenty-five cents buys 20 minutes of time. The minimum cost for parking is $0.25 – for those short trips into a store or any quick stop.

For more information about the on-street parking system go to http://www.tacomaparking.com/.

Major Street Closures Downtown on FRIDAY, October 8th

There will be major street closures and transit impacts in downtown Tacoma this Friday, October 8th, in coordination with Vice President Joe Biden’s visit. The Vice President will be speaking at the University of Washington Tacoma campus in the afternoon.

Tacoma Link service will be shut down from 6:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

All streets around the UWT campus will be closed, no through traffic or parking:

- Pacific Avenue between S. 21st and S. 17th

- S. 21st between Pacific Ave. and Market St.

- S. 17th St. between Pacific and Market St.

- Jefferson St. between Pacific and Market

- Likely Market St between S. 17th and S. 21st St.

Buses in the area will be rerouted to different streets. Contact the transit agencies directly for more information about impacts to transit service. Sound Transit, 206-398-5000; Pierce Transit 253.606.4626.

Parking Pay Stations “Go Live” September 20th

It’s official, downtown parkers will pay to park on-street starting September 20th, 2010. The implementation of pay stations in downtown Tacoma marks the culmination of nearly a decade worth of work and input from literally hundreds of community members.

The high demand for parking in downtown means that visitors, customers and clients to downtown often have difficulty finding a place to park in the vicinity of their destination. The market-based approach to parking adopted by the City of Tacoma ensures that the price to park combined with consistent enforcement will incent employees and other long-term parkers to find a spot in a garage, leaving on-street stalls available for shoppers, eaters and clients. This effort is largely supported by the downtown community including : the Downtown Merchants Group, restaurants, property owners, large employers, residents, cultural institutions and others.

For more information on downtown parking, the process and the details visit http://www.tacomaparking.com/ or read previous posts on this topic:

June 28, 2010
June 14, 2010
April 30, 2010
March 2, 2010
September 2, 2009
October 28, 2009
September 15, 2008

July 16th City Center Luncheon focuses on Transportation

Transportation is a hot topic in Tacoma this summer. The Chamber’s July 16th City Center Luncheon, sponsored by CH2M Hill, will feature the latest updates on the biggest projects including: Sound Transit’s Sounder extension construction, Pierce Transit’s redesign plans for downtown, preliminary plans for the Prairie Line walking and biking trail, car sharing opportunities, walking maps, parking and more. Register Now! This City Center Luncheon is not to be missed.

When: Friday, July 16th, 2010
Time: 11:30 (registration) 12:00-1:30 (program)
Location: Pacific Grill Event Center, 1530 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, WA 98402.
Please consider walking, biking or carpooling to this event.
If you must drive, validated parking is available in the Convention Center Garage.

This quarter’s luncheon will feature:

Sound Transit’s South Sound Projects
Sound Transit, the Puget Sound’s regional transit provider is busy planning for investments in Pierce County. The Sounder extension to Lakewood, Tacoma LINK/ streetcar planning and the light rail extension from SeaTac airport are all part or Sound Transit’s plans for the future in the South Sound. Join us to learn more.

Pierce Transit Redesign: the plan for downtown
Over the past year Pierce Transit and the community have been reevaluating the 30-year old bus route structure and services and planning for the future. Through this planning effort, downtown Tacoma is slated for major route changes that will improve efficiency and service for downtown residents, employees, students and visitors.

Prairie Line Trail: preliminary plans
The Prairie Line Trail is an urban biking and walking trail planned for the abandoned Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad corridor that bisects downtown Tacoma. The Prairie Line Trail is slated to be transformed into a linear park linking planned redevelopment in the Brewery District to the University of Washington Tacoma, Tollefson Plaza, Tacoma Art Museum and the Thea Foss Esplanade.

Car Sharing: opportunities for downtown, UWT, UPS and PLU
Car sharing is an alternative to car rentals and car ownership and it’s in the works to site in downtown Tacoma and at local universities. Car sharing programs enable residents and biking, walking, transit, carpool and vanpool commuters access to a car when they need it, reducing transportation costs and eliminating excuses to alternative commuting.

Update on Paid Parking in Downtown Tacoma
Parking Pay Stations are coming to the streets of downtown September 20th (http://www.tacomaparking.com/). The implementation of paid on street parking is an effort on behalf of the City of Tacoma and downtown businesses to insure that customers, clients and visitors to downtown can find on street parking in proximity to shops, restaurants and cultural activities. Join us to lean more about the details of the parking meter implementation and alternatives to parking on street in downtown.

Spaces are limited. Register today by contacting Cathy Thompson, (253) 627.2175, cathyt@tacomachamber.org or online


Prices: $225 Corporate Tables of 8
$20 Ambassadors pre-paid
$25 Members pre-paid
$30 Members at the door
$35 Non-members/Walk-Ins

Plans Progress for Downtown Parking

The Parking Management Advisory Task Force (PMATF), appointed in March to make recommendations on the paid on-street parking system has worked diligently to create a on-street parking system that prioritizes customers, clients and visitors to downtown Tacoma, ensures 15 percent vacancy of on-street stalls, and is easy to use and understand.

The Task Force has an ambitious schedule of topics to address before the pay stations are turned on for public use in early September. To date, the Task Force has made the following recommendations. The public is encouraged to attend and share their thoughts about these recommendations at the monthly public meeting. The next public meeting is May 6th, 5-6pm in the Pantages Theater Lobby (S. 9th and Broadway).

Days of Paystation Operation: Monday – Saturday
The PMATF recommended Monday through Saturday operation based on current days of operation and consistency with other local jurisdictions – thereby making it easy for customers to understand. Furthermore, there was no data to support the need for enforcement on Sundays.

Hours of Paystation Operation: 8AM – 6PM
The PMATF recommended 8AM – 6PM operation based on current hours of operation and consistency with other local jurisdictions – again simplifying the system for customers. While consideration was given to the need for later hours in certain portions of downtown, the data collected showed on-street vacancies increased to about 50 percent by 7PM. Until more data is collected, the PMATF did not feel comfortable extending these hours.

Time Limits: 2-Hour Time Limit
The PMATF recommended a 2-hour base time limit (consistent with other jurisdictions) rather than another time limit or unlimited time. The PMATF felt that unlimited time purchases would encourage all day parkers to compete with customers for on-street spaces. By establishing time limits, the City retains the ability to use other tools (price and chain parking restrictions) to encourage all day parkers to use garages and lots.

Criteria for Paystation Locations
The PMATF has worked with a representative of the potential vendor to establish criteria for the draft map of the placement of paystations. These criteria will help determine the draft map which will be later refined by on-the-ground work.

Area of Enforcement Buffer Time Limits
The PMATF recommended a 90 minute time stay and enforced buffer area around the paid area to discourage employees from parking here to avoid paying. The boundaries of the buffer zone are S. 4th, S. 21st, Dock St. and Tacoma Ave.

Revised Chain Parking Ordinance
The PMATF has reviewed Tacoma’s chain parking ordinance to find a more effective way of limiting chain parking and encouraging all day parkers to park off street in a garage or lot. The Task Force continues to evaluate this issue

Communications Plan
The PMATF continues to work with the consultants on a communications and marketing plan. In partnership with the City staff a local advertizing firm will be hired to develop the communications campaign.

Exception Spaces
The PMATF is currently evaluating the process for requesting and or locating short-term 30min stalls, loading zones, valet zones, etc.

The PMATF plans to take up the following issues in the coming months:
- Parking Signage
- Paystation Graphics
- Display Graphics
- Receipt Design
- Parking Fines
- Other Municipal Code Changes
- Parking Permits (Residential, Construction, Service, Delivery, etc.)
- Other topics

For more information about Downtown Parking and the Parking Task Force go to http://www.tacomaparking.com/. To share a comment please email tacomaparking@cityoftacoma.org

other post on this topic:
Council endorses parking meters
Paid on-street parking is coming