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Seattle's street parking prices just went up

caption: The Seattle Department of Transportation adjusts street parking rates three times each year: fall, spring, and summer.
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The Seattle Department of Transportation adjusts street parking rates three times each year: fall, spring, and summer.
Seattle Department of Transportation

Parking in Seattle got more expensive Monday morning. Rates went up in about two-thirds of the city's neighborhoods, and also for certain times of day.

Some meters will now be up to $1 more expensive than last week's rates. Rates fluctuate based on parking demand, and some went down during the pandemic.

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Slideshow Icon1 of 3Updated parking rates for Seattle as of Monday, March 27, 2023.
Credit: Seattle Department of Transportation

The city says raising rates will bring in more money for the city's general fund, and could lead to more spaces open since the rates are higher. Still, it notes that some rates are still lower than before the pandemic, such as around downtown Seattle.

The Seattle Department of Transportation analyzed parking data in January and found that there has been "an increase in parking activity." Seattle manages street parking through pricing, upping the cost to park depending on the place and time in order to encourage drivers to move along. SDOT says this "supports businesses and helps drivers find parking without circling the block multiple times."

SDOT will analyze parking data again in summer and fall and could make more price adjustments. In 2022, SDOT adjusted street parking prices three times.

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Updated 02.18 at 10:47pm
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