Planned installation of parking meters and residential parking zone signage have been on schedule and have been popping up in Fremont’s business district since Monday.

Still covered with hoods, an installation schedule of approximately two weeks, Seattle Department of Transportation hopes to activate and have them running by March 9. 

The city department of transportation says the change is meant to ensure that finding a space to park will be easier for residents, visitors and business owners and employees.

Some business owners, residents and the Fremont Chamber of Commerce have opposed the plan, which has been under discussion since November 2008.

“We’ve had Seattle transportation trucks on half a dozen streets in Fremont all week and everyone’s shook up about it,” said Suzie Burke, president of Fremont Dock Company.  “It’s heartbreaking to see our city cause so much grief to the small businesses that are struggling. The timing on this is awful.” 

Paid parking will be in effect from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday at a rate of $1.50 an hour.

 Residential Parking Zone signs will be installed on only one side of residential streets (the other side will remain unrestricted) with two-hour parking allowed from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. for non-permit holders and from 8 p.m. to midnight.

The on-street parking enhancements will feature:

-An RPZ on streets north and east of the business district.
-Two-hour paid parking in the high demand retail area, using 90 of 700
spaces.
-Time-limit signs on no-cost spaces outside Fremont’s retail core.

The RPZ and paid parking signs were scheduled for installation on Feb. 23. Pay station kiosks were emplaced on Feb. 25.
Time-limit signs will be installed in early March.

The city has cited studies conducted in 2005 and 2008 by external bodies showed that on-street parking was full on many Fremont streets, creating traffic congestion as people drove around looking for available spaces. The 2008 parking study highlighted that the majority of blocks were more than 75 percent full for the most of the day, with utilization rates as high as 140 percent as drivers parked illegally.

When on-street parking use reaches 75 percent, the department considers changes to ensure parking.