City Councilmember Lisa Herbold shared this news about parking in the West Seattle Junction in her newsletter to constituents.

Herbold writes:

SDOT has completed a parking and access study in the West Seattle Junction.

SDOT found that in commercial areas, existing time limits are effective in creating parking turnover and availability. As such, they are not proposing paid parking. SDOT also found that off-street parking approaches capacity between 6 and 8 on weekdays, and noted that residential streets immediately around the Junction meet the basic qualifications for a new Restricted Parking Zone.

Weekday on-street parking occupancy in commercial areas was within the 70-85% range, or roughly 1-2 spaces available per block face. 70-85% occupancy is the target SDOT has established for on-street parking; rates above that can lead to a recommendation for paid parking.

SDOT also examined off-street parking occupancy, which also peaked in the 6-8 p.m. range on weekdays, and peaks during mid-day hours on Saturday.

Given that on-street parking occupancy is higher from 6-8 p.m., SDOT will consider extending time limits on and around California Avenue SW from 6 to 8 p.m.

Other next steps for SDOT include discussing a potential RPZ with JuNO at their April meeting, and considering time limits on commercial streets close to the Junction, and reviewing and adding load zones and at least one designated disabled space.
 
SDOT’s draft timeline notes additional outreach in commercial areas in April and May, release of a proposal for public comment (tentatively listed for July), toward a final plan in Fall, and implementation in winter of 2018-2019.
 
SDOT’s project website is updated and includes links to a presentation SDOT gave on February 28, and an access survey conducted for SDOT and transportation and parking patterns of people who visit the Junction. 
 
Background on city parking policies is included here.
 
When SDOT announced the study, I requested that SDOT be sensitive to the unique nature of the Alaska Junction, and specifically include consideration of the extra capacity that the off-street parking contributes to the area in their study. They agreed, and included the presence of the free off-street parking in their study.