Vehicle Parking

Pedestrian Master Plan > Toolbox > Design, Engineering, and Universal Access > Curb Space Zone

On-street parking is allowed in the right-of-way outside of the travel lanes and off of the curbs, sidewalks, and planting strips. Off-street parking is publicly or privately owned parking located outside of the street right–of–way.

Parking configuration can impact the pedestrian environment. Cars parked parallel to the curb can provide horizontal separation between the pedestrian and vehicular travelways. The proximity of parking to crosswalks also significantly affects the health and safety of the pedestrian environment because it can allow vehicles to see pedestrians for a longer period of time, thus reducing the possibility of a collision. However, as written in Seattle Municipal Code 11.72.090, “no person shall stand or park a vehicle within twenty (20) feet upon the approach to a crosswalk” (RCW 46.61.570(b)(iii)). In addition, SMC 11.72.110 states at a driveway or alley entrance, “no person shall stand or park a vehicle in front of a public or private driveway within a street or alley or in front of or in an alley entrance or within five feet (5') of the end of a constructed driveway return or alley entrance return, or if none, within five feet (5') of the projection of the edge of the driveway or alley” (Ord. 108200 Section 2(11.72.110), 1979).

On-street parking is a technique that can be used to achieve traffic calming. Parking locations and configurations can be identified by striping, signage, pavement markings, and meters.