The Park and Ride Program would leverage resources, expand capacity, and increase safety.
Why do we need a Park and Ride Program?
Limited capacity at park and ride lots is constraining the efficiency of the transportation system. A state role is critical in developing financial partnerships to expand capacity.
What is the current situation?
There is no dedicated state funding for park and rides. Park and ride lots in Washington are built, owned, and operated by multiple transit agencies, jurisdictions, and governmental agencies. Washington’s park and ride network has developed incrementally based on partnership opportunities, funding availability, and need. By the end of 2000, there were roughly 270 park and ride lots in Washington offering more than 30,000 parking spaces. WSDOT proposes development of a comprehensive statewide Park and Ride Program to plan, coordinate, develop, and implement partnerships for park and ride facilities.
What are the Park and Ride program goals?
- Develop a balanced and sustainable transportation system.
- Improve the efficiency/effectiveness of the system and reduce congestion by moving more people, providing transportation choices, and enhancing multi-modal connectivity.
- Maximize resources by fostering interagency coordination, identifying partnership opportunities, encouraging innovative financing strategies, and distributing resources statewide.
- Develop safety and security measures and design standards at park and rides.
What happens when we reach capacity?
Overcrowded lots indicate there is unmet demand. At occupancy levels above 70 percent, the risk of not finding a parking space becomes an issue for potential users and discourages expanded use of ridesharing and transit.
The most crowded lots are located along the most congested corridors including I-5, I-405, SR 520, and I-90.
Many of the Park and Rides are full throughout Puget Sound, Clark County, and Spokane.
Park and ride demand and the development of new park and ride capacity are critical to implementation of transportation demand strategies and vital for increasing transit market share.
Efforts to promote transit and ridesharing are hampered by insufficient capacity at many commuter park and ride facilities.
Why invest in a Park and Ride program?
Development of a comprehensive statewide Park and Ride Program will:
- Optimize the public’s investment and coordination with other transportation resources.
- Ensure a systematic approach to enhancing and expanding the system.
- Eliminate inefficient duplication of planning efforts.
- Signal that park and rides continue to be an integral part of our transportation system throughout the region.
- Allow for the long-term regional commitment for infrastructure improvements, careful phasing of operating segments, and coordinating the development and operation of supporting services, facilities, and policies.
- Contribute to the successful implementation and operation of the freeway high occupancy vehicle (HOV) facilities.
- Enable WSDOT to leverage resources, promote partnerships, and encourage innovations.
What is WSDOT’s proposed budget for the Park and Ride Program?
The department is proposing $150 million in funding for the Park and Ride Program over the next 10 years. The funding would:
- Integrate safety and security enhancements into park and ride facilities.
- Develop financial partners to acquire, expand and enhance lots.
- Target: Add 4,500 parking stalls.