Central Puget Sound Interstate 405 - Park and rides


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Measures of park and rides along the I-405 corridor in the central Puget Sound region.

Park and Ride lot utilization

Park and ride lots provide locations for commuters to meet carpools and vanpools, and catch buses if transit services are not available nears their residences. WSDOT monitors the usage of Park and ride lots owned or managed by public agencies, as well as private lots. See WSDOT's Handbook for Corridor Capacity Evaluation (PDF 5.9MB).

Park and ride lots serve a wide variety of commuters, including carpoolers, vanpoolers, transit riders, commuter rail passengers, bicyclists and pedestrians. Park and ride locations are essential for transit riders and carpoolers, and must have high utilization rates to be considered successful. Targeted outreach efforts from transit agencies as well as employer Commute Trip Reduction initiatives help address highway capacity needs in the central Puget Sound region.

Source: WSDOT Public Transportation Division.
Note: The Overlake Transit Center closed in May 2017 due to the East Link Light Rail construction. The Overlake Transit Center will become the station for East Link Light rail and be renamed to Redmond Technology station in 2023. The South Bellevue Park and Ride closed in May 2017 due to the East Link Light Rail construction. The South Bellevue Park and Ride will re-open fall of 2021. Park and rides utilization rates data will no longer available from 2020.

Multi-year trends

From 2015 through 2019, between nine and 11 of the 12 park and ride lots on the I-405 corridor in the central Puget Sound region had usage rates at or above 85% (which is considered operating at capacity). Several lots were also at or above 100% usage (indicating that cars were parked in unmarked spaces) each year, including one—the Ash Way lot—which was above 100% in all five years.

Annual highlights

In 2019, between 70% to 98% of available spaces at park and rides along the I-405 corridor in the central Puget Sound region were occupied. Seven of 10 of these park and ride lots had utilization rates at or above 95%. Park and ride lots having 85% or higher utilization rates are considered as operating at capacity.

In 2018, between 73% to 99% of available spaces at park and rides along the I-405 corridor in the central Puget Sound region were occupied. Five of 10 of these Park & Ride lots had utilization rates at or above 95%. Park and ride lots having 85% or higher utilization rates are considered as operating at capacity. The number of park and ride lots was reduced because the Overlake Transit Center closed in May 2017 due to the East Link Light Rail construction. The Overlake Transit Center will become the station for East Link Light rail and be renamed to Redmond Technology station in 2023. The South Bellevue Park and Ride closed in May 2017 due to the East Link Light Rail construction. The South Bellevue Park & Ride will re-open fall of 2021.

Along the I-405 corridor in the central Puget Sound region in 2017, park and rides lot utilization rates ranged from 75% to 107%, with eight out of 12 having utilization rates at or above 95%. Park and ride lots having 85% or higher utilization rates are considered as operating at capacity. Park and ride locations are essential parts of the transit service network and need to consistently have enough available spaces for transit riders and carpoolers. To be considered effective, park and ride lots must also have high utilization rates. Targeted outreach efforts from transit agencies as well as employer Commute Trip Reduction initiatives help address highway capacity needs in the central Puget Sound region.

In 2016, between 73% to 115% of available spaces at park and rides along the I-405 corridor in the central Puget Sound region were occupied. Ten of 12 of these park and ride lots had utilization rates at or above 95%. Park and ride lots having 85% or higher utilization rates are considered as operating at capacity.

In 2015, between 84% to 107% of available spaces at park and rides along the I-405 corridor in the central Puget Sound region were occupied. Eleven of 12 of these park and ride lots had utilization rates at or above 95%. Park and ride lots having 85% or higher utilization rates are considered as operating at capacity.

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