The Bellevue City Council has approved a new ordinance introducing paid street parking in the city’s densest neighborhoods, including Downtown, Wilburton, BelRed, and the Spring District. This initiative aims to manage parking demand and enhance accessibility in these rapidly growing areas.
The program will implement a dynamic, demand-based pricing model, with hourly rates ranging from $1 to $8. The city’s transportation department will oversee the program, targeting an on-street occupancy rate of 80%, or approximately 1–2 open parking spaces per city block. This approach is modeled after Seattle’s system and is designed to ensure that parking availability meets the needs of residents, businesses, and visitors.
By adopting this paid parking strategy, Bellevue seeks to address the challenges associated with increased urban density and to promote more efficient use of public parking resources.