Pierce Transit Seeks Public Input on Reserved Permit Parking at Tacoma Dome Station

Pierce Transit is seeking public input about the concept of offering a weekday reserved parking option for solo drivers and carpools that use the Tacoma Dome Station. Under the reserved parking concept, permits would be optional, the number of reserved spots would be limited to a certain percentage of the overall spots, and those parking without a permit could use the reserved spots on weekends and after the morning rush hour, or continue parking in non-reserved spots on a first-come, first-served basis as they are today.

Tacoma Dome Station is the region’s largest transit hub, with 2,400 parking spots in two attached garages. Customers who park at that facility have access to many transit options, including Pierce Transit local routes, Intercity Transit routes, Sound Transit Express buses, Link Light Rail into downtown Tacoma, the Sounder South train, Amtrak trains and Greyhound buses. The facility is typically at least 90 percent full on weekdays and most parking spots are filled by early morning.

As demand for transit parking at area Park & Rides continues to grow, transit agencies in the region are discussing a regional parking strategy that helps manage demand through programs such as reserved parking. Sound Transit and King County Metro have already implemented reserved parking for carpools at several Park & Rides around the region, including at the Sumner and Puyallup Sounder stations.

The goals of providing reserved parking include giving regular transit riders a reliable place to park, making parking resources more efficient by better managing demand, and improving transit operations by more evenly spreading out demand for space on transit trips throughout the morning rush hour. Reserved parking also allows commuters to do other things in the morning, such as dropping off kids at school, rather than arriving at the Tacoma Dome Station much earlier than necessary to secure a parking spot.
Pierce Transit is seeking input on the reserved parking concept, including details such as:

• What model should be used to price reserved permits (e.g., recover cost of administration, market rates, regional rates)
• What percentage of the 2,400 parking spaces should be reserved for permit parking; and
• What goals should be prioritized when designing a reserved parking program.

Riders can provide input by:

• Taking an online survey at Piercetransit.org/tds-survey through Oct. 31; and/or
• Attending a drop-in informational session at the Tacoma Dome Station, Puyallup Ave. and East G St., on the bus platform near Zone E on the following dates and times:
o Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2 to 7 p.m.; and
o Thursday, Oct. 25 from 2 to 7 p.m.

Feedback from the outreach process will be reported to the Pierce Transit Board of Commissioners in late 2018 or early 2019. Should the Board wish to proceed, the consideration process will involve a public hearing and a request for Board approval.
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