Skip to Content
Streetsblog USA home
Streetsblog USA home
Log In
Streetsblog.net

Seattle’s Scandalous Plan to “Replace” Parking With Parking

The city of Seattle is planning to use eminent domain to seize a privately owned parking lot near its waterfront. The plan is to convert it into ... a city-run parking lot.

false

What happened here? Well, Network blog Systemic Failure explains why the city saw fit to seize this land from a 103-year-old lady:

Around 100 on-street parking spaces will be lost during the Alaska Way Viaduct construction. To “mitigate” the parking loss, Seattle proposed leasing [Myrtle] Woldson’s parking lot. Woldson already provides parking — just at a market rate. Woldson declined the lease offer as too low. So rather than meet her price, Seattle will just seize her lot through eminent domain.

Seattle is also considering whether to build a parking garage on the lot. Because if there is one thing the waterfront lacks, it is parking.

Wow. Seattle. Way to actually worsen your parking problem. This kind of blatant eminent domain abuse should be illegal.

Elsewhere on the Network today: Rebuilding Place in the Urban Space lists some of the country's hippest suburbs and attempts to synthesize the factors that contribute to their popularity. Cyclelicious says concerned parents really ought worry less about activities like cycling and more about what's really killing people: driving. And Bike Portland reports that the city is planning to install LED lighting to mark some of its bike lanes.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog USA

Friday’s Headlines Got DOGE’d Again

Amidst uncertainty about future federal funding, Amtrak is cutting $100 million and 450 jobs.

May 9, 2025

Friday Video: Where Was the First Public Bus Route in the World?

...and which surprising historical figure helped launch it?

May 9, 2025

Talking Headways Podcast: ‘Normal’ is Not Correct, Someone Died Here

After a crash, the debris is quickly cleaned up and everyone moves on (usually too quickly). But these two experts are asking us to all slow down.

May 8, 2025

Thursday’s Headlines Are Not Gonna Pay a Lot for This Truck

President Trump's tariffs, along with rising insurance costs, are driving down Americans' interest in owning a car.

May 8, 2025

How One Suburb is Using Transit to Transform Into a True City

A Washington State suburb may be poised to evolve into a true transit-oriented hub – and offer lessons for other bedroom communities, even during an anti-transit era.

May 8, 2025
See all posts