Hill’s free parking will continue to dry up under 2017 budget

Parking has been a chore on Capitol Hill for years, but at least there have always been plenty of free options. Well — that may be less true late in 2017 after the City Council, on Monday, passed a budget with a provision expanding the number of paid parking stalls on Pike and Pine streets. The budget measure will also extend the paid hours of stalls in three areas of Capitol Hill later into the evening.

The budget has proposed, as a revenue-generating measure, adding 150 paid parking stalls to the Pike-Pine corridor.

Currently, paid parking stalls in Seattle only operate up to 8 p.m. in the evening. Under the new budget, the city Department of Transportation will look at extending payment three hours later, up to 11 p.m, in northern Capitol Hill, southern Capitol Hill and the Pike-Pine corridor.

That change wouldn’t occur until late in 2017, following what budget writers called “a comprehensive public-engagement process” throughout most of the year.

Parking revenue is set to bring in $38.8 million by the end of 2016, according to budget documents. Coupled with 136 paid spaces in South Lake Union, the Capitol Hill parking stalls are projected to bring in an additional $3.5 million in 2017. Parking revenue is expected to reach $44.8 million in 2018.

The Seattle Police Department will be allocated $28,645 for one additional full-time parking officer to cover the additional spaces.