Rates now displayed on Seattle's parking pay stations

Q: Does it seem a no-brainer for Seattle's green pay-parking stations to have some kind of sign posted or decal affixed to the station to indicate the cost of parking on city streets? Joan Goldblatt, a downtown-area resident has an opinion.

After all, there are decals about free parking days, parking rules and pay-station features. There are also buttons that can be pushed to add time, check maximum time, or print a receipt.

"To figure out how much parking costs, one needs to start putting money in," Goldblatt, said. "It seems like the rate should be displayed," as they are at parking lots.

A: Up until last year, pay stations in some areas did not display the hourly parking rates, except on a digital display screen when activated. But now, parking rates are included on the front graphics of all pay stations, or at least they're supposed to be, says Mike Estey, the Seattle Transportation Department's parking-operations and traffic-permits manager.

In early 2009, new graphics showing the hourly rate were installed on pay stations, he said.

If you should run across a station without rate graphics, Estey says, you should report it to the city's parking customer-service office by calling 206-684-5260.

Q: As a mom out with a tot in stroller, Cynthia Kemp says, she's always concerned that cars rushing to make the light at Seattle's North 80th Street and Greenwood Avenue North, a busy intersection near her home, will not stop for pedestrians.

"Why isn't there a left-turn arrow from 80th onto Greenwood?" she asked. After all, there's one for turning onto 80th from Greenwood.

She also wonders why there isn't a left-turn arrow for southbound traffic on Phinney Avenue North to turn east onto North 65th Street, another busy intersection within strolling distance of her home. "This is the arterial," she said, "and yet it is very difficult to make the turn." However, there is a left-turn arrow in the other direction.

A: Brian Kemper, the Seattle Transportation Department's traffic-signal operations manager, says the city does plan to install a left-turn arrow at North 80th and Greenwood, but not until next year. This year's work is already scheduled.

He said his department also looked at the Phinney intersection and concluded that it doesn't meet national standards for a dedicated left-turn signal from Phinney.

Kemper says the existing left-turn signals for traffic turning onto Phinney from 65th were installed because the east- and westbound travel lanes of North 65th Street are not quite aligned.

"For this reason, the eastbound and westbound flows of traffic on 65th are served separately, and the arrows direct drivers so they can proceed without the need to yield to opposing vehicles," he said.