Parking Advisory Task Force / Frequently Asked Questions / Off-Street Parking / Alternatives to Parking / Parking for People with Disabilities / Maps / Downtown On the Go
-
Citizens can now pay tickets and fines through Municipal Court’s new online payment system: Citizens who receive parking tickets, camera citations, traffic infractions or other fines can now use the Municipal Court’s new online payment system. There are two online payment options available. Citizens can either pay their tickets or fines online by eCheck, credit card or debit card through the Trust Commerce site, or respond to a collections letter from NCO Financial Systems and make an online payment by eCheck, credit card or debit card.
To use the new online payment system, citizens will need to reference their tickets or case paperwork. Those who do not have their tickets or case paperwork, or who are using screen readers, are advised to call the Tacoma Municipal Court at (253) 591-5357 for assistance. The new online payment system is available at cityoftacoma.org/municipalcourt.
-
Task Force Meetings: The task force meets on the first Thursday of the month at 4:10 p.m. in the Tacoma Municipal Bldg, Room 537. The public forum begins at 5:30 p.m.
-
Parking financials summary
- View the July 12, 2011, Study Session Presentation (pdf)
- Monthly Parking Report for June (pdf)
- Pay Station Tip: When using a debit/credit card, be deliberate. Insert the card slowly and wait for the machine to prompt removal. This will allow the pay station technology time to register your information.
- Tacoma Residential Parking Program Study (pdf)
- List of parking fines can be found in Tacoma Municpal Code Title 11: http://cms.cityoftacoma.org/cityclerk/Files/MunicipalCode/Title11-Traffic.PDF
- The following changes to downtown parking pay stations were put in place Dec. 4, 2010:
- On Saturdays, buy 2 hours and you can park all day. Patrons will be able to purchase all day parking on Saturday at each pay station for just $1.50. Users can still purchase less than two hours of time when needed, but they will not get the all day parking benefit. This is a pilot program
- Users can now pre-purchase time for parking the next day beginning at 8 p.m. This change will allow more patrons to conveniently purchase time and display their receipt before enforcement begins on the following morning.
- These changes were recommended to the City in a memo signed Dec. 3, 2010
- Pay stations were turned on and began charging for parking downtown on Sept. 20. Most paid parking spaces now have a 2-hour limit.
- Hours and rates: Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. the rate is $0.25/20 minutes or $0.75/hour with a 2-hour time limit. On Saturdays, you can pay $2.50 to park from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m (all day).
- On what days/hours will paid parking (and time limits) be enforced?
Tacoma currently enforces parking time limits from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday – except holidays.
Holidays recognized by the City of Tacoma include:
January: New Years Day [January 1st]
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day [3rd Monday]
February: Presidents Day [3rd Monday]
May: Memorial Day [Last Monday]
July: Independence Day [July 4th]
September: Labor Day [1st Monday]
November: Veterans Day [November 11th]
Thanksgiving Day [4th Thursday]
Day After Thanksgiving
December: Christmas Day [December 25th]
*** When an above listed holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday is a free parking day.
After decades, paid on-street parking is returning to Tacoma’s downtown. In 2009, the Tacoma City Council authorized implementation of a paid on-street parking program in the downtown core. The Council’s action followed a year of meetings with downtown stakeholders. Preparation will begin over the summer, with paid parking set to begin in September 2010.
During an initial period, Tacoma will offer a reduced rate of only 75¢ per hour. This will be one of the lowest hourly rates in the Puget Sound area – and significantly below major northwest cities’ rates in Seattle ($2.50 per hour) and Portland ($1.60).
View Map in more detail (PDF)
In recent years, on-street parking in Tacoma’s downtown core has become congested for long periods of time. That’s a sign of success - Tacoma has an increasingly busy, vibrant downtown. But that’s also a problem for customers who can’t find a parking space. Studies show that many on-street spaces are taken by downtown employees who should be using available off-street parking or alternative travel options (transit, bike, walk, etc.). Paid on-street parking will facilitate a “Customers First” approach. Parking turnover will benefit short stay customers and visitors.
Boundaries in the downtown core for paid on-street parking are: S. 7th Street (both sides), Market Street (both sides), S. 21st Street and Dock Street (both sides). A total of about 1,500 parking spaces will be metered.
Electronic pay stations have been installed in Tacoma instead of old style parking meters. Pay stations are more convenient for customers and offer several payment options. They accept coins, credit and debit cards. Over the past decade, the electronic meters have become the standard in cities across the U.S. and worldwide. Pay stations are more reliable, cost less to maintain and are less susceptible to vandalism and theft.
Alternatives to Parking - Downtown: On the Go!
For more information about parking in Tacoma, e-mail tacomaparking@cityoftacoma.org.
E-mail contact for this Web page: Public Works 