Seattle has a reputation as a city that encourages green behaviors. They encourage public transportation and bicycle riding. One way they do that is make public parking inconvenient and expensive. I went by Safeco Field today near the time the baseball games was getting ready to start. Event parking was advertised for $40 to $60. Even away from downtown, the zoo park did not have large amounts of parking.
I am wondering how all this is helping. Seeing the large amounts of automobile traffic heading to the U2 concert last night, and the baseball game today, I am wondering how effective that is. Especially for a community that encourages tourism, and tourists may have difficulty tuning into the public transportation system, and the parking system.
Additionally, people here are accustomed to using ferries coming and going. Planning to get someplace off the mainland requires not just driving time, but the time it takes to use the ferry. A planning scheme that people from other parts of the world may not consider.
It certainly removes some element of self-control when ferry schedules, mass transit schedules and planning for parking and walking have to be figured into the life schedule. It seems the Seattle population has said the cost of these losses is worth the savings they anticipate or have achieved. I do have wonder what they have achieved?
Having said that, it is all a way of life that can be learned and adapted to if need be. I wonder if other parts of this country would consider making this adaptation.
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