New Parking Rates for 2024

Following a study of local parking rates, Seattle University will be increasing parking rates for faculty, staff and students and reducing the number of free parking days available to employees who use the Orca program from 15 to 12 days per quarter.

The university last increased employee monthly parking rates in 2019. Even with the increase, parking at SU remains well below the market median rate of $225 per month and $18 per day.

Here is a summary of the changes:

• Parking fees – Effective Jan. 1, 2024, the daily rate for employees and students will increase to $12 and the monthly parking rates for employees will increase to $145. Beginning July 1, 2024, rates for non-law students will increase to $360 per quarter, and to $480 per semester for law students. See Table 1 below for details on updated parking rates.

• Free parking days effective Jan. 1, 2024 – Employees in the Orca program will receive 12 days of free parking per quarter (currently 15 per quarter).

Going forward, the university will reevaluate on an annual basis parking fees and free parking days for employees in the Orca program and make any necessary adjustments.

Background

Recent surveys have shown an increasing percentage of students who are driving alone to and from campus (Figure 1), and while remote work options are helping somewhat to reduce single occupancy vehicle trips, the percentage of faculty and staff commuting alone remains significant (Figure 2). As the data below also shows, the use of public transportation by community members has significantly decreased while faculty and staff have increasingly used free parking days under the Orca program.

Table 1:  Updated Parking Rates

Figure 1: Student Commuting Modes

Figure 2: Faculty and Staff Commuting Modes