LAND USE REGULATIONS TO PROMOTE RIDESHARING: AN EVALUATION OF THE SEATTLE APPROACH

Seattle, Washington, encouraged ridesharing through building-permit requirements for new commercial buildings, an authority derived from Washington State environmental legislation. The goal was to reduce parking supply for single-occupancy vehicles and insure that a project met its parking demand on site. Preliminary evaluation indicates that although long-term parking at sites has been curtailed, there has not been a corresponding increase in carpool parking. The reasons are examined. It is recommended that such controls be incorporated into zoning codes, rather than as part of environmental legislation. Other steps to insure greater ridesharing are also described.