Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Transportation Parking topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Kirkland previews live parking web map pilot, plans June 2 public launch
Summary
City staff showed a near‑ready live parking web map on May 6, describing a pilot that uses magnetometer sensors (installed July 2023) to update block‑face occupancy every 60 seconds; the city plans a public launch June 2 and will continue small post‑launch fixes
City transportation staff previewed a live parking web map pilot for downtown Kirkland and two waterfront lots at the May 6 study session, and said the city will publicly launch the pilot on June 2.
Nut graf: The pilot uses on‑street magnetometer sensors and updated pay stations to display block‑face occupancy and lot availability. Staff said the sensor network — installed in the downtown core and two nearby lots in July 2023 — updates vehicle presence every 60 seconds and does not collect personal data.
Transportation planner Kim Scrivner and Deputy Public Works Director Sarah Olsen demonstrated the map in council chambers and encouraged councilors to test the public QR link. Scrivner said the city installed more than 500 sensors and replaced six downtown pay stations; the sensor feed updates when a car enters or leaves a stall, and the system shows occupancy by block face and by parking type (loading, EV, accessible, short‑term).
Features and accessibility: The web map is organized by block face and lot and includes the city’s parking rules and interactive street‑view links. Staff said the map will be embedded on the downtown parking web page and can display filters for loading zones, accessible stalls and EV spaces. Declan Hollingworth, the consultant joining remotely from Toronto, was available for technical questions during the demonstration.
Pilot scope and next steps: Staff called the rollout a pilot and listed a set of minor user‑interface fixes to complete before launch — for example, having the sidebar collapsed by default and ensuring the lots layer remains visible after toggling live data — and said they will coordinate communications with the City Manager’s Office. A staff dashboard will integrate sensor data, pay‑station records and mobile payments to support future pricing, curb management and garage technology decisions. City staff said they will return in 2026 with cost estimates and options for expanding live counts to parking garages and private lots.
Ending: The planned pilot launch is June 2; staff said they will follow the launch with small bug fixes and engagement with downtown businesses and partners to make the map more discoverable.
