New reserved permit parking option available for Auburn and Puyallup Sounder Stations

Starting June 1, riders using the parking lots at the Auburn and Puyallup Sounder stations will be able to access parking reserved for their use until 8 a.m. by purchasing a new Single Occupant Vehicle (SOV) permit or signing up for an existing free carpool permit. The SOV parking permits, which go on sale Wednesday, May 1, will be available for a standard monthly fee of $60, with a discounted rate of $20 per month for riders who are eligible for ORCA Lift reduced transit fares. Prices were set based on market rates for commuter parking in the vicinity of each station.

Permit parking spaces will be reserved exclusively for permit holders arriving during the morning rush hours. The size of the permit area at each station will be set based on the number of permits purchased and issued each month, but will not exceed 50 percent of the spaces at either station. All other station parking will remain open on a first-come, first-serve basis, as will any unused permit spaces after 8 a.m., and on holidays and weekends.

On weekdays, parking lots at the Auburn and Puyallup stations are frequently full well before 6:30 a.m. This makes it difficult to access Sounder for those who can't arrive so early including parents who must drop children off at school or daycare, and other potential riders who don't work a conventional 8 a.m.to 5 p.m. schedule. These permits options are intended to provide a reliable option for riders to find parking without arriving earlier than needed. To view the full Sounder schedule visit www.soundtransit.org/schedules.

SOV permit applicants must use a valid ORCA card at least 12 days per month to board Sounder, ST Express, or a bus from the same station operated by King County Metro or Pierce Transit. Carpool parking permits continue to be available free of charge to groups of two or more riders who all commit to use transit and share a ride to the station at least 12 days per month.

Riders can submit permit applications starting May 1. To apply online, or obtain more information about Sound Transit's permit parking program, please visit www.soundtransit.org/permitparking.

King County Metro and Pierce Transit also provide fast and direct access to Sounder Stations in Auburn and Puyallup. For routes, schedules and trip planning, visit www.kingcounty.gov/depts/transportation/metro (Auburn) and www.piercetransit.org (Puyallup).

In 2018, the Sound Transit board authorized permit parking options for all of the agency's high demand park-and-rides, including those that regularly fill to or in excess of 90 percent of capacity. SOV and carpool permits are currently available for Sounder Station parking lots in Edmonds and Mukilteo.

Sound Transit plans to implement solo-driver parking permits at more lots in the coming months. Facilities under consideration for permit parking in 2019, include: 

• Tukwila, Kent, and Lakewood Sounder stations.
• The Federal Way Transit Center, Issaquah Transit Center and Mercer Island Park-and-Ride.
• Tukwila International Blvd and Angle Lake Link light rail stations.

Sound Transit will be building new parking garages at both the Auburn and Puyallup Sounder stations, along with other station access improvement in the next few years. The Auburn project includes a garage with more than 500 new spaces and is expected to be completed in 2023. 

In Puyallup the project includes a new 500 space garage and approximately 165 new surface parking spots. The new garage is scheduled to open in 2022.