The Curb Pricing Study concluded in December 2025. In May 2026, City Council adopted Ordinance 6918, allowing the city to establish a paid on-street parking program in the urban core. Paid parking is anticipated to launch in spring 2027. Visit the Paid Parking Implementation page for the latest information.
From late 2024 through 2025, the city conducted a Curb Pricing Study that explored the feasibility of charging for on-street parking in Bellevue's urban core (Downtown, BelRed and Wilburton neighborhoods). The study used demand data, local and national best practices, detailed cost analysis and stakeholder feedback to help inform next steps.
The study concluded with the Curb Pricing Implementation Strategy, which recommended implementing paid on-street parking. Staff developed the strategy based on feedback from community members and the Transportation Commission as well as data collected from the field. City Council reviewed the strategy on Dec. 2, 2025, and directed staff to prepare code amendments to allow paid on-street parking.
Why study curb pricing?
The Curb Pricing Study was identified as a high-priority, near-term action within the city's Curb Management Plan. Pricing curb space has been proven to effectively manage demand and increase access to on-street parking and loading zones for businesses and customers.
National best practices seek to price the curb so there are about one or two spaces available per block at any given time, allowing people to find parking more easily. Historically, Bellevue has not charged for on-street parking or curbside loading. Curb utilization data collected between 2022 and 2024 showed very high demand for on-street parking spaces, with many blocks completely full. Full street parking can cause people driving to circle the block multiple times, resulting in increased congestion and emissions. It also causes parking for commercial uses to spill into residential neighborhoods and delivery drivers to double park in the travel lane.
The study found that charging for curb space would allow for easier, more reliable access to shops, restaurants and other businesses in the urban core. It would also allow the city to better manage this important resource.
Background
The City Council adopted the Curb Management Plan in July 2023. The plan provides a long-range vision for better managing curbside areas – borders between streets and sidewalks – in Bellevue's densest neighborhoods.
During plan development, the project team worked with stakeholders and parking experts to develop best practice recommendations. A supply-and-demand philosophy was developed for curb usage, with pricing concepts recommended for future consideration. Launching a paid parking study was identified as a near-term priority in the Curb Management Plan.
To learn more about the study, watch the recording of the online open house held on Feb. 10, 2025.
Project timeline
The Curb Pricing Study began in late 2024 and concluded in December 2025. The project team gathered feedback from public stakeholders and the Transportation Commission to develop the Curb Pricing Implementation Strategy, which was finalized in November 2025. Key milestones included:
- Dec. 12, 2024: Study introduced to the Transportation Commission.
- Winter 2025: Public open houses and outreach.
- Oct. 9, 2025: Transportation Commission reviewed project materials and the draft Implementation Strategy document.
- Dec. 2, 2025: City Council reviewed the Curb Pricing Implementation Strategy and voted unanimously to direct staff to prepare an ordinance and code amendments to allow paid on-street parking.
- Apr. 28, 2026: City Council reviewed draft amendments to Bellevue City Code Chapters 11.23 and 11.80. The Council voted unanimously to direct staff to bring an ordinance forward for adoption and proceed with program implementation.
- May 2026: City Council adopted Ordinance 6918, which formalized city code language for the future paid parking program.
Community Engagement
In 2024 and 2025, the project team conducted a variety of public outreach to gather feedback and share information. Efforts included online and in-person open houses, intercept surveys, newsletter articles and focus groups. Findings are summarized in the stakeholder and community feedback report.
Frequently asked questions
Why did Bellevue explore curb pricing?
As discussed in the Curb Management Plan, on-street parking areas have been overwhelmed with demand, often completely full on most blocks in Downtown, Old Bellevue and the Spring District. Charging for parking, loading and other related curb uses helps manage this demand, allowing for more frequent curbside parking availability.
What did the study recommend?
The Curb Pricing Implementation Strategy recommended implementing paid on-street parking in the urban core. In April 2026, City Council directed staff to move forward with implementing a paid parking program.
How were prices established?
The project team reviewed existing data, such as average parking rates for off-street areas in Downtown and BelRed, to help inform pricing recommendations. Bellevue City Code specifies a range that parking rates can exist within. The Director of Transportation sets specific rates in the range, which may vary by time of day, day of the week and type of curb use.
What does performance-based mean?
Like other goods and services, curb usage exists in a supply-and-demand framework. There is a limited amount of curb space, which must be managed based on demand. A performance-based system reviews curb occupancy data on a regular basis and adjusts prices higher or lower based on utilization. For example, if a block is mostly empty during a study period, prices would drop to meet lower demand. If a block is still mostly full, prices would nominally rise. Per City Code, Bellevue may adjust rates with a goal of keeping one or two open spaces on every block.
Materials:
- Ordinance 6918: Amendments to Bellevue City Code Chapters 11.23 and 11.80 establishing a paid on-street parking program (May 2026)
- City Council (April 28, 2026): Agenda item | Meeting minutes
- City Council (Dec. 2, 2025): Agenda item | Meeting minutes
- Final Bellevue Curb Pricing Implementation Strategy (November 2025)
- Transportation Commission (Oct. 9, 2025): Agenda item
- Transportation Commission (March 13, 2025): Agenda item
- Virtual Open House Q&A Summary (Feb. 10, 2025)
- Transportation Commission (Dec. 12, 2024): Agenda item