In the article about the loss of commuter parking stalls due to the closure of the South Bellevue Park and Ride, Sound Transit suggests there is availability at existing park and ride facilities. Like the Mercer Island lot, however, the Eastgate Park and Ride facility is full to capacity. Commuters who don’t arrive early enough are out of luck. Many commuters have been inventive in their pursuit of parking — tacking on parking stalls at the end of defined aisles and creating parking spots in no-parking zones.

As any regular user of the Eastgate Park and Ride knows, there are likely over 100 stalls currently being occupied by employees of the adjacent Sunset Office Park complex who do not commute by transit. The employers in the office complex comprised of three large building have effectively turned the Eastgate Park and Ride into private employee parking.

I am sure my fellow bus riders have noticed the steady stream of workers walking back and forth to their vehicles from the office buildings across the street.

Enforcement is warranted by Metro and Sound Transit to ensure that displaced transit commuters have priority access to the stalls at Eastgate rather than allowing private employers to co-op these parking spots for their employees. I urge King County Metro and Sound Transit to take whatever steps are needed to stop this practice, including towing the offenders abusing the facility if necessary.

M. Carlson

Bellevue