Starting Tuesday, Oct. 1, riders who park and ride from the Kent Sounder Station and the Federal Way Transit Center will be able to purchase a new single-occupancy vehicle (SOV) parking permit or sign up for an available free carpool parking permit that goes into effect in November.

SOV and carpool permits will give riders access to reserved parking areas at both stations beginning November 1. In Kent, parking will be reserved for permit holders until 8 a.m. on weekdays. Federal Way permit holders will have access to reserved areas until 9 a.m. on weekdays. SOV parking permits for both stations go on sale today. At the Kent station permits are available for a monthly fee of $60, with a discounted rate of $20 per month for riders who are eligible for ORCA Lift reduced fares. At the Federal Way Transit Center, SOV permits will be available for a $45 monthly fee, with a discounted rate of $15 for riders eligible for ORCA Lift reduced fares. Prices were set based on market rates and utilization of paid parking, where it exists, in the surrounding area.

The stations will have permit parking areas 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% of the spaces at either station. All unpermitted station parking will remain open on a ﬁrst-come, ﬁrst-served basis. Weekdays, parking is available in any unused permit spaces, after 8 a.m. at the Kent Sounder Station and after 9 a.m. at the Federal Way Transit Center, as well as holidays and weekends.

On weekdays, the parking lot at both stations frequently fills well before 7:30 a.m. This makes it difficult to access transit for those who can’t arrive so early, including parents who must drop children off at school or day care, and other potential riders who don’t work a conventional 8 a.m.-5 p.m. schedule. These permit options provide a reliable way for riders to find parking without arriving earlier than needed. To view full Sounder and Link schedules, visit www.soundtransit.org/schedules.

SOV permit applicants must use a valid ORCA or ORCA Lift card at least 12 days per month to board Sounder, Link or a bus from the same station. Carpool parking permits continue to be available free of charge to groups of two or more riders who all commit to using transit and sharing a ride to the station at least 12 days per month.

Riders can submit permit applications starting at 7 a.m. October 1. To apply online or obtain more information about Sound Transit’s permit parking program, please visit www.soundtransit.org/permitparking.

King County Metro provides fast and direct access to both stations. For routes, schedules and trip planning, visit www.kingcounty.gov/depts/transportation/metro. Pierce Transit offers fast connections from the Federal Way Transit Center to Tacoma and other parts of Pierce County. For more information visit www.piercetransit.org

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% of capacity.

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: