I saw three government functions in Seattle that I commend to other cities.
It begins at the airport. On the right is a photo of modern day life in exile. When we arrive at our destination gate there is no one who cares about us to offer a warm welcome. In fact, since September 2001 there is no place for our caring associates to meet us. In most airports our welcoming committee is assigned to oblivion at some banal or hideous “exit” area.
Not in Seattle. The “exit” area is now...
The “exit” area is now filled with coffee shops, magazine stands, brew pubs and plenty of human scaled places to sit. Thank you Seattle airport authority for your competence.
Thank you again for your intelligence in handling the people who don’t
come into the airport but efficiently and graciously await us in their
car. Most airports expect these caring people to make due with
circling the airport terminal endlessly or paying for hourly
parking in a distant and awkward garage. Not at Seattle. There is a
short time parking area designated as “Cell phone parking.” The kind
and generous people who are picking up friends and relatives wait in
the “Cell phone parking” area until they get the magic phone call that
tells them to pull up in front and load their precious human cargo.
Lastly, the City of Seattle provides the parking meters shown in the left photo. It is solar powered. The singular importance of this meter is that it accepts credit cards. Yes, unlike the less than competent civil servants (with slave mentalities) that run San Francisco parking, you don’t need to carry 30 quarters with you at all times to feed parking meters.
For those of you who know the current issues in the great parking debate, the current best policy is to have parking meters that change prices all day long and keep 15% of the meters free at any time. That means you can always get parking. The rates are usually lower than parking lots in the same locale. Seattle is ready.