The $3 Parking Lot Near Lynnwood's Light Rail Sits on a Project That Hasn't Been Built

At 19800 44th Ave. W, a short walk from Lynnwood City Center Station, there is a big paved lot that is almost empty of buildings. Its 200 spaces cost $3 a day, and KOMO reported that the lot serves regular commuters and light rail riders. The city's community planning manager told The Daily Herald this month that the lot is "relatively full."

That lot belongs to Northline Village. The plans call for 1,369 homes, office and retail space, and two parks there. Today it is the only property in the city's paid-parking program, and it can rent out its spaces because construction hasn't started. The current relief for Link riders depends on a delay, under a city rule labeled temporary, and both could end on short notice.

Why a $3 lot fills up next to a garage

The station garage was busy from the start. In November 2024, a few months after Link reached Lynnwood, the Herald reported that the garage's 1,670 stalls were full by 8:30 a.m. on a sampled weekday, and full or nearly full on most days. Sound Transit's current parking inventory lists 1,896 spaces at Lynnwood City Center Station. That count covers all station parking, not just the garage.

Sound Transit's own fix for crowded stations helps fewer Lynnwood riders than you might expect. On May 1, 2026, the agency expanded its permit program. It added $60 monthly single-occupant permits and $6 one-day reserved permits, with reduced-fare riders paying $20 and $2. Those paid permits are available only at Shoreline North/185th, Shoreline South/148th and Northgate. Lynnwood City Center offers only the free carpool permit.

The carpool permit has strict rules. From 4 to 10 a.m. on weekdays, a permitted car may use the reserved zone only if at least two transit passengers are in it when it arrives. At least two permit members also have to tap ORCA, U-PASS or another valid account for an outbound trip from that station the same day. At 10 a.m. the zone opens to every driver on a first-come basis. If you drive to Lynnwood alone, Sound Transit has no paid way for you to reserve a space. That leaves room for a private lot to charge $3.

Why the Northline site is still pavement

Lynnwood's city council approved a 15-year development agreement for Northline Village in 2019, covering a site of more than 19 acres where Lynnwood Square sits. Real estate investment firm Merlone Geier Partners bought the site in 2014. The plan includes mid-rise buildings with 500,000 square feet of office space, about half that amount in retail, and two park spaces.

In September, the Herald reported that construction costs have stalled the project. The holdup is the early civil work: sewer, water, power, telecommunications and future roads. Karl Almgren, the city's community planning manager, said "the current market's just not quite supporting it." He also said a fully finished project is unlikely soon, but one or two lots could be completed within the next three years. Mayor George Hurst had said in January that he hoped Northline Village would be developed by the end of his term in 2029.

Meanwhile, the site's location next to the station had value, and paid parking was a way to use it. Almgren told the Herald the developer described paid parking as a way to make use of "the adjacency of their site because there's been a need demonstrated by the community." He added that it "allows them to provide a mechanism for liability insurance."

Construction at Northline Village would eventually use up those 200 spaces. Every lot on the site that moves toward construction is pavement that stops working as parking. If Almgren's three-year estimate holds, part of the overflow lot goes away while the garage it supplements is still full.

A temporary rule with a June 2027 date

The paid parking is allowed because of a city ordinance. In May, ahead of the FIFA World Cup, the council passed a six-month interim ordinance to ease demand around the station. The Herald's May report says it lets owners charge for parking on existing paved sites, but not build new lots. Owners can use hourly, monthly or event-based pricing. KOMO reported in September that the original version ran through Dec. 4. The city doesn't run these lots or collect the parking fees, but it does receive sales tax and licensing and inspection fees.

On Oct. 12, the council voted 6-1 to extend the ordinance another six months, so the next decision comes in June 2027. Staff wanted more time to see whether other property owners would join. So far, Northline Village is the only one. Development and Business Services Director Ben Wolters said Alderwood Mall's owner is looking at paid parking for the busiest sections of its lot. No price or start date has been announced.

The council's discussion covered the main question. The only resident who spoke at the public hearing opposed the fees, and the Herald quoted the speaker:

"Nothing persists like the temporary."

Council member Isabel Mata cast the only no vote. She said paid parking doesn't address the root problem, and that she would rather invest in walking, biking and transit access to the station, since many residents don't have cars. Council member David Parshall said the city can work on access and allow paid parking at the same time, calling the extension "some small temporary relief." Almgren said he has received questions about adding fees or use taxes. The council could take those up when the extension expires in June.

What a weekday morning at the station costs, by option

Here is how the options compare as of October 2026, based on Sound Transit, Community Transit and local reporting.

Ash Way is the largest alternative lot. Swift Orange stops at both Ash Way Park & Ride and Lynnwood City Center Station on its route between Edmonds College and McCollum Park. Community Transit routes 112 and 119 also connect Ash Way with Mountlake Terrace Station. If you live near a bus line, you may not need to park at all. Lynnwood City Center Station is served by Community Transit routes 102, 103, 114, 117, 120, 130, 201 and 202, Swift Orange, and Sound Transit routes 512, 513 and 535.

The trade-off is fairly simple. The park-and-ride options add a bus transfer or extra driving. The $3 lot saves the most time, but it is the option least likely to last.

The farmers market that could change weekend parking

Council President Nick Coelho gave one more reason to extend the ordinance. He wants to see how a farmers market at the light rail station affects parking. He said the market should be running by late spring or early summer 2027, the same season the extension expires.

Coelho and Chamber of Commerce President Frank Percival presented the market idea in late 2025, as a partnership between the city and Sound Transit. Lynnwood would use the station for free apart from a refundable $5,000 security deposit and would hire a market manager. As the Herald reported in November 2025, the first goal was an April 2026 launch, and a Saturday or Sunday schedule had not been chosen. That target has moved back about a year.

So next spring, the council will decide on the ordinance at the same time a new weekend market starts drawing people to the station, and the Northline site may be closer to construction. The $3 lot is open 24 hours a day for now, and the ordinance that allows it runs through June 2027.

If you're thinking about selling a home near the station, or wondering how the City Center changes affect your property, Aimee Zhang can talk it through with you in English or Mandarin. Get a free home valuation or schedule a consultation.