Smart Options for Parking in Downtown Denver

The Downtown Denver Partnership receives many inquiries on parking in Downtown Denver. We wanted to take this opportunity to talk about availability and recent changes made: 

Myth:  There isn’t enough parking in Downtown Denver.
Fact: There is an abundance of parking options in Downtown Denver including more than 43,000 off-street parking spaces that complement the City’s on-street metered parking inventory.  The Partnership’s Experience Downtown Denver web site was created, in part, to help consumers find a parking option that is within their budget and close to their Downtown Denver destination.  

Myth: The cost of parking in Downtown continues to rise.
Fact: Downtown Denver parking rates have largely remained steady over the last couple years. The Partnership’s December 2009 parking inventory measured the median monthly parking rate in Downtown Denver to be roughly $135/month and the median daily max rate at $9/day. 

Smart Meter

Myth: Downtown’s traditional parking meters have been replaced with more expensive meters.
Fact:  The City recently changed most of Denver’s traditional parking meters to  “Smart Meters”. These meters are not more expensive to park at than the previous model, and offer several different payment options – change, credit or debit card, or Smart Card. The Smart Card is a pre-loaded credit card sized plastic card that is currently available in the amounts of $5, $15, $25, $50 and $100. The Downtown Denver Partnership will begin selling Smart Cards in the next few weeks.  Please be on the lookout for a DDP Member Advisory once SmartCards can be purchased at the DDP. For other locations, please visit the Denver Public Works web site: www.ParkSmartDenver.com.
 

The Transition from Cash Keys to Smart Cards
If you are a current owner of a parking meter Cash Key, you have two options going forward; you can keep your Cash Key and use it in Denver’s remaining original meters, or bring your cash key and photo ID to the Downtown Denver Partnership or the following additional locations to receive a refund on your deposit.

Smart Card

Webb Building, 201 West Colfax, 1st floor, Cashier Counter 

Wastewater Building, 2000 West 3rd Street, Permit Counter 
Tattered Cover locations: 2526 East Colfax Avenue at Elizabeth Street  or 1628 16th Street at Wynkoop

Questions about parking or transit in Downtown Denver? Contact Aylene McCallum.