Higher parking rates coming to downtown Colorado Springs

You might need more than a few quarters to park downtown soon.

Colorado Springs’ new parking enterprise director, Scott Lee, is planning to raise parking meter and garage rates downtown.

The meters now charge $1 per hour for those centrally located in the heart of downtown. For those less-centralized meters and garages, it costs $0.75 per hour.

Now Lee says he plans to increase the rate by $0.25 an hour each year, for the next 5 years.

Lee is also hoping to extend parking hours to 10 p.m. and add Sundays from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Compared to other urban cities, Lee believes Colorado Springs is “well behind” in parking prices.

Metered parking is free on Sundays in Downtown Denver, and depending on the location of the parking meter, rates vary.

Some people we spoke with say rates in Denver begin at $2.50, though we weren’t able to find any prices of meters online.

Denver also allows drivers to park overnight and charges $1.00 per hour from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m., and $0.50 per hour from 2 a.m. to 6:00 a.m.

Colorado Springs doesn’t plan to implement this, but it gives us an idea of the prices Denver has applied to downtown meters.

The final decision for rates in Colorado Springs will be made by city council. Lee says he plans to present the recommendations by the end of the year.