Starting Jan. 1, parking rates downtown will rise, following approval as part of the city’s 2026 budget process. Street parking citywide will see a $0.50 increase, from $1.50 to $2 per hour. Garage parking will also increase, with hours two through six in the garage costing $1.75 per hour, up from $1.25. Parking rates for six to 12 hours, where much of the city’s parking revenue is generated, will remain the same at $15. The higher rates are expected to produce $800,000 additional revenue for the downtown area. Garage parking will remain free on weekends and public holidays.
All parking transactions will also include an additional $0.99 fee. This fee is already factored into current prices, but the city is transitioning to listing it separately due to confusion among users about price breakdowns in receipts.
“We were getting complaints from folks who felt like there were hidden fees because we weren’t advertising them as separate,” said Samantha Bromberg, a senior project manager in the Community Vitality Department, at the Downtown Management Commission meeting on Oct. 28 in response to concerns about false advertising.
The fee is charged by Metropolis, a third-party vendor the city contracts with for parking. Metropolis receives the entire $0.99 until the city hits 250,000 transactions, after which the city gets half. Boulder garages see around 500,000 transactions a year.
New signs will be installed, including at garage exits, to reflect the new rates. The Community Vitality Department is also working to standardize designs for all parking signage downtown.
The city may have the opportunity to renegotiate its contract with Metropolis next year and is considering specific parking fees for Sundance.
Balancing the budget on the tab of the taxpayers. Kind of counterintuitive, since they won’t have that money to contribute to sales tax revenue.
I’ve never seen it advertised or mentioned anywhere (may have missed if it was): the first15min of all (or almost all) street parking in Boulder is free each time you park using the ParkMobile parking app.
Obviously flat fees are easier for folks to understand, but would be nice if we could move to some kind of dynamic pricing, where the meter rate for each newcomer is based on how many open spots there are on the block. (Cheap when the block is empty, more expensive for the last open space) Would make it easier to nab that convenient open spot if you’ve got a quick dash-in errand at a downtown business, or choose something slightly further away if you’re planning to linger.
I totally agree, Jonathan. Downtown streets are filled with people slowly cruising, hoping for that one spot that might pop open. If rates are high enough to allow one or two open spots per block, people that want a super-convenient front-door parking spot and are willing to pay for it will always be able to find it and won’t drive in circles adding to congestion and pollution. And there would be more turnover for businesses, meaning more customers able to reach their stores. They don’t want a car parked for hours in front of their business, blocking new customers from arriving and shopping. On-street parking should be for quick-turnover errands; the garages are for longer term and should be quite a bit cheaper than on-street parking.
We also need much better signage pointing people to the parking garages and indicating how many free spots there are. There are signs like this at the garage entrances, but we need them on the nearby streets with very clear signage leading drivers to the nearest garage with open spaces. I’ve seen this in Santa Barbara and other cities and it works really well, reducing cruising around for parking spaces.
The proposed parking rate increases risk undermining—not supporting—the vibrancy of Boulder’s business districts. Higher parking costs operate as a direct tax on residents, workers, and visitors at a time when inflation continues to strain household and business budgets. Parking fees are one of the most immediate and visible costs of visiting downtown, and when those costs rise, people visit less frequently, shorten their stays, or choose neighboring communities with free or lower-cost parking.
Local businesses will feel these impacts first and most severely. Retailers, restaurants, and service providers depend on consistent foot traffic, particularly from visitors who have many alternatives. Increased parking rates discourage casual trips and repeat visits, disproportionately harming small businesses that lack the financial cushion to withstand even slight declines in customer volume. Over time, reduced visitation leads to lower sales and diminished sales tax revenue—potentially offsetting any short-term gains from higher parking fees.
It is no secret that Boulder is in a budget crisis. Attempting to cover budget shortfalls through parking revenue creates broader negative consequences for both citizens and businesses. This approach shifts the financial burden onto those simply trying to work, shop, dine, or participate in the community, rather than addressing the underlying causes of fiscal imbalance. Using access to the city as a revenue mechanism erodes public trust and makes Boulder less competitive as a destination for commerce and tourism.
Parking should be treated as a public service that supports economic activity, not as a cost center designed to generate revenue. If the City’s objective is to reduce budget shortfalls while limiting economic burdens on residents and businesses, the most meaningful and responsible solution is to control spending. This includes reducing unnecessary city staffing levels, eliminating excess or duplicative programs, and prioritizing core services. Cost discipline—not higher user fees—offers a sustainable path forward that protects local businesses, supports residents, and preserves the long-term economic health of Boulder’s business districts.