DENVER — Mayor Michael Hancock's 2022 budget proposal includes a plan to increase citywide parking meter rates from $1 to $2 an hour.
The budget proposal, released Wednesday, says the rate increase would generate an additional $9.2 million for the city in the first year.
This would be the first parking meter rate increase in 20 years, according to the proposal.
The proposal said the additional revenue will go to the new Transportation and Mobility Fund, which will pay for projects related to bicycles, sidewalks, safety, and transit improvements.
Proposed uses for the money include:
- About $1.9 million for the Denver Moves bicycles program, to "support an innovative approach to building bicycle infrastructure and accelerate the implementation of bikeways."
- About $1.8 million to build and repair sidewalks near public facilities, educational facilities, transit, and other critical areas.
- About $1.8 million for improvements at high-crash intersections, road crossing safety treatments, and signal modification.
- About $3.7 million for the Denver Moves transit program, "including design and construction of a high frequency network and transit amenities."
- About $300,000 for an additional inspector and project manager related to sidewalk repair.
9NEWS looked into the hourly parking rates in other cities, where prices sometimes vary depending on the area and the time of day. Here's what we found:
- Seattle: Up to $2
- Chicago: Up to $2.25
- Minneapolis: Up to $2.75
- Los Angeles: Up to $6
- Washington D.C.: Up to $2.50
- Colorado Springs: Up to $1.25
Denver City Council must approve the $1.49 billion budget proposal before it can be implemented. The council will hold a series of hearings over the next two weeks to discuss the proposal with other city leaders.
Once budget hearings are completed on Sept. 27, the council will discuss their requests and send a letter with proposed amendments to the mayor for consideration in early October.
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