Fort Collins Plans Major Downtown Parking Overhaul to End Free Street Parking
The City of Fort Collins is moving forward with significant changes to downtown parking management, including the potential end of free on-street parking that has defined the area for years.
The city currently operates what officials call an "upside-down" pricing system where the most convenient on-street spaces are free with two-hour time limits, while parking garages charge $1 per hour. This creates congestion as drivers circle looking for free spots while garages remain underutilized.
On-street spaces currently exceed 80-85% occupancy during peak times, while garages rarely reach 60-70% capacity except during special events, according to the city's official parking website.
"Our goal is to create a parking system that is simple, fair and sustainable," said Eric Keselburg, the city's Parking Services Senior Manager. "These updates will help make downtown parking more reliable for visitors and businesses, while ensuring that those who use the system are the ones who pay for it."
Financial Sustainability Driving Changes
The current system forces Parking Services to rely on City General Fund contributions to cover maintenance and operations costs. Officials say this model isn't sustainable long-term and want users to fully fund the parking system instead of taxpayers subsidizing it.
The city partnered with Walker Consultants and the Downtown Development Authority to complete a comprehensive Parking Services Optimization Study analyzing supply, demand and financial conditions downtown.
Proposed changes include expanding paid parking to on-street spaces, extending enforcement hours, improving wayfinding systems, and restructuring the city's Residential Permit Parking Program that serves neighborhoods near downtown and Colorado State University.
The updates aim to support downtown businesses, improve the customer experience for both short and long-term parkers, and align parking management with the city's broader transportation programs that encourage walking, biking and transit use.
Community Input Planned
City staff will host community open houses and focused engagement sessions with downtown business owners and stakeholders later this year to share specific details about potential changes, including timelines and implementation steps.
The timeline calls for community information and engagement opportunities during fall and winter 2025-2026, followed by City Council consideration and voting on recommendations in 2026. If approved, changes would be implemented in phases.
Fort Collins' current free on-street model differs from cities like Boulder, where metered on-street parking typically costs $1.50-$2.00 per hour. The proposed Fort Collins changes could bring similar pricing to encourage turnover of the most convenient spaces.
Community members can stay updated and share feedback as details emerge. For more information about the parking management updates, visit fcgov.com/parkingupdates.