You'll Get a Boot Out of This: Denver's Parking Meters Still Free!

Enforcement of certain parking rules has been suspended indefinitely.

May 8, 2020

Anthony Camera

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As the stay-at-home order is lifted and Denver residents return to the streets, they'll discover that things in this city aren't business as usual.

For starters: Parking meters will still be free.

Although the stay-at-home order will end at midnight tonight and some businesses can start reopening on May 9, they must do so under safety regulations that call for masks on both employees and customers, strict social distancing and other protective measures.

But at least getting to those businesses will be easier than ever, because some orders issued in the wake of the coronavirus epidemic will remain in force. Contacted yesterday, the city's Joint Information Center confirmed that "effective March 19, 2020 and until further notice, the Denver Department of Transportation and Infrastructure has suspended enforcement of the following":

Parking meters: (All meters will be free and without time limits.)

Time-limited, non-metered parking areas (e.g., 30-minute, 1-hour, 2-hour, etc.)

Residential Permit Parking areas

72-hour parking limits

Residents and visitors can park their vehicles in one spot for more than 72 hours.

Large vehicle parking

People can park trucks and other vehicles more than 22’ in length on the street.

School bus loading zones

Booting

Sounds too good to be true? You can find more information on Denver's website.

Patricia Calhoun is editor-in-chief of Westword, the alt-weekly she co-founded in September 1977. She’s been inducted into the Colorado Press Association Hall of Fame, the Association of Alternative Newsmedia Hall of Fame and the Colorado Restaurant Association Hall of Fame. She’s also received dozens of local, state and national awards for writing, including first place for feature writing and first place for column writing with the Society of Professional Journalists. Patricia is a weekly commentator on Colorado Inside Out, PBS 12's public affairs roundtable, which has won two Emmys.

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