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Breckenridge Town Council approves parking price increases for certain areas of town

Signage outside of Tonopah Lot is pictured on July 12, 2022. Rates to park at Tonopah and Ice House lots were approved for an increase by Town Council.
Eliza Noe/Summit Daily News

After approval from the Breckenridge Town Council Tuesday evening, drivers will face increased parking fees for two town lots and portions of Main Street starting on Aug. 1. 

“We will look at putting up some temporary signs that say that fines are substantially increased,” assistant mobility director Matt Hulsey said. “It may also be a little bit of hard learning for some folks, so that’ll begin Aug. 1.”

At the Town Council’s last meeting, town staff recommended several changes along with its presentation of the town’s first parking report. According to town reports, weekday pricing refers to Mondays though Thursdays and weekend pricing refers to Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.



For town lots, council members approved increases to Ice House and Tonopah. Old hourly fees for weekdays stayed between 50 cents and $1, maxing out at a total day rate of $8.50. For weekends it was slightly higher. Rates began at 50 cents per hour and increased up to $2 by the fourth hour of parking, and the entire day would cost $17.

New rates for the lots rise incrementally over the course of the day. For weekdays, rates begin at less than a dollar and increase by 50 cents almost every hour, topping out at $4 by hour nine. In total, to park in Ice House and Tonopah lots all day during a weekday a driver will pay $25.50.



On weekends the daily rate will more than double. Per-hour rates for those days will increase throughout the day, and total day rates will be $35.50. Council members said this would hopefully deter visitors from staying for entire days and allow for a flow of more visitors to be able to park throughout the day. 

Council also approved increased rates for south and central Main Street.

Former fees would allow visitors to pay between 50 cents and $2 in the first three hours of parking, with an increase to $5 per hour after hour four. In total, for a full day of weekday parking previous fares would cost $39. For weekends previous fees had the first three hours at lower prices — from 50 cents to $3 — but then rates jumped at the fourth hour to $6 per hour. Weekend fees topped out at $47 for a full day of parking.

According to the yearly parking report, parking revenue from May 2021 to April 2022 was about $3.45 million.

“The Town’s parking strategy takes into consideration our inventory of parking spaces, as well as the needs of our residents, employees, guests, transit operations, delivery services and businesses in order to thoughtfully manage multiple interests throughout the year,” the report reads. “Escalating hourly pricing along with consistent management, including communication and enforcement, is intended to promote turnover of parking spaces in the downtown core area.” 

Now, drivers parking on parts of Main Street will pay a $59.50 full-day rate during weekdays and $76.50 on weekends. The first three hours still remain low priced but jump to $8 starting with the fourth hour during weekdays and raise again to $8.50 per hour at the seventh hour.

For weekends prices remain higher on Main Street. For those days, there is an increase to $4 per hour at the third hour, $7 at the fourth hour, $9.50 at the fifth hour, $10.50 at the seventh hour and $11.50 at the ninth hour. For a full day of Main Street parking on the weekend, rates increase about ​​62.76%.

In addition to parking fee increases, town leadership also approved an increase to parking fines. Now, for the majority of fines, they will increase from $30 with a $30 late fee to $50 with a $50 late fee after 10 days. Staff members said that the intent of the updated fine structure is to encourage compliance, which will ensure permit-only lots and delivery zones have spaces available for vehicles that have the proper permits. Council members said Tuesday that they would like to see a lot of signage and outreach to let everyone know about the changes.

In order to protect employee-only parking, it was also recommended that fines for visitors who parked in those areas be raised, as well. Now, anyone without an employee parking permit will receive a $100 fine with $50 added if the ticket is not paid within 10 days. If an employee who does not have a permit parks in an employee-only area and receives a ticket, he or she can buy a permit in exchange for their fine. 

“I think we should ask (Breck Park’s) team to do more enforcement in the employee lots for people that are not employees,” mayor Eric Mamula said at the June 28 work session. “One thing I hear from employees is ‘Who are all these people that are parked there this early? Those are definitely not employees.'”


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