Bill to fence off Denver's parking meter safety money clears committee, with a 2028 start

A bill that would limit how Denver spends the money it raised by doubling parking meter rates in 2021 is headed to the full City Council. The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee voted 6-0 on Wednesday, Nov. 4, to approve Council Bill 26-1654 for filing (roll call, meeting).

Why it matters: the Transportation and Mobility Special Revenue Fund brings in about $15 million a year, the sponsors' presentation says. It was created to pay for pedestrian, bike, transit and traffic safety work. The sponsors say much of it now goes to parking enforcement and other uses, and the bill would write tighter rules into city law.

The vote

Voting yes were sponsors Flor Alvidrez and Shontel Lewis, Kevin Flynn, Chris Hinds, Amanda Sandoval and Council President Diana Romero Campbell, who made the motion. Hinds seconded. Stacie Gilmore was absent.

What changed since it was filed

We described the original draft in our Oct. 30 story. The version before the committee, version 6, is posted on the bill's record (draft). The main changes the sponsors presented:

• A later start. The rules would take effect July 1, 2028, a compromise with the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure to give it a full budget cycle to plan, a sponsor told the committee (video).
• Clearer uses. "Pedestrian mobility improvements" became "pedestrian crossing safety improvements." The list adds dedicated bus lanes, and the sponsors said they rewrote the language on operations, such as microtransit and mode-shift programs, with input from other Council members (video).
• The core rules stay. Money must support the Vision Zero Action Plan, the Safe Routes to School Action Plan and the Denver Moves plans. No transfers to the General Fund. Balances roll over each year. At least half must go to capital projects, measured over three years. And the department must present its planned uses each year to its advisory board.

The sponsors' case

The presentation counts 58 traffic deaths in Denver in 2026 as of Oct. 30, and 94 in 2025. It lists what the sponsors call uses outside the fund's intent, including $200,000 in 2024 to remove bike infrastructure downtown, and $8.4 million in the 2026 budget for parking-related contracts, more than half the fund. It says up to $8.9 million in the 2027 budget would be affected. Those are the sponsors' characterizations.

A representative of the administration told the committee the bill's language still needs "a few tweaks" and also mentioned the $8.9 million in 2027 spending (video).

A Council member asked why the city's microtransit service doesn't have wheelchair-accessible vehicles. Cindy Patton, the department's chief operating officer, said the vehicles belong to a contractor and that she would follow up (video). Patton is set to become the department's interim director next month.

What our records add

The budget tie. In October the Council asked Mayor Mike Johnston to move $8.9 million from this fund to street safety work. He declined until the Council finishes restructuring the fund, the Denver Gazette reported. The bill would set those new rules, but with a July 2028 start it would not change the 2027 budget.

Where the money goes now. At a July 27 Budget and Policy Committee meeting, a presentation said the fund took in $16.5 million in 2026 and that parking enforcement and operations used about $8.4 million (video).

Speed cameras. Lewis has suggested sending speed camera revenue into this fund instead of the General Fund (video). The speed camera ordinance, 26-1435, returns to the Council on Nov. 9 (our story).

Leadership change. The bill moves forward as Executive Director Amy Ford prepares to leave the department Dec. 4 (our story).

What's next

• Full Council: first and second readings. The city's records hadn't listed dates as of Thursday.
• July 1, 2028: The new rules would take effect if the bill passes in its current form.