Here’s an insider parking tip: you can save time, gas, and emissions by going straight to one of the city’s five convenient downtown garages.

Downtown Boulder Garages are Going Gateless!

After 46 years of service it's time to retire the downtown garage gates and take a leap forward in technology and innovation.

On Oct. 1, 2023, the City of Boulder downtown garages are rolling out a fully gateless system which will allow seamless access without waiting in long lines. Once you've registered the first time you'll never need to stop to pay, simply drive in and drive out to start and end your parking session.

Gateless Garages Coming Soon!
How to use the new Metropolis enabled downtown parking garages

Boulder is partnering with Metropolis to introduce gateless, contactless payment parking to the City of Boulder downtown garages. You just drive in and drive out: Metropolis handles the rest. No more gates, long lines, or reaching for a ticket machine ever again.

These are still public parking garages owned by the City.

Add your license plate number and credit card for contactless payment. Beginning Oct. 1, when you visit a City of Boulder downtown garage powered by Metropolis, just drive in and drive out. Register for touch-free payment with Metropolis.

While you do need a cell phone that can receive texts to register for the Metropolis platform, you only have to register once, and then you'll be set. Once you register on your cell phone or from home on any web-enabled device at app.metropolis.io, you can drive in and out of the City of Boulder’s downtown BoulderPark garages and the system will automatically charge your account any amount due. This means you do not need to carry a smart phone with you as long as you have pre-registered. If you do not have a smart phone available on your first visit and you have not pre-registered, you will have 24 hours to register before being subject to a fine. If you have questions about how to register, you can also call the Metropolis help phone number, available 24 hours a day/7 days a week, at 856-485-9703. This number will be posted on all the pay to park signage throughout the garages.

Metropolis will launch on Oct. 1, 2023 at the following locations:

  • 11th and Spruce
  • 15th and Pearl
  • 10th and Walnut (St. Julien Hotel)
  • 14th and Walnut (RTD Bus Station)

11th and Walnut (Randolph Center) is coming in November.

Once Metropolis launches and you’ve registered for an account, you will be able to drive in and out of them all.

Active permits will be transitioned to the new Metropolis platform. Once you have completed the required registration steps, your permit will be valid for the designated garage. You will be able to drive in and out of all garages, but you will be charged at non-permitted garages.

After registering for a Metropolis Account, you’ll be sent a QR code that will validate your visit. Scan the code after arriving at the facility and before departing for an easy drive-out experience.

No problem! If you’re visiting for a short time and do not wish to use one of your prepaid days, simply drive out of the garage to pay the hourly rate

Reach out to Denver-area@metropolis.io to apply. You will be contacted with instructions to register on the platform and receive your Promo code.

After registering for a Metropolis Account and making a one-time payment, you’ll be sent a Promotion code that will add these funds to your account. Nothing further is needed, these funds will be debited from your account after each use. When less than $20 remains on your balance, Metropolis will reach out to re-load funds, if necessary.

The Metropolis team will be in touch the last week of September to issue you a Promo code that will apply to your account any leftover funds on the existing Cash Pass.

Interactive Parking Map

Explore public parking options in an interactive map. City parking garages are highlighted in yellow, while surface lots are purple. Click on any area to see what the current hours are rates are. You can find a full size map here: https://maps.bouldercolorado.gov/parkbouldervisitor/

ParkBoulder Visitor Map

How to Pay Your Garage Parking Citation

Step 1

To pay your parking citation, please visit payments.metropolis.io and enter your citation number or license plate number into the “Pay my Parking Ticket” prompt.

Step 2

Once the violation number or license plate number have been entered, the violation associated will generate on the next page.

Step 3

The violation will allow for a view of the violation details, location, and images of the vehicle.

Step 4

In order to pay the violation, please enter your credit card information into the “Payment Method” prompt and then click “pay violation.”

Step 5

Once the payment is processed, an option for a receipt will be available on the next screen.

If additional support is needed, please contact payments@metropolis.io

How to Dispute Garage Citations

Step 1

If you feel like your violation was sent to you in error, please visit payments.metropolis.io to dispute your violation.

Step 2

Enter your violation number or license plate number into the “Pay my Parking Ticket” prompt.

Step 3

Once your violation has populated, refer to the prompt at the bottom of the page “How to file a dispute.”

Step 4

Click the link provided and on the following page, complete the required fields to dispute the violation.

Step 5

Once finished, please click submit and the dispute will be generated and sent to our customer support team.

Fees & Rates

Parking Fees*

Hour Rate
1st hour $1.75
2nd-6th hour $1.25/hr
6-12 hours $15.99
3 p.m. to 3 a.m. ** $3.00
Weekends & City Holidays FREE
  • *Rates valid as of Oct. 1, 2023 and are inclusive of fees
  • **$3 flat rate only applies if you enter and exit between 3 p.m. and 3 a.m.
  • If you park longer than 12 hours the rate structure starts over.
  • Saturdays, Sundays, and city holidays are free

Permit Parking Rates

Downtown garage permits can be purchased from the City of Boulder until September 15, 2023. Starting October 1, 2023, downtown garage permits can be purchased through Metropolis.

  • BoulderPark garages powered by Metropolis: $160/month

Please Note

  • For pressing parking concerns, please call non-emergency Police Dispatch at 303-441-3333 or Report an Illegally Parked Vehicle. ​
  • No storage of vehicles over 72 hours.
  • Motorcycles are prohibited in city-owned downtown garages
  • Failure to pay will result in a citation

How to Purchase a Garage Permit

Check your eligibility

Garage permits allow long-term parking for downtown employees, paid monthly, at an assigned location. There are 6 downtown garages. Permits are only available for employees working within the boundaries of the Central Area General Improvement District (CAGID).

Purchase, refill, renew

  1. Downtown Garages

    Downtown garage permits can be purchased from the City of Boulder until Sept. 15, 2023. Starting Oct. 1, 2023, downtown garage permits can be purchased through Metropolis. After Oct. 1, to purchase a permit for the 15th and Pearl, 10th and Walnut (St. Julien), 11th and Walnut (Randolph), 11th and Spruce, or 14th and Walnut (RTD) garages, you can register with Metropolis and then look for 'subscriptions'.

  2. Trinity Garage

    To purchase a permit for the Trinity garage please fill out this application.

Downtown Boulder employees

Downtown Boulder employees can park in the garage located at the southwest corner of Alpine & Broadway at an amazing rate.

Garage Locations & Space Counts

GARAGE/LOCATION NUMBER OF SPACES NOTES
11th and Walnut (in the Randolph Center) 260 Has electric vehicle (EV) chargers (Visit EV charging stations webpage for more information)
11th and Spruce 390 Has EV chargers
15th and Pearl (Parking Services) 686 Has EV chargers
10th and Walnut (St. Julien Hotel) 556 Has EV chargers
14th and Walnut* (next to RTD Bus Station) 302 Has EV chargers
2240 Broadway (Trinity Garage) 54 Permit parking only
3183 Pearl St (Depot Square - Boulder Junction) Hourly parking only

Accessible Parking

Reserved accessible parking is provided in designated downtown parking structures. These spaces are signed and marked, limiting use to vehicles displaying a valid disabled placard/license plate.

Note: The fine for parking in a reserved accessible space without a valid disabled placard/license plate is $112.

Van Access

GARAGE/LOCATION HEIGHT LIMIT RESERVED SPACES
11th & Spruce

1st, 2nd & 3rd floor: 7'

Basement & 4th floor: 6'8"

10

11th & Walnut

(Randolph Center)

6'9" 7
14th & Walnut (RTD) 7' 8

15th & Pearl

(Parking Services)

7'2" 16
10th & Walnut 7' 17