Denver councilmembers propose tighter rules for $15 million transportation fund
The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee approved the bill for filing Nov. 4; the proposed rules would take effect July 1, 2028, if adopted.
Published at
Denver Councilmembers Shontel Lewis and Flor Alvidrez are proposing new limits on the city’s Transportation and Mobility Special Revenue Fund, which the sponsors say generates about $15 million a year, partly from higher parking-meter rates, according to their reform presentation.
The proposal would tie spending to adopted transportation and safety plans, including Denver’s Vision Zero, Safe Routes to School and Denver Moves plans. It would prohibit transfers to the city’s general fund, require unused money to roll over each year and direct at least half of the fund to capital expenses over a three-year period. The Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI) would also present proposed annual spending to its advisory board for review and comment.
The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee approved bill 26-1654 for filing Nov. 4 by a 6-0 vote, with one member absent, advancing the proposal but not enacting it, the committee’s minutes show. At the committee discussion, the sponsors said the rules would start July 1, 2028, giving DOTI a full budget cycle to plan. DOTI Chief Operating Officer Cindy Patton said about $9 million in parking-related funds supports systems that help generate roughly $40 million for the city’s general fund. She described parking management, citation processing, off-street facilities, and on-street meters and pay stations as part of that infrastructure, during the discussion.
The sponsors argue that spending has drifted from the fund’s original purpose of supporting pedestrian, bicycle, transit and traffic-safety improvements. Their presentation cites $200,000 spent in 2024 to remove downtown bike infrastructure, $100,000 spent in 2025 to replace a safety design on Alameda Avenue after nearby residents objected, and $8.4 million in the 2026 budget for parking-related contracts. They also criticize a proposed $8.9 million allocation for parking operations in the 2027 spending plan as an improper use of the fund.