Buddy Knox, manager of parking services at DU, says he wants to “make the fine fit the crime.” Come Sept. 1, Knox will implement several new changes to parking on campus, including installing boots on egregious violators’ vehicles.
Non-payment of three or more parking citations in a year, displaying an invalid parking permit or parking in a reserved or handicapped space are violations that could earn a driver the immobilizing boot. It will cost $40 plus the cost of citations to have the boot removed.
“Right now my alternative is to have them towed to an off-campus tow yard for $100, so this will save drivers money,” Knox says.
Knox says the boot isn’t just about punishment; he wants to use it to educate people. Drivers will have to go to parking services to make arrangements to have the device removed. Then, Knox and his staff can tell them how to avoid future citations. At the same time, they’ll have to settle up any outstanding citations. Knox says having cars towed by a third party didn’t help the University collect on unpaid tickets.
While most violations will continue to incur $15 or $30 fines, many of those pesky triple fine areas and their corresponding $90 fines—$180 after 10 days—will be history. Knox says the fine for illegally parking in a handicapped spot will increase on Sept. 1 from $60 to $100 to be more aligned with the City of Denver’s fine.
Other changes this fall include combining the rooftop parking in the Law School garage with the other L permits and replacing visitors parking kiosks with machines that accept credit card payments.
The best news for drivers is the increased availability of parking. Knox says the 600-vehicle Evans parking garage is slated to open on Sept. 1. Drivers will be able to enter and exit the garage at South High Street and East Evans Avenue and park on the lower levels. The third and fourth floors will be reserved for construction crews finishing the building. When the new garage is fully open, there will be about 5,200 on campus parking spaces available for purchase.
“Everybody pays to park, including Chancellor Coombe,” Knox says. “This is the most egalitarian campus I’ve seen.”