Manitou Springs held Monday morning ceremony to officially open new parking lot
Scott Harrison
MANITOU SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — The opening of a new parking lot normally isn’t accompanied by fanfare and celebration.
Except in Manitou Springs, a tourist town where parking is always in high demand and short supply.
That began changing Monday, when town officials held a 7 a.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Dillon Mobility Hub.
The hub is a 91-space parking lot on the site of the former Dillon Motel, one of Manitou’s original hotels that opened in 1947 but closed a few years ago.
Officials spent $1.5 million to acquire the property east of the US 24/Maitou Avenue interchange. and convert it into a parking lot.
Manitou’s parking revenue from other lots and meters financed the project.
By establishing the new lot near the east entrance of town, officials hope to reduce traffic congestion in the downtown area and on neighborhood streets by drivers seeking parking.
Ben Schmidt, the town’s new public services director, said that the new lot is an option for people who want to spend the day shopping downtown, or for visitors to the Cog Railway and the Manitou Incline.
The two remaining motel buildings will be part of the new hub.
“They’ll be targeted to open in the fall of 2025 with full restrooms, and our parking and mobility offices for staff,” Schmidt said.
Officials are planning a second phase for the hub once they acquire the necessary funding.
“The second phase build-out is going to have mobility hubs for the Mountain Metro Transit bus systems,” Schmidt explained. It will look very similar to what we have here, but it will also have some great amenities like bike lockers.”
Several Park-n-Ride bikes are available at the hub as another transportation option.
The original Dillon Motel sign still stands.