Hearings spike in months following change to Denver parking dispute process

Denver drivers continue to be impacted by a change in how parking tickets are disputed. That system changed in September, when the city eliminated the ability to dispute parking tickets online. CBS Colorado has reported on the impact in the past.

Denver's Department of Transportation and Infrastructure said a new system would be in place this year. That has not happened, and in turn the number of requests for parking ticket hearings has skyrocketed.

Dana Lingo was recently trying to visit a friend -- who is also her accountant -- in the city's Cherry Creek neighborhood.

"I go up there and make a right," she said while driving. "This is Detroit. She just lives a couple blocks down."

Lingo says parking has become her biggest hurdle.

"It looks like there's parking, but it's all permit," she said.

Lingo has stage 4 cancer. Walking long distances is difficult, and she relies on a disability placard.

"It's usually three or four blocks. On a good day, I can do it, but if I'm not feeling well, it's a challenge," she said.

Lingo believed her placard allowed her to park in residential permitted areas -- something some other cities allow. She later learned Denver does not allow it.

"I wanted to dispute it, because there should be a provision for ADA parking," Lingo said.

She decided to challenge the ticket -- only to find out disputes can no longer be handled online.

"If you want to dispute this ticket, you come down here, make an appointment for a court date, then come back for the court date," Lingo said.

Since the change in September, what used to be handled online is now moving to in-person hearings.

From January through September 2025, the city averaged about six parking ticket hearings per month. In the three months following the change -- October, November and December -- that number jumped to an average of 206 hearings per month.

Those numbers are now adding pressure on Denver DOTI to create a better system.

"I sure hope that DOTI creates something similar to what we had," said Denver City Councilmember Chris Hinds.

Hinds is among the council members who pushed for DOTI to make changes last fall. He's also a longtime advocate for accessibility and says the current process places an unnecessary burden on drivers.

"People are taking time off work or away from other things they need to be doing," he said.

Until the change happens, Lingo worries about people who can't make that extra effort.

"Most people are not going to do it. They're just not -- they're going to pay it," she said.