Watch CBS News

Broncos Fans Lose Hundreds Of Parking Spaces, But Not For Long

By Kelly Werthmann

DENVER (CBS4) - Fans going to the final Denver Broncos home games this season will have fewer parking spots at Mile High Stadium to choose from.

More than 350 spaces in the M Lot will be closed for at least the last two regular season games. The M Lot is near Federal Boulevard and Howard Place just south of the stadium.

M Lot at Mile High Stadium
The M Lot at Mile High Stadium (credit: CBS)

The Colorado Department of Transportation is building a new headquarters facility in the lot and construction begins in the coming weeks. Part of the lot has already been taped off preventing fans from parking there.

"The location that we have there at the stadium district is ideal and it is also a great way to jump start some of the redevelopment that's going to be happening in that area," CDOT spokeswoman Amy Ford told CBS4.

cdot-hq-rendering-2
A rendering of the new CDOT headquarters (credit: CDOT)

After consulting with the Metropolitan Football Stadium District, CDOT chose the location over the summer. It's all part of a $150 million project to consolidate several of the department's buildings across the state into three regional headquarter locations. Ford said it was cheaper for the taxpayer to rebuild the facilities as opposed to fixing their aging buildings.

M Lot at Mile High Stadium
The M Lot at Mile High Stadium (credit: CBS)

"Our building that we currently have here [Denver] is sadly in significant disrepair and it would take a lot to rehab and get it back up to standard," Ford said. "When we started to look we had several criteria. The first that it be near a highway, and actually near light rail, and it needed to be within the downtown area, or at least five miles within the capital."

cdot-hq-rendering
A rendering of the new CDOT headquarters (credit: CDOT)

The good news for fans is that this is only temporary. Ford said more parking will be available for next season.

"We are in turn are building a new parking structure of over 450 spaces that we will actually have a shared use with the stadium district on for game days and the like," she said.

cdot-hq-rendering-3
A rendering of the new CDOT headquarters (credit: CDOT)

Construction of the new headquarters is expected to wrap up in Spring 2018. Until then, the stadium is advising fans they can park at spots available at the nearby Pepsi Center and Auraria Campus.

Statement From The Denver Broncos

"Our organization fully supports the enhancement of the area around the stadium, including the Sun Valley neighborhood. While we've had discussions with the Metropolitan Football Stadium District and the city about the future development surrounding the stadium, those conversations have been very preliminary and have not included any cost estimates.

"We will continue to explore this possibility with the Metropolitan Football Stadium District and the city."

Denver Public Works urges fans to use public transportation and offers this advice:

The stadium is easily accessible by light rail or bus. Please check with RTD on schedules prior to planning your trip. Go to rtd-denver.com or call the RTD Telephone Information Center at 303-299-6000.

The stadium is also conveniently located adjacent to Denver bike paths, and it is equipped with over three hundred individual bike racks. Check out denvergov.org/bikemap to plan your route or pick up a free copy of the 2016 Denver Bike Map at your local recreation center or Denver City Council office.

Kelly Werthmann joined the CBS4 team in 2012 as the morning reporter, covering national stories like the Aurora Theater Shooting and devastating Colorado wildfires. She now anchors CBS4 Weekend Morning News and reports during the week. Connect with her on Facebook or Twitter @KellyCBS4.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.