Castle Rock parking study shows more spaces, but residents still frustrated

Castle Rock officials now have a study showing downtown parking is not disappearing. The problem, residents say, is that finding a space still feels broken when Main Street is busy, storefronts are active and visitor traffic piles up around Downtown Castle Rock.

The Town Council reviewed a Fehr & Peers parking study that found available parking downtown has increased by 113% since the last parking study in 2017. Even so, the reaction from residents showed how far the numbers are from the daily experience on the street. Karen Easton, who has lived in Castle Rock for more than 50 years, said parking has lagged behind growth in Castle Rock for decades, and she tied that pressure to the town’s expansion, changing traffic patterns and a downtown that has become more crowded over time.

That disconnect is at the center of the debate now facing Castle Rock. The town’s own downtown parking page says the earlier study was conducted in 2016/17 and laid out short- and long-term strategies to meet the mobility needs of residents, visitors and employers. The latest data suggests the total supply has improved, but the complaints point to a more specific question: whether the real strain is the number of spaces, the time limits, employee parking, event surges or simple walkability once drivers reach downtown.

Castle Rock also asked for public feedback on downtown parking in 2025, saying the study would rely on thorough data collection and public input to develop strategies for the years ahead. A second public questionnaire was also used to gather views on short- and long-term parking strategies. The town’s Downtown Mobility Master Plan builds on the parking study and looks at additional ways to keep downtown moving while preserving it as a destination.

The issue is not new. In 2023, Castle Rock officials were already discussing changes to parking requirements, and Mayor Jason Gray said at the time, “We hear loud and clear that there are some places that are hard to park. We want to be reactive, but we don't want to be over-reactive.” That tension now frames the next round of decisions: data shows more spaces, but the lived reality downtown still drives the politics of what Castle Rock changes next.