Breckenridge, Colorado — Free parking spaces for skiers at Breckenridge Resort are about to get a bit more limited.
As is the case in other ski towns, affordable housing is scarce in Breckenridge. The town has been trying to change that in recent years, with a popular parking lot being considered for an affordable housing development.
Summit Daily reports that one of the projects currently being worked on to help mitigate this issue is converting the Airport Lot, which was used for free skier parking, into affordable housing. Originally planned to be about a 140-unit plot, the current plan is to add 81 units, with more being added at a future phase. This tone down is due to economic uncertainty, but they still hope to have it open for residents in 2027. Last season was reportedly the last time it will be used as the free skier lot.
Some residents are reportedly concerned that it could lead to an increase in traffic in the area, but that logic makes no sense to me, seeing that the lot was previously hosting up to 1,000 vehicles per day.
“I drive around units that have been built on North Airport Road, and it seems more urban than a small-town feel. … I just get concerned about overdevelopment,” said local resident Gail Marshall.
Personally, that sounds like NIMBYism to me.
It sounds like the new free skier parking will be moved to a plot of land on McCain Road, which would hold only 500 vehicles. Work is expected to begin on the lot in October. It’s near open space and other undeveloped land, which makes it a touchy subject in Breckenridge.
“This is just such a painful conversation for everyone, and it really is not easy to decide to put parking in this area,” said Mayor Kelly Owens in June.
The argument being stated by town and resort officials to ease skeptics is that the number of days it reached the maximum capacity was limited to 2 days, and the number of days past 500 vehicles was also limited to 14 days during the 2024-25 season. Another key difference is that this lot is 5 miles away from the ski resort, while the prior one is 3 miles away from the resort, although free bus service is expected to continue. Vail Resorts is also reportedly working with Colorado Mountain College to add a lot with approximately 240 spaces.
This McCain parking lot was previously listed as a “temporary solution” by town officials, so I’m curious to see whether that will be the case.
Image Credits: Ethan Walsweer, Family and Intercultural Resource Center (FIRC), Town of Breckenridge, Breckenridge Resort
