Denver police create food truck zones in LoDo for late-night, weekend mobile eateries

Denver police are relegating food trucks in Lower Downtown to “destination zones” they created for weekend, late-night business after prohibiting the trucks from operating in certain areas to reduce violent crime, DPD said Friday.

The four zones permitted by the Denver Department of Transportation and Infrastructure for food truck operations are 18th Street between Larimer and Market streets; Lawrence Street between 20th and 21st streets; Market Street between 17th and 18th streets and 21st Street between Blake and Market streets.

The Market Street between 17th and 18th streets location is only being used this weekend because of an upcoming construction project, police said. Officials will evaluate additional potential locations to replace that one.

On Sept. 6, 7 and 27, food truck permits will not be granted on 21st Street between Blake and Market streets because of large Coors Field events, police said. Instead, food trucks will be allowed to park in the loading zone on the east side of Market Street between 20th and 21st streets on these dates only.

Police said the zones benefit safety because they create a positive environment between the bars and rideshare pickup zones, increase pedestrian safety and reduce crowds in the busiest parts of LoDo.

In creating the new food truck zones, DPD said it partnered with DOTI to consider areas that could accommodate lines, not block parking lot exits, not impede pedestrian traffic or bike lanes and offer enough space for multiple food trucks.

To reserve these meters, food truck operators must apply for a meter bag permit from DOTI to park and operate in these locations, DPD said.

“Through these adjustments to food truck permitting, the food trucks will be helping to improve safety in LoDo,” DPD said in a statement.

Last weekend, DPD distributed fliers to late-night food trucks in LoDo alerting them to upcoming restrictions on where they could operate.

Starting this week, food trucks are prohibited from parking along Blake, Market and Larimer streets, between 18th and 21st streets, and on 21st, between Market and Larimer, from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

“The Denver Police Department has a large number of officers in the LoDo area on weekend nights, and finds violent incidents often stem from areas in which crowds congregate after leaving nightclubs and entertainment establishments,” DPD said in a statement. “By encouraging patrons to head home after leaving bars in the busiest parts of LoDo, DPD’s goal is to reduce the number of ‘bump into’ fights and incidents that sometimes escalate to gun violence among the crowds late at night Fridays through Sundays.”

Violent crime, however, is down this year in that area, according to data posted by the Denver Police Department.

The part of LoDo where food trucks are prohibited on late weekend nights straddles the Union Station and Five Points neighborhoods. Denver police data shows reported violent crime is down 17% so far in 2024 over the three-year average in the Union Station neighborhood and down 1% over the three-year average in Five Points — though the latter neighborhood is much larger and features other distinct nightlife areas.

In the summer of 2022, food trucks first were barred from operating in LoDo for about a month following a mass shooting in which Denver police wounded an armed man and six bystanders, though city officials denied a connection between that shooting and the ban.

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