Vote for the Best and Worst of 2017 in the Denver Streetsies
2017 had a lot of ups and downs for Denver streets and transit.
This was the year the city passed a $431 million bond focused on walking, biking, and transit projects. The package will fund sidewalks, protected bike lanes, and bus rapid transit on East Colfax Avenue, among other things.
This was also the year the city moved closer to realizing a road widening project on Federal Boulevard, Denver’s deadliest street, and a similar project on 56th Avenue. Both expansions will encourage drivers to speed and make it harder for pedestrians to cross the street.
Denver is a city in transition, making tentative steps to shed a long legacy of cars-first planning, but still beholden to old habits and the political pressure to stick with the status quo.
The Streetsies are a way to make sense of the year that was and track the city’s progress. What were the highlights of the year for city streets and transportation policy? What should we celebrate and replicate going forward? What were the mistakes that we should learn from and never repeat?
Cast your vote below and weigh in on the year that was (if The polls are open until December 27, and we’ll post our year-in-review on January 2.
Best Street Transformation
- 14th Street curb-protected bikeway (44%, 30 Votes)
- The (temporary) pedestrianizing of 21st Street (22%, 15 Votes)
- A much safer intersection at Colfax, Park, and Franklin (19%, 13 Votes)
- The Wynkoop Street redesign (15%, 10 Votes)
Total Voters: 68
Loading ...What Denver Should Be Most Embarrassed About
- CDOT, city continue march to widen I-70 through low-income, minority neighborhoods (44%, 32 Votes)
- City Council mandates more car storage in urban neighborhoods (23%, 17 Votes)
- Federal Boulevard is the scene of seven pedestrian deaths so far this year (19%, 14 Votes)
- Denver earns national notoriety for downtown parking crater around transit (8%, 6 Votes)
- CDOT rolls out red carpet for Hyperloop One and Arrivo pod-travel fantasies (5%, 4 Votes)
Total Voters: 73
Loading ...What Denver Should Be Most Proud Of
- Voters approve $431 million package with lots of walking, biking, and transit projects (54%, 39 Votes)
- Plans for a true bus rapid transit line on East Colfax (36%, 26 Votes)
- Completing a Vision Zero plan to end traffic deaths (8%, 6 Votes)
- City Council establishes fund to help residents pay for sidewalks (1%, 1 Votes)
Total Voters: 72
Loading ...Best Deal for Transit Riders
- RTD launches mobile ticketing (34%, 23 Votes)
- RTD finally launches "smart card" fare option (34%, 23 Votes)
- 24/7 bus lanes on Broadway and Lincoln (24%, 16 Votes)
- Newly renovated Civic Center Station opens (9%, 6 Votes)
Total Voters: 68
Loading ...Worst Deal for Transit Riders
- Legislative typo costs RTD millions in funding (41%, 29 Votes)
- RTD's driver shortage is stranding riders (36%, 25 Votes)
- Service cuts because of a budget shortfall (19%, 13 Votes)
- RTD aims lower to meet on-time service goals (4%, 3 Votes)
Total Voters: 70
Loading ...Most Absurd Media Take on Urban Streets
- Denver Business Journal Editor Neil Westergaard calls bus riders dirty and dangerous (31%, 21 Votes)
- Denver7 lets one driver dictate worth of ped-bike street safety project (30%, 20 Votes)
- The Denver Post regurgitates CDOT's talking points on I-70 expansion (16%, 11 Votes)
- 9News mocks A Line while roads fail daily (13%, 9 Votes)
- Denver7 and 9News say cars are sentient beings with free will (9%, 6 Votes)
Total Voters: 67
Loading ...What Denver Should Be Most Hopeful About
- A new transit grid with frequent service (47%, 31 Votes)
- A stand-alone transportation department (21%, 14 Votes)
- The Broadway bike lane extension (15%, 10 Votes)
- The 5280 Loop (11%, 7 Votes)
- The possibility of parking maximums (6%, 4 Votes)
Total Voters: 66
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