Monday’s Headlines 01/25/2021 and Crashes Soaring in the Pandemic

Traffic Violence

• Family and friends gathered for candlelight memorial to honor hit-and-run victim Chris Baker, who was walking at 70th and Federal on January 19 when a driver hit him and fled (Denver7, Fox31)
• ROAD AWAKENING: Crashes and road fatalities soar during pandemic when fewer people are commuting, and car-centric street design that inspires speed is the primary culprit (Aurora Sentinel)

Denver and the Metro Area

• UCHealth planning to vaccinate 10,000 people age 70+ (with appointments) in their cars at Coors Field this weekend — and none of these stories mention people walking, riding bikes, or using transit (Denver Post, CBS4, Denver7, Fox31)
• A history of West Colfax area dirt roads, paving, curbs, and gutters told by 96-year-old westsider Nettie Moore (Denverite)
• The City an County of Denver is working on a pilot program that will bring bus shuttle service to Montbello, and this survey closes on Sunday (English survey and Spanish survey)
• Denver City Council meetings this week: Monday 5:30 p.m. full Council; Tuesday 9:30 a.m. Mayor-Council; Tuesday 10:30 a.m. Land Use, Transportation & Infrastructure Committee; Wednesday 10:30 a.m. Safety, Housing, Education & Homelessness Committee; (Schedule, agendas, and links to watch)
• Polis ‘Extremely Concerned’ By RTD Leader’s Questioning Of Boulder Train (CPR, CBS4, Longmont Times-Call, Colorado Politics)
• The RTD Board of Directors meets tomorrow at 5:30 p.m. (Agenda with dial-in number and briefing from CEO Debra Johnson)
• Boulder Community Editorial Board: Future of transit (Boulder Daily Camera)
• Denver Air Quality Index: 9 a.m.: 66 (Moderate). Yesterday’s max: 61 (Moderate).

Centennial State

• State outlines equitable vaccine distribution plan, including partnerships with RTD and Lyft (about which we’d very much like more information) (9News, CBS4)
• The Colorado Sun has a good primer on the state budget process (Colorado Sun)
• Steamboat Springs summer construction to include sidewalks, street lighting, and a roundabout (Steamboat Pilot & Today)
• New book examines history of trains in Palisade (Grand Junction Daily Sentinel)

From Streetsblog

• Monday’s Headlines to Get You Going (Streetsblog USA)
• Commentary: Stop Subsidizing Car Ownership (Streetsblog SF)
• Study: Taking An App Taxi More than Doubles Your Roadway Impact (Streetsblog USA)
• New National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Head Was at Center of Pollution Fight (Streetsblog USA)

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