Wednesday’s Headlines 02/24/2021 and Denver May Extend Shared Streets Past March

From Streetsblog

• Commentary by Allen Cowgill: I-270 Expansion Will Harm Latino Communities, Increase Air Pollution, and Accelerate Climate Change (Streetsblog Denver)
• Wednesday’s Headlines Help Us Dig Ourselves Out (Streetsblog USA)

Traffic Violence and Safe Streets

• A driver hit and seriously injured a person walking yesterday at S. Parker Road and Harvard (DPD Twitter)
• Aurora police ask for help locating hit-and-run [driver of] vehicle who hit a person walking yesterday at westbound E. Colfax and Beeler Street. Call Crime Stoppers (720-913-STOP) with info. (Fox31)
• 85-year-old bike rider hit and killed by garbage truck [driver] in Aurora, and both these news outlets seem to think the truck was driving itself (CBS4, 9News)
  • The Auroral Sentinel wrote a better headline: Dump truck driver strikes, kills 85-year-old cyclist crossing Havana Street in Aurora (Aurora Sentinel)
• Safe walking, biking, and transit means more than safety from drivers. Walking while Black should not be deadly.
  • Independent experts discuss findings in Elijah McClain’s death investigation (Fox31)
  • The Aurora City Council reacts to the Elijah McClain investigation that found officers mishandled the encounter (Colorado Matters/CPR)
  • Aurora Police Department to get independent monitor following Elijah McClain’s death (Colorado Sun, Aurora Sentinel)
  • Elijah McClain Report: Aurora Police Detective Tells 911 ‘He Got The Help He Needed’ (CBS4)
  • ‘Elijah McClain Should Still Be Here’: Aurora Police Chief Vanessa Wilson responds to report (CBS4, Denverite, Fox31)
  • Littwin: According to a newly released report on Elijah McClain’s death, the only innocent person involved was McClain himself (Colorado Sun)

Denver, RTD, and the Metro Area

• Denver considering extending Shared Streets Initiative past March (Fox31)
• Design-build contract for 16th Street Mall revamp will cost city $149M (BusinessDen)
• RTD wants you to take a five-minute Safety & Security Survey by March 10 (RTD)
• RTD Black History Month feature: Three Black-owned businesses that worked on FasTracks (RTD)
• Transportation barriers to getting the COVID-19 vaccine and some helpful resources (9News)
• Denver Air Quality Index: 8 a.m.: 42 (Good). Yesterday’s max: 49 (Good).

Centennial State

• Colorado officials discuss challenging road ahead for state’s transportation funding (Grand Junction Daily Sentinel)
• Durango school zones to get upgraded signs and striping thanks to CDOT grant (Durango Herald)

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