A segment of Buchtel Boulevard near the Louisiana-Pearl light rail station is a little safer for people walking and biking thanks to some traffic-calming treatments installed by Denver Public Works earlier this summer.

The intersections at Louisiana Avenue, Washington Street, and Emerson Street each received “bulb-outs,” or corner sidewalk extensions that narrow the road for drivers and shorten crossings for pedestrians. The curb extensions make drivers take turns more carefully, too.

Along with those simple but effective fixes, DPW gave Buchtel a road diet. The streets department removed a lane between the I-25 off-ramp and on-ramp, creating a slimmer street that reduces driving speeds around an RTD station bustling with foot traffic.

A new stop sign in front of the highway off-ramp slows down drivers as well, and signals the transition from the I-25 racetrack into a more human-scaled, urban area.

These inexpensive fixes are a definite step up for an area that should prioritize transit riders. All it took was some paint, plastic posts, and the will of DPW to put people’s safety before the convenience of cars.

Hat tip to WalkDenver for alerting us of the changes.