David Sachs
David cut his teeth covering transportation, development, politics, education, and art in D.C. He's covered sustainable transportation for Streetsblog since 2015 and has lived in Denver's Cheesman Park neighborhood since 2012.
Recent Posts
Colorado DOT’s “Road Health” Summit All About Car Tech, Not Safe Streets
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How far has the Colorado Department of Transportation come since its days as the Colorado Department of Highways? Not very far, judging by Denver’s high-speed, state-owned streets like Colfax and Federal. While Colorado DOT Director Shailen Bhatt talks a good game, the agency he runs has shown almost no inclination to create walkable, bikeable, transit-oriented streets […]
Today: Speak Up to Save North Denver From the I-70 Widening
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If you don’t want a wider I-70 cutting through north Denver neighborhoods, you’ll want to head over to City Hall tonight. Advocates fighting the I-70 expansion want to pack City Council chambers for a public hearing about a drainage project tied to the highway widening. The project forces residents to pay for flood mitigation that wouldn’t be such a risk […]
RTD Explores What Would Happen If Drivers Had to Pay to Park at Stations
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A regressive Colorado law makes it illegal for RTD to charge most drivers for parking at the agency’s stations. Problem is, parking spaces cost a fortune for transit agencies to build — around $20,000 per space in Denver. Giving away that commodity passes the cost on to passengers and leaves a lot of money on […]
A Vision Zero Checklist for Mayor Hancock
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Last year, 57 people were killed in traffic on Denver’s streets, and hundreds more suffered life-altering injuries. What is Mayor Michael Hancock’s plan to reduce the death toll? Four months ago, Hancock declared his intention to bring traffic deaths in Denver down to zero, but his Vision Zero plan is still in development and specifics remain in short supply. One thing that’s certain, […]
Shape the Future of Denver’s Streets By Joining the “Community Think Tank”
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Will Denver’s growth lead to streets and neighborhoods that are walkable, bikeable, and transit-rich — or suffocated with cars? You can weigh in . City Hall is currently pursuing four major plans under the “Denveright” umbrella. These include a strategy to improve transit service inside Denver proper, a blueprint for a seamless pedestrian network, and a land use plan to integrate development with transit. […]
Eyes on the Street: A New Signalized Crosswalk on Chaotic East Colfax
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People walk to a lot of places on East Colfax — East High School, the state capitol, restaurants, music venues, stores, and community centers — but there aren’t enough places to cross the street safely. Colfax is designed primarily to move tens of thousands of cars each day, and that’s what makes it one of the […]
When Will Drivers Parking in Bike Lanes Get the Attention of Denver PD?
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Last week the Denver Police Department, cheered on by CBS 4, made a concerted effort to scold people who bike through stop signs or on sidewalks. Denver PD’s focus on bicyclist behavior is curious. No city has made its streets safe for bicycling by punishing people on bikes. Even the Hancock administration’s bike safety analysis found that unsafe driving behavior […]
Big Scoop for the Crack CBS 4 Team: Not All Bicyclists Follow All the Rules
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According to CBS4, some bicyclists break traffic laws. It’s true. Some people even roll through stop signs and red lights, according to CBS 4’s Kelly Werthmann. The report did not specify whether people driving multi-ton vehicles also disobey traffic laws, or if it’s just something that People Who Ride Bikes do on their lightweight, human-powered […]
Hancock Calls for “Mobility Choices” as B-Cycle Expands By Union Station
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Bike advocates and city workers marked the opening of two bike-share stations by Union Station this morning. The newest station is on the redesigned Wynkoop Street, and the other is behind the Union Station facade on a pavilion near Wewatta Street. Together, the two stations add 35 docking points to the system, with B-Cycle adding 18 bikes as […]
Denver Police Rehash Pedestrian Safety Messages From the 1920s
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If you walk or bike in Denver and you’re worried about reckless, speeding drivers, the Denver Police Department has a message for you: Too bad, you’re on your own. DPD has been handing out cards to people walking and biking that rehash the same messages every American gets drilled into them starting in grade school. The […]
Looking for Real-Time RTD Bus Information? Here Are Your Options
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Earlier this year, RTD made a splash when it finally made real-time bus data available, enabling riders to take the guesswork out of when the next bus would come. Currently, real-time data is only available for local and regional bus routes. RTD officials say the agency will launch the service for express and for rail lines later this year. […]
Help Map Denver’s Walkability and Win $1,000 for Your Neighborhood
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Denver is in dire need of sidewalks and crosswalks that make walking safe and easy instead of daunting and dangerous. Advocates are pressing the City Council to deliver on a complete sidewalk network, and council members are listening. One of the barriers to better walking infrastructure is the lack of data. There’s no complete inventory mapping the state […]