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
CU Professor’s Study Could Help Normalize Bike Infrastructure
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The Denver area is lucky to have a host of academics who prove the need for complete streets with research, and you can add the University of Colorado’s Kevin Krizek to the list. Colorado Public Radio’s Ryan Warner interviewed the environmental studies professor from Boulder about his nascent research project, a three-year study aimed at helping other […]
Eyes on the Street: Right of Way Enforcement Not Right at All
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This photo is almost too on-the-nose. Earlier today a reader sent Streetsblog Denver this picture of a Department of Public Works Right of Way Enforcement van parked in the bike lane on 14th Street, in front of the Denver Performing Arts Complex, at about 9:30 a.m. What, exactly, does Right of Way Enforcement do? This, according to […]
Temporary Protected Bike Lane Finally Coming to South Broadway
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A protected bike lane on Broadway is one small step closer to reality. As long as the city approves the permits, people on bikes — and local businesses — will benefit from a temporary, two-way protected bike lane on South Broadway between 1st Avenue and Bayaud Street. The demo is planned for September 25 to 27, according to […]
WalkDenver Wants to Improve Colfax By Showing Off Its Human Face
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Colfax Avenue: the “longest, wickedest street in America.” For a while now, it’s been becoming less like a state highway for cars, and more like a vibrant, urban street for people. Yet it’s far from the pedestrian paradise that WalkDenver, the city’s preeminent pedestrian advocacy group, envisions. The group has long focused its attention on the city’s […]
Bike-Ped Bridge Opens, Better Connects People With Colorado Station
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A pedestrian and bicycle bridge to Colorado Station over I-25 opened today, 16 years and $8 million after Denver’s government officially identified it as necessary. Advocates, elected officials, and members of the Department of Public Works marked the opening with a ribbon cutting at RTD’s Colorado Station this morning. The freeway used to separate people from […]
How Denver Can Get More Bang for Its Street Safety Buck
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Last week Streetsblog Denver reported on changes coming to 16th and Broadway that will improve safety at a dangerous intersection. The project is worthwhile, but at just over $1.1 million, it’s not exactly cheap for a one-block fix. While redesigning surface streets will always be much cheaper than building highways or parking, some methods are more cost-effective […]
Actually, Cheaper Parking at RTD Stations Will Hurt Ridership
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The Aurora Sentinel published an editorial yesterday that missed the point on parking rates at RTD stations. The Sentinel claimed that charging $3 to park at Iliff Station will make transit inaccessible to lower income residents, which in turn will diminish ridership: Redrawn zones mean that if you board Aurora’s R Line at the Iliff station, a […]
Retrofit Could Make Intersection of 16th and Broadway Less Chaotic
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The intersection of 16th and Broadway: A cluster of cars, huge buses making left turns, mall shuttles every 90 seconds, and awkward diagonal crossings for pedestrians and people on bikes trying to connect to the 16th Street Mall and 15th Street bike lane. It’s intimidating, but may soon become less so. The Denver Business Journal reports that the […]
When Denver Added Bike Lanes to Larimer Street, Retail Sales Skyrocketed
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When cities try to carve out more space for walking or biking in lieu of car traffic or parking spots, retail business owners often worry they’ll lose revenue. But a new study by University of Denver grad student Stephen Rijo shows there’s nothing to fear [PDF]. In fact, retailers should probably rejoice when their street gets redesigned. Rijo studied two […]
In His Second Term, Will Mayor Hancock Honor His Promises on City Streets?
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Last week, City Auditor Dennis Gallagher called out the Hancock administration for failing to properly fund and implement Denver’s bike network. Today, Mayor Hancock delivered his second inaugural address, promising what his press secretary called “an intensive year-long effort to increase sustainable mobility choices in Denver.” Hancock made the remarks in a speech today at the Denver Performing Arts Center. […]
Protesters Call for I-70 Re-Route Outside Hancock’s Inaugural Address
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Protesters took aim at the I-70 widening project and demanded transparency today outside the Ellie Caulkins Opera House where Mayor Michael Hancock was being sworn in for his second term. Chanters belted protest songs and held signs reading “We can re-route I-70!” and “!Sí se Puede Desviar El I-70!” Fran Frainaguirre lifted a sign up at the corner of 14th and […]
How RTD’s Suburban Politics Hamper Denver’s Investment in Transit
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For the most part, Regional Transportation District’s board members are politicians, not transportation planners. And when they have to make important decisions about transit, it shows. Those decisions aren’t always based on what’s best for transit riders or the region. The RTD Board’s leadership has produced a system where rail lines cater to suburbanites and exurbanites more than Denver residents. But when it comes […]