CDOT
CDOT Relied on Absurd Traffic Projections to Make the Case for Widening I-70
To justify widening I-70, the Colorado Department of Transportation used traffic projections that are completely out of step with the last decade of observed travel patterns in the Denver region. CDOT wants to spend an estimated $1.8 billion widening I-70 from six lanes to 10 lanes between I-25 and Tower Road. In its draft environmental impact statement, CDOT … Continued
June 3, 2015
Mayor Hancock’s Sheridan Blvd Plan: Feel Good, Do Nothing
Anyone who’s walked down Sheridan Boulevard knows it’s a dangerous street where dirt mounds replace sidewalks, drivers ignore the 35 mph speed limit, and crossing the street means dodging five lanes of traffic. It’s a nightmare for pedestrians and the Colorado Department of Transportation knows it. But that’s not stopping them from widening lanes nearby. Between 2010 … Continued
June 2, 2015
CDOT’s ‘Bold’ Plan to Reach ‘Intermediate Goal’ of Fewer Traffic Deaths
It’s 2015 and Denver is urbanizing as fast as anywhere else in the country. We’re still on the upslope of density, transit, and walkable and bikeable infrastructure. Which means there’s a ton of work to do to create great urban streets where people come first and cars no longer dominate. The Colorado Department of Transportation’s adoption of the Toward Zero … Continued
May 27, 2015
The Blindspots in CDOT’s Latest Safety Campaign
The Colorado Department of Transportation unveiled the conclusion to a provocative billboard campaign yesterday that reminds drivers and passengers to buckle up. You may have seen the ads around Denver over the last week with inscrutable phrases like “Brain Damage,” “Life or Death,” “Fatal Accident,” and “Windshield Ejection.” Those words are now crossed out with an image of a … Continued
May 20, 2015
Colorado Loses Ground to Utah in National Bike-Friendly Rankings
Colorado is falling behind other states when it comes to bike-friendliness, according to new rankings from the League of American Bicyclists. Utah has leapfrogged the Centennial State, which dropped one position compared to last year. While Colorado can still claim a high ranking, the Bike League is grading on a curve: Scoring 53.9 out of 100 … Continued
May 12, 2015
I-70 Widening Has Already Diverted $50M From Smarter Transpo Projects
Whether it’s the marginalization of Globeville, Elyria, and Swansea residents, the stark threat of respiratory illness, or the simple fact that widening roads does not solve traffic congestion, the I-70 expansion planned between Brighton Boulevard and Tower Road is a terrible idea. Still, the highway project with a $1.8 billion starting price tag has a … Continued
May 7, 2015
Five of Seven Pedestrian Deaths in Denver This Year Happened on Two Streets
On Denver’s streets, pedestrians and cyclists are at the bottom of the food chain. Dangerous designs and high-speed traffic jeopardize people walking and biking most of all. That’s one of the countless reasons Denver should adopt Vision Zero, a policy approach to street safety that recognizes traffic “accidents” can be prevented by smart design and enforcement. In 2015, seven people … Continued
May 6, 2015