John Hickenlooper
Hickenlooper: Widening I-70 Will “Reconnect Communities”
John Hickenlooper didn’t start the I-70 boondoggle, but it’s on track to get built on his watch. And he seems fine with that. In fact, he comes across as proud. Hickenlooper has stayed quiet about the massive highway expansion project slated for north Denver, and his office took its time before responding to Streetsblog’s inquiry about … Continued
March 24, 2016
While Denverites Speak Out Against I-70 Widening, Hickenlooper Stays Silent
With the groundswell of opposition to Colorado DOT’s plan to gouge a super-wide highway trench across north Denver, Governor John Hickenlooper has to know that city residents are angry about the prospect of more traffic ripping through their neighborhoods on a supersized I-70. Hickenlooper is the only person who can tell CDOT to stop the project, so Streetsblog reached out to his … Continued
March 22, 2016
Do It Today: Tell Hickenlooper to Stop the Mega-Highway Thru North Denver
If Colorado DOT builds its I-70 widening project, north Denver will be saddled with more traffic, more pollution, and more disconnected neighborhoods for generations. CDOT would have you believe the widening is a done deal, but it’s not — Governor John Hickenlooper could save the city from this relic of 1950s-era transportation planning if he chooses. One window of opportunity to weigh in on … Continued
March 2, 2016
John Hickenlooper Learned Years Ago That Wider Highways Don’t Fix Traffic
When Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper was Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, he learned that more lanes for cars don’t fix congestion — it just enables more cars to fill up the highway. Hickenlooper got the lesson in “induced demand” from all-star city planner Jeff Speck, the author of Walkable City, in 2004. Speck was in town for the Mayor’s … Continued
February 25, 2016
The One Person Who Can Stop the I-70 Widening Is John Hickenlooper
While Colorado DOT seems hell-bent on spending billions of dollars to widen I-70, it’s not too late to stop the project. If Governor John Hickenlooper says the word, the city can still escape unscathed from the state’s efforts to ram a super-wide below-grade highway through north Denver. Going through with the highway widening will have long-lasting consequences, saddling the … Continued
February 24, 2016
Here Are Your Winners of the First Annual Denver Streetsie Awards
It’s been a notable year for walking, biking, and transit in the Mile High City. But what was the most notable? The best project? The worst? We put those questions and others to our readers, and the votes are in. Here are your winners of the first-ever Denver Streetsies. Best Livable Streets Victory Money talks — and gets votes. Governor John Hickenlooper’s $100 … Continued
December 30, 2015
A Low-Tech Suggestion for Transportation Safety: Stop Widening City Streets
Colorado Department of Transportation Director Shailen Bhatt on Wednesday announced a $20 million initiative to outfit the state’s roads with cutting edge technology. His goal: Eliminate roadway deaths and congestion by asking tech ventures to step in and help solve problems. The initiative, dubbed “RoadX,” will contract out the development of high-tech solutions to road troubles. Semi-autonomous vehicles, for … Continued
October 29, 2015
Randy Baumgardner: Biking and Walking Should Get Table Scraps
Governor John Hickenlooper’s $100 million, four-year commitment to biking and walking represents just 2.5 percent of the state’s transportation budget, but it promises to make a big difference for cities and towns throughout Colorado. Not surprisingly, however, the idea of using transportation resources to improve street safety, help people get more physical activity, and make more efficient use … Continued
October 7, 2015
Detractors of Hickenlooper’s Bike Plan Want to Hold Colorado Back
Two camps emerged after Governor John Hickenlooper announced that the state will invest more than $100 million in making Colorado better for biking and walking: those who saw the bid as a way to expand travel choices while reducing traffic injuries and deaths, and those who viewed it as a threat to the idea that all transportation dollars should be spent … Continued
September 21, 2015
Gov’s $100M Commitment to Safer Streets Is About More Than Money
Governor John Hickenlooper’s announcement that Colorado will invest more than $100 million over four years in bike and pedestrian infrastructure was bold, and not just because that money can go a long way. Along with committing 2.5 percent of the Colorado Department of Transportation’s budget to bike and pedestrian projects, Hickenlooper appears intent on strategically reorienting the agency toward a … Continued
September 17, 2015