WalkDenver
‘Vision Zero’ Is Not a Slogan, and Other Takeaways WalkDenver Got From NYC
When Mayor Michael Hancock committed to ending traffic deaths and serious injuries under the banner of Vision Zero, he launched an “action plan” to start the process and called on advocates to help. WalkDenver Policy Director Jill Locantore is one of those advocates. She’s also part of the budding Denver Vision Zero Coalition. Locantore went … Continued
March 18, 2016
Denver’s Sidewalk Policy Is Designed to Fail, But That May Be Changing
It’s safe to say that Denver City Council members cannot plead ignorance on the city’s embarrassing walking infrastructure, following a meeting Wednesday where reps from Denver Public Works briefed lawmakers on the state of the city’s sidewalks. It was the first gathering of the Sidewalk Working Group, a committee led by Councilman Paul Kashmann and formed at the … Continued
January 28, 2016
WalkScope Makes Planetizen’s Top 10 Websites of 2015
Give it up for WalkScope, the crowdsourcing tool that allows anyone and everyone to map the quality of Denver’s streets. Planetizen, a popular website about urban design and planning, has rated WalkScope one of its top 10 websites of 2015. Here’s more from Planetizen: WALKscope is the rare example of crowd-sourced public engagement that actually works. WalkDenver and … Continued
January 7, 2016
It’s Really, Really Hard to Get Fined for Not Shoveling a Slippery Sidewalk
During December’s snowstorm, Denver’s Public Works and Parks and Rec departments dispatched 96 snow plows that worked overnight to clear major roads of snow and ice. The response to the storm, which dropped as much as 10 inches on the Mile High City, was necessary to make streets safer for buses, cars, and bicyclists. Which makes the city’s … Continued
January 5, 2016
WalkDenver Tells CDOT, DPW, Residents Where West Colfax Must Change
This summer WalkDenver and the West Colfax Business Improvement District proved that residents need — and deserve — a people-friendly West Colfax Avenue. Advocates transformed the street for one day with temporary materials to illustrate the possibilities. For that day, at least part of West Colfax prioritized people as much as it did cars, creating a safer … Continued
December 18, 2015
CU Denver Urban Planning Students Fill in Blanks on Denver’s Walkability
University of Colorado professor Ken Schroeppel is teaching his graduate students how to become urban planners. That means teaching them the tenets of walkability — how to identify gaps in the city’s walking network and how to reorient streets to prioritize pedestrians. So Schroeppel, who runs DenverUrbanism on the side, gave his students a pretty cool assignment that could … Continued
December 15, 2015
Advocates Form Vision Zero Coalition to Help City End Traffic Deaths, Injuries
Vision Zero, the goal of eliminating traffic deaths and serious injuries, has gained popularity across the country in recent years. But that doesn’t mean cities automatically live up to its foundational principles of slowing vehicle speeds with better street design, enforcement, and education. To make sure Denver’s iteration of Vision Zero has teeth, a group of advocates … Continued
December 7, 2015
Low-Income Denverites Want Safe Streets Most, Have Least Access to Them
The vast majority of Denverites would rather not depend on a car, but walking, biking, and transit infrastructure leave them wanting. That’s according to a study [PDF] released Friday by the Urban Land Institute called “Colorado in 2015,” which also found that low-income and Latino Coloradans are the least satisfied with the safety of walking and biking in their … Continued
November 23, 2015
Tonight: Learn How to Map Neighborhoods for Better Walking and Biking
Data about the city’s walkability is crucial, because it drives decisions on where and how the Department of Public Works prioritizes improvements. The city of Denver doesn’t systematically measure the walkability of streets, but that’s beginning to change. Advocates and agencies have taken to the streets to record walking conditions with WalkScope, a crowdsourcing app that enables people to … Continued
November 16, 2015
Tonight: Get on Track With the Future of Transit in Denver
The massive FasTracks rail and bus system is nearly built, with four new rail lines and a bus rapid transit route connecting Denver to Boulder opening next year. FasTracks will connect the city’s suburbs with downtown and Denver International Airport, but what about transit routes that help people travel within the city itself? As Denver’s population grows, its decision makers … Continued
October 22, 2015