Sidewalks
Denver deserves sidewalks! Walkable neighborhoods with good sidewalks are the foundation of a complete transportation system.
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The Problem
Creating an equitable and vibrant Denver means guaranteeing that our public spaces are designed for people. Human dignity should be the guiding principle for the design of our transportation system so that everyone can thrive and connect to what matters most.
Yet too many Denverites are lacking access to sidewalks – the most basic infrastructure of all – that would allow everyone, including parents, children, people with disabilities, and those that don’t drive, the independence to move about Denver freely and safely.
In Denver, property owners are responsible for building and maintaining sidewalks adjacent to their property. The high cost of sidewalk maintenance and lax enforcement of the policy means that many Denver neighborhoods have substandard or no sidewalks at all.
This is especially true in lower-income areas
Placing responsibility for sidewalk construction and repair on private property owners results in inconsistent and deficient sidewalks throughout the city, particularly in low-income neighborhoods and places an undue and inequitable financial burden on some Denver residents.
Poor pedestrian environments disproportionately impact the most vulnerable members of our community. Low income neighborhoods are the least likely to have sidewalks, accessible pedestrian ramps, street and sidewalk lighting, marked crosswalks, and traffic calming measures.*
*Source: Governing Report
It's a safety issue, too
Low-income areas have more than double the pedestrian fatality rates of wealthier communities. In Denver, people walking are approximately 30 times more likely to die in a crash compared to motorists.*
The pedestrian conditions in low income Denver neighborhoods directly contribute to these tragic injuries and deaths. Residents of these neighborhoods who need to walk to transit stops, a grocery store, school or medical clinics should not have to brave unsafe conditions and risk becoming a crash or fatality statistic.
*Source: Denver Vision Zero Action Plan
Where We’re At
Facts about Denver's Sidewalks
In Denver, property owners are responsible for sidewalk construction and maintenance. Many decades of this policy have demonstrated that building a transportation network one property at a time is ineffective, and is detrimental to the safety and well-being of Denver residents, particularly in lower-income neighborhoods.
The Solution
Take responsibility
Ensure and eliminate barriers to:
- Repair of deteriorated sidewalks
- Construction of new sidewalks where missing and needed
- Upgrades of substandard sidewalks that are too narrow to comply with ADA standards
Develop a sustainable funding source to build and maintain the network in a timely manner, without placing an undue burden on individual property owners, particularly in low-income areas
Use existing plans — such as Blueprint Denver, Denver Moves Pedestrians and Trails, and the Vision Zero Action Plan — to inform the implementation strategy, prioritizing Equity Index Areas and the High Injury Network
Dedicate Funding
The City’s draft Denver Moves: Pedestrian & Trails Plan estimates the full cost of building out the sidewalk network is $1.4 billion.
While the funding allocated to sidewalks to date will help jumpstart this buildout, significantly more resources are needed to complete the network so that every neighborhood has the basic infrastructure people need to walk. Furthermore, current funding can only be used to build sidewalks where they are missing, which is the case on 10% of Denver’s streets. An additional 30% of streets have substandard sidewalks that are too narrow for a person in a wheelchair, or for a parent with a stroller.
That’s why we’re advocating for a dedicated revenue stream to fund sidewalk construction and repair.
These organizations support the
Denver Deserves Sidewalks campaign
- Doris Apartments
- Denver Regional Mobility and Access Council (DRMAC)
- East Colfax Neighborhood Association
- Exploryst
- Groundwork Denver
- Inter-Neighborhood Cooperation (INC)
- La Alma Lincoln Park Registered Neighborhood Organization (RNO)
- Mayor’s Bicycle Advisory Committee (MBAC)
- Mile High Connects
- Montbello Walks
- Safesidewalks.com: Precision Concrete Cutting
- Tai Chi Project @ Living Younger Longer Institute
- The Trust for Public Land
- Unite North Metro Denver
- Uptown on the Hill RNO
- Valverde Neighborhood Association
- West Colfax Association of Neighbors (WeCAN)
- West Colfax Business Improvement District
- West Corridor Transportation Management Association (TMA)
- YIMBY Denver
Here’s what we’ve been up to:
Advocating for Budget Allocations
- In 2017, for the first time ever, the City allocated $2.5 Million for new sidewalk construction. The City has continued to allocate funding for new sidewalk construction at roughly this level in each Annual Budget, including the 2021 Budget.
- In 2017 voters also approved the Elevate Denver GO Bond which included $47.7 M for new sidewalk construction.
- In 2018 Denver established the Neighborhood Sidewalk Repair Program and revolving loan fund.
- At current funding levels it would take more than 400 years to build out the complete sidewalk network.
Holding Denver Accountable
It’s not a good sign when you consistently fail to meet your own goals. Unfortunately, Denver’s been doing just that regarding sidewalk-related targets. We’ve been holding the City accountable to its self-imposed goals for new sidewalk construction, established in the Vision Zero Action Plan: 14 miles per year in 2018 and 2019, 20 miles per year 2020-2023. Their anemic progress has received failing grades from us in 2018, 2019, and 2020.
Raising Awareness to the Issue
Related Resources
Denver transportation officials ask for $10 million to implement sidewalk ballot measure that will cost property owners $41 million a year
Seven months after Denver voters approved a ballot measure to create a complete, crack-free network of sidewalks, officials from the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure have yet to begin implementation.
For Coloradans with Disabilities, Navigating Denver’s Snow-Covered Sidewalks and Streets is Dangerous—and Often Impossible
For nearly two weeks after a late December snowstorm that left 7 inches of snow on the ground in Denver, when resident Julie Reiskin needed to leave her home on Milwaukee and 37th, she had to roll her wheelchair down the middle of busy streets and then station herself in the street to flag down a public bus.
How the Walkability-Related Campaigns in 2022 are Impacting 2023
At America Walks, we love tracking walkability wins, and 2022 had some exceptional ones. As advocates, we understand the power of communities to use the democratic process to create long-lasting change. Here are four big policy wins, followed by some of our thoughts on what made them possible (spoiler alert – persistent and passionate organizing):
Denver’s sidewalk repair initiative could face big changes before it’s implemented
It was a clear mandate from Denver voters, a mandate for city council to repair and improve sidewalks. In November, residents voted 56% to 44% to move the burden for sidewalk repairs away from homeowners and to the city itself.
Denver voters OK’d money to improve sidewalks. Now what?
In a city strewn with cracked, crumbling and even nonexistent sidewalks, a huge influx of cash is on the way to address the problem courtesy of Denver voters who supported Initiated Ordinance 307 in the Nov. 8 election.
Denver sidewalk initiative backers have declared victory. Here’s what may come next
The advocacy group behind the “Denver Deserves Sidewalks” ballot initiative declared victory Sunday night after unofficial results showed the measure continuing to pull ahead.
Denver sidewalk fee supporters declare victory with Initiated Ordinance 307 up more than 24K votes
Denver election workers still have roughly 32,000 ballots to count from Tuesday’s midterm election but supporters of Initiated Ordinance 307, the sidewalk tax measure, finally feel confident enough to declare victory in the tightest race in the city this cycle.
Should Homeowners or Cities Maintain Sidewalks?
With all the talk about infrastructure in the country over the last few years, one of the most familiar transportation networks has often been overlooked and underfunded: city sidewalks. But voters in Denver this month will have a chance to change that.
Advocates hit the streets in support of Denver sidewalks ballot measure
Voters will decide in November on potential fees for sidewalk improvements, maintenance By Russell Haythorn, Denver 7 DENVER — Advocates for Denver Initiative 307, which would publicly fund sidewalk construction and upkeep, reached out to Denver homeowners Sunday trying to garner support for the November ballot measure. Dominic Hughes spent much of his weekend pounding […]
PRESS RELEASE: Denver Deserves Sidewalks qualifies for November 2022 ballot
PRESS RELEASE — Tuesday, August 2, 2022 MEDIA CONTACT Jill Locantore, Executive Director, the Denver Streets Partnership jill@denverstreetspartnership.org | 303-895-6376 DENVER — Today, the Denver Elections Division announced that Denver Deserves Sidewalks gathered enough valid signatures to qualify for the November 2022 ballot. Denver Deserves Sidewalks would publicly fund the buildout and ongoing maintenance […]
PRESS RELEASE: Denver Deserves Sidewalks submits 19,197 signatures for ballot bid
PRESS RELEASE — Monday, July 11, 2022 MEDIA CONTACT Molly McKinley, Policy Director, the Denver Streets Partnership molly@denverstreetspartnership.org | 919-588-9676 Campaign organizers gathered required signatures in two months DENVER — The Denver Streets Partnership submitted petition signatures to the Denver Elections Division today for Denver Deserves Sidewalks to qualify for the 2022 ballot. […]
This Father’s Day, give to Denver Deserves Sidewalks and turn every $1 into $4
The Keith B. Kester memorial fund will match donations 3:1, up to $24,000. Click Here to Donate Now To honor my dad and carry forward his commitment to giving back to the community, I am committing $24,000 that I inherited from my dad as a 3:1 match for any donations made to the Denver Deserves […]