Way back in March, when we first asked DOTI to open streets to people during the height of COVID-19, we could only dream of keeping these glorious, car-free spaces around permanently. Since then, we’ve seen incredible usage on the shared and open streets — on warmer weather days, the total number of people walking and biking on just one section of 16th Avenue ranged from about 1,000 to nearly 1,800, compared to an average of about 360 in 2015. Folks all over the city are enjoying the streets for people: taking kids for bike rides, painting cool street art, and going on and on about how much they love shared and open streets. DOTI recently announced that these people-friendly streets are sticking around until the end of the fall. That’s great, but we think they should be permanent. If you agree, here are three ways you can make it happen.
- Send an email to city officials to let them know that our shared streets and car-free parks deserve to be maintained for the safety and enjoyment of our community. Use the Denver Bicycle Lobby’s email generation tool. Thanks, DBL!
- Sign the petition to keep Larimer Square car-free. We’re down there every afternoon offering free bike repairs, street art, and a 10-minute ride with a Neighborhood Navigator. Let city officials know that you want to keep Larimer open!
- Submit a design for the Shared Streets Competition! The American Planning Association – Colorado Sustainability Committee invites you to document a shared street or street closure that occurred in response to COVID-19. A variety of media is encouraged; all submissions will be recognized and shared for a multimedia presentation later this year. More information including starter questions and submission guidelines can be found here.