The most dangerous streets in Denver are major arterials, which are designed to move as many cars as fast as possible and are especially hazardous for anyone not in a motor vehicle. We can’t achieve Denver’s Vision Zero goal to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries by 2030 without focusing attention on these streets, and the best way to make arterial streets safer while moving a lot of people is to prioritize transit.
When some of our team had the opportunity to visit Copenhagen a couple years ago, we were struck by how the city basically has just two types of streets: 1) Bigger streets with lots of people traveling by different modes, each with its own dedicated space—sidewalks for people walking; elevated, protected lanes for people on bikes; dedicated transit lanes; and lanes for people in cars. 2) Smaller shared streets, where all modes are allowed to mix together, but people walking and biking are prioritized and people drive so slow that everyone feels safe sharing that space.
Starting March 16, Denver Community Active Living Coalition (CALC) will host weekly virtual discussions about the book Right of Way: Race, Class, and the Silent Epidemic of Pedestrian Deaths in America by Angie Schmitt.
Meet Maggierose Martinez, AJ Rodriguez, and City Councilman Chris Hinds. Here’s what 125 miles of new Denver bikeways means to them.