Be Heard About Protected Bike Lanes
Bike lanes and multi-modal transportation seem to be finally on the radar as a priority for the City and County of Denver. We have seen more protected bike lanes popping up and plenty of attention given to what to do about scooters and e-bikes with respect to our roads and sidewalks. Denver is looking at the South Central Community in June, hoping to build a better connection for cyclists and multi-modal users from South Denver through Capitol Hill. The City and County have asked users and neighborhood dwellers to complete this survey to make sure their priorities are heard as the plans are drawn. The survey is based on a recommendation from Denver Moves: Bikes to install a bike lane along N. Washington Street / N Clarkson Street. The debate currently stewing is whether bike trails, protected bike lanes, or the bike lanes from the days of old are the best measure. As cyclist deaths and bike wrecks have been on the rise and gaining more attention in the area, advocates have been pushing for further protection for cyclists. The proposed protected bike lanes would provide a physical barrier between bikes and vehicles with clear demarcations of territory. We have seen several of these pop up in the Downtown area in recent months. The current survey is open through June 7 and seeks your opinions on protected bike lanes versus separate trails or shared streets. Click here to be heard!
Initiatives
The local government has set some goals in the face of the increase in severe injuries and fatalities suffered by cyclists in recent years. Denver Vision Zero has become a part of the charge, and 2030 is the goal date. By that finish line, Denver City and County Department of Transportation & Infrastructure plans to accomplish the following:
- Increase Walk & Bike Commute Mode Share by 15%
- Make 100% of City and County households within ¼ mile of a High Comfort Bikeway
- Increase Miles of Bikeways by 125 miles
- Eliminate… completely… Traffic Deaths and Serious Injuries
While these are tall orders, particularly the later, they are nonetheless noble. As a community, we can help support these goals by participating in surveys like the one contained herein, as well as engaging in Bike to Work Days and multi-modal use in general. Higher usage of protected bike lanes and trails, as well as higher participation in surveys and community outreach and awareness events signals to the local government that this is a priority for the citizens of Denver, as well.