The Denver streets seeking to go permanently carless
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Larimer Square in downtown Denver on Sept. 6. Photo: Esteban L. Hernandez/Axios
The future of three busy corridors in Denver could be car-free.
Driving the news: The city's transportation and infrastructure department is overseeing a pilot program to establish full street closures.
- The program is an extension of a pandemic-era project started in 2020 blocking car access and allowing more outdoor activities like walking and dining on several streets.
Why it matters: The pilot will determine whether three corridors could, after a 5-year period, be permanently closed to cars.
- It could also help downtown's foot traffic recover, a major goal for Mayor Mike Johnston.
Details: Principal city planner Jay Decker told Esteban the three are all in or near downtown.
- They include Larimer Square, Larimer Street between 29th and 30th streets in the RiNo Art District, and Glenarm Place between 15th and 16th streets.
State of play: The three corridors are currently permitted to close access to vehicles — but that will expire this year.
- The new permits will need to be renewed annually.
By the numbers: 78% of nearly 1,000 respondents who participated in a city-sponsored survey conducted last year said they had a "very positive" outlook on the outdoor places program.
- Top reasons they enjoyed these places were socializing with friends and spending time outside.
The intrigue: Decker said the RiNo location is working on a mobility study to determine its impact on local transit lines, pedestrians and cyclists.
- He noted the location has a bus stop, so the study will help determine whether closing the road is leading to delays.
What they're saying: "The long-term vision is for it to become a community asset, where it is more of a public amenity and could be more like a shared street or a linear park in the future," Sarah Cawrse, urban strategy and design director at the RiNo Art District, tells us.
- Cawrse said RiNo is developing an online questionnaire for people to weigh in.
Of note: Larimer Square and Glenarm Place are both likely to be approved under the new program because mobility studies for both have been completed, Decker said.
- He said the new program calls for public spaces, so people don't need to buy something from a nearby business to hang out, and other physical improvements.
The bottom line: While making these streets permanently car-free is still a few years away, the program is a major step toward determining whether the public wants these corridors.