South Broadway’s bike lanes open today

For the next few months, bicyclists can ride a protected two-way section of South Broadway.

The lanes, open today, are part of a temporary test. They’ll run from Bayaud to Virginia avenues, replacing a lane of traffic and bumping parking away from the curb. The city will evaluate the lanes after three months, and then decide whether to keep them for a full 15 months or longer.

For the cycling crowd, this is a chance to prove that bike lanes are worthwhile. Streetsblog argues that everyone who wants to see better biking infrastructure should get out and ride these new lanes.

Business owners along the strip are a bit more skeptical. Denver7 asks whether moving parking away from the curb will drive people away from retail businesses – but the station’s report finds some evidence from other states that bike lanes can actually help businesses.

And then you’ve got some Jefferson County vandals, who would like cyclists to know that “Cars should kill u.” Lovely.