Denver Public Works was busy this summer making sure you have access to all parts of town with just a set of pedals and wheels. Though they weren't able to accomplish all of the new pathways they laid out this year, the city was successful in increasing connectivity. This videographer was able to pedal between all of the new bike lanes with relative ease as I collected footage of what you might see.
According to Heather Burke with Public Works, the city completed four new permanent bike lanes, the temporary(ish) two-lane experimental Broadway Bikeway Study and improvements to two existing pedal passages. Proceed to see with your own eyes some of Denver's improvements.
One thing, and this is important: You should ALWAYS obey stop signs and red lights.
Champa from Downing to 20th Street got a revamped buffered bike lane.
Smooth asphalt and an even grade make this a great pathway between downtown and Five Points.
New lanes have been added on Blake Street from Broadway to Downing.
These are complete with an adorable cycling rhinoceros riding as the official bike lane symbol. This route isn't super scenic but the view will likely to improve as the neighborhood grows.
29th Avenue between Sheridan and Central now sport dedicated lanes.
This is a great opportunity for you western Denverites to make your way from the 'burbs into town. But beware this route! It's absolutely an easier lift to head eastbound. A steady incline awaits you westbound travelers.
The experimental South Broadway Bikeway Study has arrived (and could use some tweaking).
The two-lane design is a novel one for such a large and otherwise congested road. It's a refreshing space to move down Broadway, which is usually a zoo, but it's clear this passage needs some further thought. Cars exiting parking lots tend to sit smack in the middle of the lanes as they look for a safe way into their side of the street, and people who have just parked tend to dawdle in the middle of the lanes. Besides these potential mishaps, the only thing one might complain about is how short the study area is. Bring on more lanes!
A wiggly path between 8th Avenue and Bannock now connects the already-connected Cherry Creek Trail.
This one is a bit confusing, a set of bike lanes wind between 8th and Bannock via Bryant Street and 2nd Avenue ultimately connecting two points on the Cherry Creek Trail via the mainland. The best guess we have as to this pathway's usefulness is that it makes it abundantly easy for Public Works employees to get to the office, that odd giant cement building where 2nd turns into Tejon. That's cool, though. We can appreciate Public Works leading by example.
That's not all, folks!
Not pictured on the map or in these video archives is a new bike lane on 11th between Ogden and Osage. Also, the lanes on Wynkoop by Union Station have gotten a fresh set of stripes and green paint and, Public Works told Denverite, two more lanes will be added in the near future: buffered lanes on 47th Avenue from Brighton to Clayton and protected lanes on Stout Street from 19th to Downing.
