Colfax BRT - Back to the future!
Denver neighborhoods like Capitol Hill, Uptown, and City Park West are regaining much of the population density that was lost during the urban flight of decades ago. In addition to greater density, we had a public streetcar and bus system to help get people to their recreation and work destinations.
Today, approximately one-third of the households in these neighborhoods do not even own a car. The reasons vary as some don’t want to contribute to pollution and climate change and some people just don’t need or want one.
With Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) we return to providing mobility options to move people effectively as population and jobs grow along the corridor. Currently, about 50,000 people travel Colfax daily and in a decade or two it will be 75,000 people traveling to jobs, concerts, and other fun on Colfax.
But, how can we accommodate a 50% increase in Colfax travelers? How can we help to mitigate pollution impacts with so many more people moving on the avenue? What can we do to reduce and eliminate serious injuries from crashes on the street? One answer is BRT.
Our businesses will be exposed to more people on Colfax as 75,000 people travel the corridor each day — 50,000 of them on the bus! Access to our local, small businesses will increase and more people — now that they are not driving — can pay attention to the store signage and advertised specials.
For the businesses that serve alcohol, patrons arriving by bus won’t be worried about having “one-too-many.” The benefits are not just greater visibility, access, and patronage to the businesses. It will also help reduce the pollution from single occupancy cars while still accommodating more people.
The road will be calmer and quieter and safer for drivers and pedestrians alike as the bus shelters and other improvements and amenities will make the distance to cross Colfax shorter.
Already, neighbors notice that drivers divert onto the side streets instead of staying on Colfax. When this area gains over 100,000 new jobs and 25,000 more people (Colfax Corridor Connections Alternative Analysis Report p.7-8), what will happen to traffic on the side streets without a frequent and reliable bus service? You guessed it, it will be horrible!
With BRT, all our neighbors will have the option to ride on the bus (instead of driving) and they will enjoy how buses come every five (5) minutes during peak hours. That’s one of the reasons why ridership will increase from today’s approximately 20,000 daily riders to 50,000 by 2035. It is also why employees for Colfax businesses will benefit from not paying for parking and with the reliable service frequency they will be able to arrive at their jobs on time.
Another reason why ridership will increase is the improved bus shelters that are well-light and covered, so that bus riders will get the dignity they deserve.
The reliable bus service is partly a function of making one lane dedicated to the 50,000 bus riders and the other lane dedicated to the 25,000 car drivers. By having a dedicated lane for each, the bus will arrive at each stop at its scheduled time.
The biggest challenge to all of this is that since at least the 1940s — eighty years ago! — we’ve been building our roads, neighborhoods, and lives around the automobile. That’s why we have more parking lots, pollution, and noise than we used to, and less green space, sidewalks, and clean air.
We are a product of our accumulated decisions over the years. We can create a calmer, friendlier, more business-friendly environment with different decisions that prioritize safety and access.
And, you can be part of this because you care about Colfax, right? There’s a Virtual Community Workshop coming up on Sept. 15th at 5:30pm. Can’t make it? Check out the virtual engagement hub below where you can learn more and share your feedback at any time. And, if you want to chat directly with us about it, email our Executive Director, Frank Locantore, at frank@colfaxave.com.