Denver to Start Two-Way Street Grid Conversion in Lower Downtown
A two-block stretch of 18th Street between Wynkoop and Blake streets in Lower Downtown Denver will be converted from one-way to two-way traffic this year. RTD’s new circulator service, the Free MetroRide, will debut this spring and travel from Union Station to Civic Center Station along 18th and 19th streets as part of RTD’s FasTracks transit expansion.
In January 2013, the city of Denver re-examined the efficiency of the transportation network in LoDo. The many changes taking place in the area—including the pending completion of the Denver Union Station project, a significant increase in residential living and Denver’s growing multi-modal transportation options—meant it was time to improve traffic flow.
Denver Public Works officials and experts in planning, traffic engineering and traffic operations recommended the shift to improve traffic flow, and Public Works Manager Jose Cornejo decided to move forward with the conversion sooner rather than later. Work on 18th Street should begin this summer and take about two months to complete. The conversion will include:
• Dedicated striped lanes for bicycles on both sides of the street with pavement markings to draw the attention of all users.
• New traffic signals at 18th and Wynkoop, with countdown pedestrian signals.
• Countdown pedestrian signals will also be added at Wazee and Blake streets.
• Improved curb ramps and crosswalk markings.
The estimated cost of the conversion of 18th Street is $550,000 and is being funded through the city’s general fund, capital improvement project funds and tax increment financing.
The specific goals of the conversion include:
• Reconnecting the street grid, finishing the two-way conversion in the area that includes Wazee Street, 17th Street and 19th Street.
• Furthering the Downtown Area Plan’s vision of creating a “green and walkable city.”
• Allowing more efficient movement of all modes of traffic.
• Continuing to implement the street design and circulation recommendations of the Lower Downtown Neighborhood Plan (2000), which included the 18th Street conversion.
• Creating an outstanding pedestrian environment and a true multimodal street. The Downtown Denver Business Improvement District is investing $22,000 in street beautification items along 18th Street between Blake and Wynkoop streets this year.
Not the First of Its Kind
Over the past decade, several sections of roadway in Denver have been successfully converted to two-way traffic. In 2011, Larimer Street from Broadway to Downing was converted to two-way with on-street bike lanes, and in 2012, sections of Cherokee and Delaware streets between Speer Boulevard and Colfax Avenue were converted to two-way.
Another significant step in the process to convert one-way streets back to two-way traffic occurred in 2002 when a four block section of Wazee Street in LoDo was converted.
Until the 1980s, the downtown network was set up primarily for automobile commuters, whose primary objective was to drive to and from the work as directly and quickly as possible; one-way streets facilitated a faster flow of traffic. Today, more than 60% of downtown commuters take transit, share rides, bike and walk to work. There are also many more residents and visitors in LoDo today than 10 years ago, creating a completely different environment in the neighborhood.
The conversion of 18th Street between Wynkoop and Blake will accommodate multiple modes of transportation and fits in better with the more residential character of the neighborhood. It also helps improve the economic strength, structural quality and social vitality of LoDo and support its continued growth, city officials say.
As part of the planning, Denver Public Works conducted a comprehensive study of 18th Street with help from engineering, construction and technical services firm, URS Corp.
URS evaluated the technical feasibility of the 18th Street conversion, including data collection, review of previous planning documents, traffic analysis, traffic forecasts, development and evaluation of the options.
In addition to the URS report, the team held multiple meetings and discussions with area stakeholders in August, October and November. Several business organizations have come out in support of the project, including the Downtown Denver Partnership and LoDo District Inc.
