Congress Park Safe Streets Action Plan Ready For Viewing
A Study Funded by Councilman Wayne New
INTRODUCTION
The Congress Park residential community is bordered and bisected by busy urban arterial traffic
thoroughfares: Colorado Boulevard, 6th Avenue/8th Avenue one-way couplet, York Street/Josephine
Street one-way couplet, 13th Avenue/14th Avenue one-way couplet, and Colfax Avenue, see Figure 1. By
definition, these streets attract central Denver commuter and cross town trips. The one-way couplets
have traffic signals timed to progress traffic through the area with minimal delay. Colorado Boulevard
and Colfax Avenue are on the State Highway grid, carrying high volumes of regional and commercial
traffic. High-density redevelopment underway along Colorado Boulevard bordering Congress Park will
attract additional traffic to Congress Park streets, particularly 8th Avenue. When these arterials
experience extended periods of long backups at signalized intersections, some motorists elect to divert
to the local residential street grid, Steele Street, 7th Ave Parkway and elsewhere, reportedly often
travelling at speeds in excess of safe speed for two-lane neighborhood streets lined with parked
vehicles. High traffic volumes and long stretches of uninterrupted traffic flow create impediments to
safe, comfortable pedestrian and bike circulation. Excessive speed on residential streets is in direct
conflict with casual walking and biking.
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