Are bus lanes and BRTs the best answer for Denver streets?
Re: “Should Colorado Blvd. become more bus-friendly?” May 27 news story
I don’t see anything vibrant about Denver.
While Mayor Mike Johnston is begging people to return to downtown, saying itap safe while murders increase, his administration seems hellbent on failing other areas of the city with bus rapid transit (BRT).
Besides downtown and its lack of safety, I already avoid the Colorado Boulevard corridor at certain times of day because of traffic congestion. A BRT will just make that worse, and I’ll avoid it altogether. Just like downtown. The same for Federal Boulevard.
I live in southeast Denver, where options other than Denver are convenient. If the Johnston administration continues to destroy our city, I’ll easily take my shopping and tax dollars elsewhere, rather than the Cherry Creek Mall. Park Meadows or Aurora’s Town Center are close by and easily accessible. Boutique shops proliferate in other area towns, such as Centennial, Littleton, and Englewood.
Let the market decide if more public transit is desired rather than shoving it down the taxpayer’s throat. Otherwise, watch Denver implode!
Paul C. Gremse, Denver
I was skeptical of Boulder’s conversion of the outer lanes of Arapahoe Avenue to bus-only lanes, leaving two car lanes in each direction instead of three. I was pleasantly surprised, however. There is less lane-hopping, typically from right-lane drivers avoiding cars that slow down for a right turn. Traffic flows smoother, and at the speed limit. My only gripe is the lane markings. They discourage right-turners from moving over earlier, resulting in slowdowns in the center lane. Fix that and it could be a winner.
I grew up in southeast Denver, near Glendale. Colorado Boulevard (and Federal and other arterial streets) could really use a more modern, better-organized layout. It could be less chaotic. Maybe consider letting big trucks use the bus lanes too.
Eric Rinard, Fort Lupton
You asked for input on the story regarding Bus Rapid Transit along Colorado Boulevard. My response is “Stop! No! and No way!” This is insane.
I understand Speer Boulevard through the Cherry Creek Business District and then along Leetsdale Drive to Parker Road is also on the list. No!
I’m a property owner near Leetsdale and don’t want to endure the Colfax nightmare, nor the disruption to businesses.
Stop forcing us to get out of our cars. Nobody elected you for that. And stop the stupid traffic circles, white curb extenders and converting streets to bikeways. I don’t remember voting on this. Nobody did. Stop!
The mayor’s office calls it “traffic calming.” Wrong again. It won’t, and it doesn’t. Maybe if he drove instead of getting chauffeured around, he’d get it. Stop. And thank you, Glendale!
Mark Davis, Denver
Traffic enforcement could lessen the need for traffic projects
Re: “Restore basic traffic enforcement in Denver,” May 27 letter to the editor
The letter writer is spot on. Numerous safety solutions, such as detrimental BRT projects, roundabouts, billions of white bollards, etc., which drive the citizenry crazy, could be avoided if drivers were complying with the law.
All of us see the red-light runners, road-ragers, and improperly licensed vehicles every day, and it seems to be getting worse. The letter writer is right, it is a fairness issue. Driving on our roadways is a privilege. Some of us pay for that privilege, and others do not, and the mayor has a budget shortfall.
Steve Nissen, Denver
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