Demolition is expected to wrap up by the end of summer and includes the former Elway’s, Brio and Container Store building and the building that once housed Macy’s Furniture and Boulder Running Co., Denver-based real estate and community developer and its private equity partner , announced Thursday.

Road and utilities work, above-ground construction and creek improvements are expected to continue until late 2027, with the first building on the site being completed in summer 2029.

The former Bed Bath & Beyond building, at 2500 E. 1st Ave., will remain on the site as a temporary construction office for phase one of the project.

“After years of planning and preparation, Cherry Creek West is moving from vision to reality with work beginning at the site,” said Amy Cara, managing partner at East West Partners.

“This is just the first step toward delivering our vision with the first three buildings and the most meaningful of the public spaces and connections coming to life by the end of 2029.”

Site work and future construction are being conducted by construction manager and general contractor Mortenson and Saunders.

Cherry Creek West will span four city blocks, from University Boulevard to Clayton Lane and from First Avenue to the Cherry Creek waterway.

Phase one of the project includes about 400 residences, 200,000 square feet of office space and 50,000 square feet of retail.

When fully built, Cherry Creek West is expected to feature seven total buildings, approximately 840 residences, 600,000 square feet of office space and 100,000 square feet of retail, along with more than 2,000 underground parking spaces.

Developers say the project, which is is expected to cost over $1 billion, will mark the next chapter for Cherry Creek by connecting and completing the neighborhood, embracing the creek and highlighting outdoor spaces with new open areas.

“We know there is a lot of interest in this project, and we look forward to sharing updates as Cherry Creek West begins to take shape,” Cara said.

Since 1986, East West Partners has developed and sold over $7 billion of residential and commercial real estate across the country. A few of the firm’s include the Union Station neighborhood, Riverfront Park and The Triangle Building.

In a recent , Colorado Parks and Wildlife said that only campers will be allowed in the park during those hours.

“Campers, be prepared to show your camping reservations to get in,” the post said.

“Thank you for understanding. The safety of our visitors and community is our number one priority.“

The Cherry Creek State Park covers over 4,200 acres in the Denver metro area and is anchored around an 880 surface-acre reservoir.

The park offers outdoor recreation amenities, including camping, picnicking and facilities for group events.

Re: “Maxwell transferred to prison camp in Texas,” Aug. 2 news story

Remember when MAGA was horrified and ready to storm the because of a supposed Democratic pedophile ring in the basement? And, without a shred of evidence in any form? Where is their outrage when President Donald Trump is allowing his administration to move Ghislaine Maxwell, an actual convicted pedophile on multiple accounts, with tons of actual evidence to prove her guilt, from one low-security facility to an even lower-security location? And the president “wishes her well?” Aren’t they at least curious as to why his administration is involved at all?

And while I’m thinking about it, why aren’t Republican officials outraged and trying to stop the move? Or are they too busy figuring out how to gerrymander their district before the next election?

Come on, people. Get registered and vote so we can work to restore a decent democracy in our government.

Jim Cronin, Commerce City

Speedy bikers should show some courtesy

I’ve been riding the Denver bike paths for many years. And bikers “in the good old days” were respectful of fellow bikers. Everyone hollered “on your left” as they passed slower bikers. Or, just as good, they rang their bells. So we riders being passed knew they were coming and maintained our path.

That has changed. Most bikers on the Cherry Creek Trail and the South Platte River Trail say nothing. They go flying by. Today, three bikers on each other’s tail did that. A couple of weeks ago, I was going one way on the path, and another lady was going the other way.  As we were passing each other, a biker rode right between us.

And, of course, the scooter riders have no idea how to be safe. They, too, come up behind and zip by.

What is so darn difficult about saying “on your left?”  Why did that stop?  Unfortunately, I have to say I’m getting scared of riding the bike paths. Come on, fellow bikers, let us slower riders know when we’re going to be passed.

Sherry Richardson, Denver

Federal relief funding for adult education arrives, but the fight isn’t over

The recent release of long-delayed federal funds for adult education programs in Colorado and across the nation is a welcome relief, but it����ap not enough. This temporary fix does nothing to resolve the chronic underfunding and instability that plagues these programs year after year.

Adult education serves millions of Americans annually — low-income individuals, legal immigrants working to improve their English, formerly incarcerated people rebuilding their lives, and single parents seeking a better future for their families. These learners work hard to break the cycle of poverty and dependency.

While the U.S. spends around $10,000 per elementary school student, these adult learners receive just $583 a year, according to the Coalition on Adult Basic Education. Just 100 hours of instruction can boost annual income by nearly $10,000. Nearly half of GED recipients pursue higher education.

This success is powered by underpaid educators, many of whom take multiple jobs, manage several centers, and work without benefits. Their commitment keeps the system running against the odds. Adult education isn’t charity, it����ap a smart, high-return investment.

Lawmakers from both parties helped secure this year’s delayed funding, but next year’s budget already threatens cuts. Programs in Colorado and beyond have faced furloughs and closures. Without stable, adequate funding, we risk losing everything these programs have built.

Now is the time for Congress to secure long-term funding for adult education.

Sharon Bonney, Denver

Editor’s note: Bonney is the CEO of the Coalition on Adult Basic Education.

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Whether you believe that transformation has been for the better or the worse, we all can agree that Denver’s downtown has struggled since the pandemic, with office buildings sitting half-empty and housing demand far outpacing what����ap available. The city now has a chance to take control of these changes and direct its future with developments that embrace Denver’s outdoor ethos and support green spaces amid its growing skylines, keeping intact the identity that makes us special. As far as urban planning goes, River Mile, Denargo Market, and a reimagined Speer Boulevard and Cherry Creek Trail will allow this city to boom without losing our character.

Our residents are caught in a Catch-22: they want to see downtown revitalized, but are worried about the direction development will take. The city’s relatively progressive base of voters rejected the mayor’s plan to raise millions for affordable housing just this past November, with The Denver Post reporting that skeptics of the ballot measure cited a lack of a clear plan from the city, and a fear that unchecked growth could introduce problems not yet characteristic of Denver. After all, growth often brings to mind high-rises, traffic congestion, and endless construction, eroding the very natural beauty that makes Denver special.

The question shouldn’t be whether growth is happening, but how we can welcome it without sacrificing the spirit of the city. We’re a city built on an outdoors ethic — one where access to trails, parks, and views of the Front Range aren’t luxuries, but expectations. It����ap why we’ve protected viewplanes and pushed back against development that feels disconnected from the landscape we love.

City planners and developers need to think beyond traditional development models and reimagine downtown in a way that builds on our strengths — a place where development supports community, character, and nature — while fostering economic growth and addressing housing.

It����ap not an easy job, but some developments are already pointing the way. Take The River Mile, an ambitious, first-of-its-kind project, which, once completed, will be the largest commercial project in the region, combining development with restoration work to breathe new life into the river corridor. Prioritizing green space and sustainable, multimodal transportation over car traffic, it����ap designed to encourage people to actively engage with their surroundings.

Denargo Market similarly was designed to not just exist alongside the river but actively embrace it through a sprawling network of pedestrian-centric streets and seamless connections to the surrounding trail systems. The development will introduce more than four acres of public spaces connected by purposeful vertical development, including three million square feet of residential, retail, office, and hospitality space.

These two projects are slated to transform the historic South Platte riverfront into a vibrant, walkable neighborhood, bringing jobs, housing, and long-overdue investment, while preserving the connection to the outdoors that defines us.

Similarly, a recent advisory panel focused on reimagining Speer Boulevard and Cherry Creek between the Auraria Campus and downtown lays the groundwork for a more connected, accessible city. With input from local leaders and national experts, the plan emphasizes mixed-use development, improved transportation safety, expanded recreation along the Cherry Creek Trail, and stronger links between downtown and the Auraria Campus, once again further connecting the residents to each other and our city.

We’re not just talking about buildings — we’re talking about how we live. We can all agree that the downtown of the future shouldn’t be a collection of empty office buildings but a dynamic, 24/7 neighborhood that people are proud to call home. Developers, planners and Denver’s leaders have the opportunity to shape this future, consulting with residents and intentionally designing spaces that put people first, prioritizing green, open spaces, culture, and community.

If we get it right, downtown Denver won’t just bounce back; it’ll set the standard for how cities can grow with purpose and heart.

Rodney Milton is the executive director of Urban Land Institute Colorado. Milton was raised in Denver and holds two master’s degrees from Florida State University and a B.S. in History from Florida A & M University. He also worked for the City of Atlanta, and the City of Aurora as its manager of community development.

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South Metro Fire Rescue crews responded to reports of people trapped in the trench along Cherry Creek Trail, near Parker Road and Broncos Parkway, around 7:27 a.m. Tuesday, the .

Paramedics took one person to the hospital with minor injuries, fire officials said. No details about the other trapped person were provided.

It’s not clear how the workers got trapped in the trench, but a rescue team was able to extract both people by 8:45 a.m., according to South Metro officials.

Rescue crews said the trench was 10 feet wide, five feet deep and 75 feet long. A shows heavy machinery surrounding and inside the trench, as well as ladders that rescue crews used to access the patients.

A posted by South Metro shows rescue team members pulling one of the workers out while strapped to a plastic backboard.

Denver police began investigating an outdoor death on the Cherry Creek Trail near East Speer Boulevard and North Washington Street on Tuesday,

Department officials on Wednesday but declined to release additional information about the case, citing the ongoing investigation.

Anyone with information about the case can contact at 720-913-7867.

Re: “Christian Nationalist Movement: Your religious values are not American values,” July 7 commentary

I read Pamela Paul’s column concerning the Christian Nationalist Movement with great interest. I agree with everything she wrote. However, I wish she had mentioned of the U.S. Constitution, which states, “no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.”

I wonder how many of the Christian Nationalists have read the Constitution and are familiar with Article VI.

— Rick O’Connell, Centennial

When did it become more important to focus on the of the Constitution in our children’s schools than on the current education of Gender Dysphoria, Woke, and DEI, which is far more destructive to social survival than the Commandments? Our children are treated like pawns with limited questionable education in English, mathematics, and sciences, providing little allowance for critical thinking and individual achievements.

Only the Louisiana residents who pay the school taxes should decide this issue. Any other non-Louisiana U.S. citizen should consider their own state and its morals.

— Barb Zrubek, Windsor

Thank you for running Sunday’s commentary by Pamela Paul. I agree with the entire article, but especially the first paragraph. Whenever some Christians mention values or morals, it implies that their morals and values are superior to everyone else’s and must be acknowledged and respected, as if the rest of us are immoral and reprobates, etc.

— Michael Wear, Denver

The price tag on influence costs citizens dearly

Re: “Lobbyists were paid nearly $70M,” July 7 news story

The front page article on Sunday has Adam Smith’s ears perked.

• “The more money you have usually translates to a louder voice in politics … ”

• “Then there’s the lobby and special interests that spend a bazillion dollars … to try to prevent progress and prevent what we all really know is the right thing to be doing.”

• “Special interests are able to exercise an undue amount of influence on the legislators …”

• “Unfortunately, there’s a power imbalance, just given the wealth and political capacity …”

Smith, the named “Father of Capitalism,” wrote in his book “Theory of Moral Sentiments” his concerns regarding inherent moral flaws. One such flaw is found in the quoted sentences above, which describe the inherent behavior in capitalism towards corruption.

— Steve Morrow, Denver

For 36 consecutive days in June and July, there was not a single day when the was rated as “good” in the Denver Metro area, as reported by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. Many of the days were declared “unhealthy for sensitive groups.” The area’s air quality has been in “severe” violation of EPA’s standard for ozone pollution since 2022, leading the American Lung Association to find that Denver has the seventh worst air quality in the nation. In the last legislative session, oil and gas polluters killed comprehensive legislation to address Denver’s long-standing air quality problems, and the governor and legislature kicked the ozone can down the road until at least 2030.

While the politicians cower, we can all help improve air quality by not letting our cars idle while we check emails, texts, or the most recent social media posts. The alternative — opening the windows without the engine running — avoids needlessly emitting harmful pollutants into the atmosphere. This modest action will benefit all of us, especially our neighbors who suffer from asthma or cardiovascular disease and those whose allergies are worsened by air pollution.

— Ronald L. Rudolph, Golden

Trails are not race courses

I’m writing to express my deep concern about the behavior of some cyclists on Colorado’s Cherry Creek Trail and Highline Canal Trail.

These beautiful public paths are meant for everyone’s enjoyment, but unfortunately, a minority of riders are turning them into dangerous speedways. Recently, I’ve witnessed cyclists racing at breakneck speeds, refusing to yield to pedestrians or slower riders. This reckless behavior puts everyone at risk, especially families with children and elderly walkers.

The trails have a 15 mph speed limit for good reason, yet some cyclists blatantly ignore it. These trails are not private racetracks. They are shared spaces meant for the enjoyment and recreation of all Colorado residents and visitors. Cyclists must remember that they are to yield to pedestrians and announce their presence when passing.

To those who insist on treating our public trails like their personal Tour de France course: Slow down, show respect, and remember that your actions have consequences. A moment of caution could prevent a serious accident.

I urge local authorities to increase patrols and enforcement of trail rules. Additionally, I call on the cycling community to self-police and remind their peers about proper trail etiquette. Let’s work together to ensure our trails remain safe and enjoyable for everyone.

— Gregg S. Hayutin, Denver

Supreme Court not as divided as portrayed

Recent articles and Open Forum letters regarding the Supreme Court show a considerable lack of understanding of the Court����ap decisions. Before making accusations, a person should review the facts. Calling the Supreme Court “rogue” simply because they disagree with the results is poor judgment at best and shows a lack of understanding of the Constitution and our judicial system.

If you are going to criticize the Court, at a minimum, study the statistics. The Wall Street Journal reported that for 2023, about 45% of the cases were unanimous. For example, nine justices agreed that Colorado could not remove Donald Trump from the ballot and that pro-life doctors did not have the standing to sue the FDA.

Yet, I do criticize Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s fearmongering. Her implication that the Armed Forces will be used to assassinate members of the opposing political party is especially offensive. Specifically, she owes an apology to SEAL Team 6.

When I joined the military, I swore to defend and protect the Constitution (as my son, my father, my brother, and my uncle), not a person. We were all trained that there are unlawful orders that it was our duty not to obey per the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) and federal law. Just because a president cannot be prosecuted for official actions does not mean the members of the armed forces will blindly follow a presidential order. We are not automatons. We can be prosecuted for violations. We simply cannot use the Flip Wilson defense: “The Devil made me do it!”

— José M. López, Centennial

Remembering when physicians got personal with patients

Whatever happened to our Primary Care Physicians (PCP) – the family docs that personally answered your phone calls (not texts), took care of your minor cuts and fractures, delivered your babies, and took care of them as they grew, personally examining you prior to ordering expensive tests, and spent more time interacting with you than a computer screen?

The answer: Nearly 80% of physicians are now employed by corporations and hospitals, according to a study sponsored by the Physicians Advocacy Institute (PAI). Corporate control over our medical care includes replacing physicians with lesser-trained non-physicians to maximize profits, while moral injury and burnout among physicians are at unsustainable levels.

Kelly Kenney, CEO of PAI, said, “Physicians have an ethical responsibility to their patients’ health. By contrast, corporate entities have a fiduciary responsibility to their shareholders and are motivated to put profits first.”

Corporate family docs, especially in urban areas, are now instructed to refer the patients they previously administered care to, i.e., simple fractures, gynecology, multiple complaints, etc., to specialists. Time perhaps doesn’t allow returning to the old paradigm of the beloved 1970s TV doctor Marcus Welby, M.D.; however, allowing common sense patient/doctor relationships to replace profit-driven corporate medicine is in the best interest of both the physicians and their patients.

— Glenn M. Cosh, Wheat Ridge

Editor’s note: Cosh is a board-certified family physician and a currently licensed pro bono medical doctor.

“Preoccupied with football”

Re: “University of Colorado football: It’s not your daddy’s Big 12,” July 7 sports story

Your dissing of the newly constructed Big 12 Conference in a front-page Sunday Post article hit a nerve in me, a West Virginia native and Mountaineer fan now residing in Denver.

I admit to your accuracy in noting that every athletic program not in the Big Ten or SEC desires the excessive and harmful riches those two conferences deliver to their constituent schools. But I suggest you’re far too preoccupied with football.

Kansas, Arizona, Houston, and Cincinnati, for example, each possess a glittering history in men’s basketball — likewise Oklahoma State in equestrian. My West Virginia Mountaineers, inexplicably, excel in baseball. And I won’t belabor the success of today’s Big 12 in track and field, volleyball, and other so-called “minor” sports. CU by itself has won recent multiple national championships in skiing and men’s and women’s cross country.

In conclusion, I ask The Post for a measure of forbearance as the CU Buffs battle in the “not-your-Daddy’s” Big 12. It’s a conference that reflects the realities of today’s economic and practical circumstances and– dare we hope — evokes the positive achievements of young athletes.

— David E Stauffer, Denver

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“I just, earlier this morning, found what looks like a whole apartment that was just dumped on the South Platte,” he said Monday as he drove through downtown Denver. “There’s an organ. There’s a couch.”

His usual patrol route for the Denver Department of Parks and Recreation takes him along segments of the South Platte River and Cherry Creek trails. He collects dumped trash, reports electric scooters he finds submerged in the water, and offers garbage bags and socks to people living in encampments before directing them elsewhere.

is made up of about 20,000 acres of parkland, including more than 250 urban parks and over 80 miles of trails in the city. In such a large system, Williams and about 65 other rangers have amassed anecdotes about strange — and even risky — encounters in their assigned districts throughout the city and county.

And then there are the oddities they find in the waterways.

The list of anomalies removed from Cherry Creek alone include a wheelbarrow and a hairless guinea pig — a pet that escaped its owners on the trail, said Parks and Recreation spokesperson Stephanie Figueroa. The guinea pig was found alive.

Last week, Williams, 36, helped extract a moped from the creek.

“It’s pretty common to see something like that,” he said.

Sometimes, an abandoned vehicle turns out to have been stolen, Williams said. Rangers look up its license plate or vehicle identification number to confirm. Other times, it’s been ravaged for parts, and the remains are left in a local park.

When rangers find Lime and Lyft electric scooters in Cherry Creek — a frequent occurrence — they report the locations through a phone app that alerts company technicians to collect them.

Homeowners and contractors also have a habit of dumping construction materials in these public spaces.

“With waste fees and landfills being what they are, it’s just enticing to dump it wherever it seems convenient,” Williams said. “Often, that’s a secluded part of the trails district or another park.”

At the start of July, he was finishing his final week of medication — a cautionary measure after he was poked by a needle. It was hidden in a blanket that he came in contact with during a hazardous materials cleanup in the undergrowth along the Cherry Creek Trail.

“The risks of the job,” he sighed.

On Monday morning, Williams sat behind the wheel of his park ranger car, its lights flashing. In the back seat, park ranger manager Jodie Marozas, 41, was ready for anything they might encounter — with a baton, a can of pepper spray, a flashlight and a radio on her belt, along with naloxone in her bag (to reverse opioid overdoses) and a pocket knife in her cargo pants.

As Williams merged onto the tight path at a junction of the South Platte River and the Cherry Creek trails, he greeted cyclists through his open window. There, he’s a familiar face. Several passersby stopped to chat.

He quickly spotted a violation in Confluence Park: a man throwing a ball to his off-leash dog in the water. Williams recognized him as a repeat offender.

Rangers enforce dozens of park-specific statutes, including rules regulating off-leash dogs, dumping, fireworks, fires and more. They follow a progressive compliance model, leading with education before taking further steps: a written warning, then citations, with fines that can increase.

Williams and Marozas approached the dog owner, who immediately began arguing and cursing. Saying he was a lawyer from Maine, he continued tossing the ball to his dog as Marozas tried to write him a citation. Finally, he put his pet on a leash, yelling as he stormed away.

“Usually, people that are breaking park rules aren’t very happy seeing us,” Marozas said. “In those situations, yeah — that is kind of the reaction we get.”

She emphasized the importance of de-escalation tactics because aggressive interactions aren’t uncommon for rangers. They learn Krav Maga, a self-defense-oriented martial art, with eight hours of training required annually.

Recently, a person chucked a scooter at a ranger, which caused a shoulder injury, Williams said.

“We get yelled at. We get called the meanest things you can imagine,” he added.

During the summer, parkgoers wade into the water at Confluence Park — though, “technically, you’re not allowed to swim in any of the waterways,” Williams said. “I’ll always tell the folks here that the water quality is not particularly good.”

For years, city officials about potential exposure to contaminants and other risks, including E. coli, in the river.

In Williams’ opinion, the ideal ranger needs to be outgoing. On a daily basis, he interacts with people from all walks of life, including those experiencing homelessness.

On the Cherry Creek Trail, rangers ask people camping underneath the bridges to relocate because they’re in areas considered closed, in part for safety.

Periodically, rangers have to alert people in encampments about the of the Cherry Creek Reservoir, which can potentially leave them stranded, or worse, when the trail floods.

During his patrol, Williams approached a man sitting in a chair under an overpass, his backpack and rolling suitcase at his side.

Next to him, a sign read: “No overnight camping.”

After Williams informed the man that it’s a closed area, he offered him a bottle of water.

“Is it Fiji?” the man responded, before gathering his belongings.

Several spots on the waterways are considered “problem areas,” or places with high numbers of violations, such as Creekfront Park near Larimer Square.

Half a dozen men slept on benches or listened to music throughout the park. Marozas approached a person who was holding a glass pipe to warn him about two violations: public marijuana use and glass. But for the most part, the pair of rangers conducted welfare checks.

“When we’re talking to the unhoused community, it’s not because we’re harassing them. It’s typically because we’re giving them resources,” Williams said. Along with water, his team passes out socks. Rangers give out beanies and hand warmers during the winter.

To Denverites who use local parks and trails, Marozas reminds them: “Take pride in the space that you use.”

And also, she says, laughing: “There isn’t a dog-poop fairy.”

Double right-lane closures are planned on northbound and southbound Speer between Interstate 25 and Auraria Parkway beginning this week and lasting until July as crews complete maintenance on the bridge over the railroad tracks.

In July, work will shift, with double left-lane closures planned until September.

Two travel lanes will remain open during the project and sidewalk closures will reroute pedestrians to the Cherry Creek Trail as needed, according to the department.

The maintenance includes installing fresh asphalt, bridge deck repairs and replacing bridge expansion joints, according to the news release.

Last year, crews completed maintenance on bridges over the South Platte River and Little Raven Street before pausing the project for winter.

The bridge over the railroad tracks is the third and final bridge maintenance project along Speer and will be completed in late fall, officials say.

Travelers can sign up for project updates by emailing speerblvdviaductbridge@gmail.com.

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Even as cyclists celebrate the results of the $14.3 million project, the long-controversial lanes continue to stoke skepticism among some, including local business owners, about lost street parking spaces, traffic impacts and other concerns along the busy street.

Leaders at the , a grassroots group made up of cycling advocates, foresee a bright future for cyclists on Broadway.

“Everyone I’ve talked to is just really excited that folks can access everything on Broadway,” said June Churchill, who was given this year’s honorary title of Denver’s “Bike Mayor” by the group. They’re also gaining a new link to the Cherry Creek Trail and other parts of Denver’s growing bicycle network.

“People have been waiting for this connection to exist,” she said.

The protected lanes, built as part of the city’s project, officially opened on Feb. 9, but cyclists started using them as early as January.

Still, the full impact hasn’t been seen yet because cyclists typically take to the streets in the spring, summer and fall, Churchill said.

Some Denverites continue to question if a major one-way thoroughfare like Broadway was the right place to install the new bike lane, instead of a quieter nearby street. Several entrepreneurs worry about its effect on their businesses, as well as the safety of cyclists and drivers alike as cars turning onto Broadway block the bikeway.

“I do feel like this was ultimately a bad decision,” said Adam Hodak, the owner of the L, a cocktail bar at 46 Broadway. Business owners like him “would have all said no to it,” he added about the project, “but that’s not really how it works.”

City officials kicked off the latest bike lane extension project in October 2022, but Denver began experimenting with the idea in 2015 when a pop-up demonstration happened over an early fall weekend on a repurposed vehicle traffic lane.

In 2016, a pilot bike lane allowing cycling in both directions opened along six blocks of Broadway, between Bayaud and Virginia Avenues. The next year, Denver voters approved a $937 million bond package, which allocated $12 million to Broadway multimodal improvements.

But that expansion has taken years to come to fruition.

Eight years since the initial pilot, the finished bikeway runs 1.5 miles from Center Avenue, near the Interstate 25 interchange, north to Seventh Avenue, where bicyclists can connect to the Cherry Creek Trail.

The $14.3 million cost was covered by the bond funding and part of a $9.6 million grant from the Safer Main Streets Initiative, according to DOTI. The project cost included expenses for the bike lane, signal upgrades, underground utility work and other maintenance.

City plans still call for extending the bike lane even farther north to Civic Center, allowing cyclists to reach downtown.

“But we don’t currently have money identified for design or construction,” Kuhn said.

Neighborhood advocate: “We feel much safer” on Broadway

On Monday afternoon, more than a dozen cyclists zipped up and down the new bikeway over 20 minutes — colorful Broadway storefronts on one side and, on the other, curb-like concrete barriers distancing them from traffic. Drivers pulled into the parking spots on the other side of the barriers, while pedestrians stuck to the sidewalks.

Even with plenty of cyclist-related signage, some Denverites still faced a learning curve. A parked electric scooter blocked one lane, as a skateboarder lingered in the other, mid-conversation.

One bicyclist blew through a red light, and another pedaled in the wrong lane. Although drivers creeping into the bikeway largely appeared to watch out for users, the occasional driver was forced to reverse out of the lane to avoid an oncoming scooter.

The Broadway makeover came as former Mayor Michael Hancock’s administration pushed , aiming to reach zero traffic-related deaths and serious injuries on Denver streets by 2030. That goal remains elusive, with the city counting last year, but the Broadway and Lincoln Street corridor was identified in the plan as one of four safety focus areas with disproportionately high levels of “crashes resulting in death or serious injury.”

Before the new lane was finished, Churchill from the Bicycle Lobby — who hasn’t owned a car in six years — traversed Broadway for four blocks on an e-bike in traffic. She called it “the most terrifying experience of my life.”

As a cyclist, “there are just some roads that you just don’t go on,” she said. “As a result, you never get to access anything there unless you take a different mode of transportation.”

The longer bikeway changes that.

Churchill, 25, considers it a win for local businesses because, she reasons, cyclists are typically saddled with fewer transportation costs than drivers, leaving them with extra cash to spend on Broadway. And she hopes drivers on Broadway see cyclists using the bike lane in the coming months and think, “If they can do it, so can I.”

“Then, we’ll see cars get off the road. We’ll see Broadway become more pleasant,” Churchill said.

Broadway serves as the boundary between . In the area with the bike lane, Baker sits immediately to its west, while Washington Park West and Speer are to the east.

Mark Tabor, president of the Baker Historic Neighborhood Association, hasn’t received much feedback yet on the bike lane from residents. But he called it “a little more complicated” as a pedestrian to cross the street now because it requires paying attention in both directions.

Still, he’s noticed fewer bicyclists riding on the sidewalks since its opening.

“It’ll take time for everyone to get used to it,” he said, “but it’s going to be a good improvement in the long run.”

Amy Kenreich, last year’s president of the West Washington Park Neighborhood Association, pointed to “huge demand in our neighborhood” to accomplish everyday activities like errands without using cars.

Her family’s Friday evening tradition is to go out to dinner at local restaurants, often on Broadway.

“It just seems so ridiculous to drive when it’s half a mile away from our house,” she said. Now, with the extended bike lane in place, “we feel much safer walking with our kids or biking with our kids on Broadway.”

Kenreich, 44, added that she saw “a huge opportunity now to experience South Broadway in a new way” — to notice local businesses that often escape drivers traveling faster than 20 mph.

The city is planning a celebration of the extended bike lane on April 6. Denverites will meet at East Seventh Avenue and Logan Street at 11 a.m. on that Saturday to ride down the bikeway together, Kuhn said.

Others are still critical of bike lane

Taking away a traffic lane, along with some parking spots, has long caused controversy along Broadway. That hasn’t changed for some.

Kerry O’Brien, the owner of Bar 404 at 404 Broadway, appreciates the idea of the bike lane, but said: “I just don’t feel that Broadway was the spot for it.”

O’Brien, 59, sees the lane as more appropriate on a less-trafficked side street.

He also called it “a danger” for cyclists, who could hit cars blocking the bikeway or be struck by drivers. The bike lane raised “a lot of mixed emotions” among the bar’s staff members and customers, with some employees who ride their bikes to work being “all for it.” Others are annoyed by the loss of four public parking spots out front.

“There was a lot of time and energy that went into it — and money,” O’Brien said of the project. “I hope it’s worth it.”

Hodak, the L’s owner, previously commuted to work by bike for years, and said he’s “not anti-bike.” His complaints range from the impact of construction to functional problems. This winter, he’s watched as the lane’s concrete barriers “disappear in the snow” when powder builds up.

“I feel like that’s gonna cause cars to run into them, not knowing that they’re there,” said Hodak, 41. “I foresee a lot of accidents with this two-way bike lane in a massive thoroughfare for cars.”

Down the street, Isaac Greig, a restaurant manager at Postino Broadway near First Avenue, said he hadn’t noticed much of an impact on the restaurant from the bike lane.

“We’re just happy the construction is done,” he said.

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