Denver spends $200K to alter bike lanes; bicyclist advocates say it's more dangerous

DENVER (KDVR) — Denver’s Department of Transportation and Infrastructure recently made changes to some downtown bike lanes that have some concerned for two reasons: Safety and the $200,000 spent on the project.

June Churchill doesn’t understand. As the budget chair for DOTI’s advisory board and an avid biker herself, the changes made by the city frustrate her.

“I just look at this and I’m like, where’s the sense?” she said.

DOTI says it recently decided to remove flex posts along Blake Street and Market Street in favor of dividers called zippers, only leaving posts in areas of greater visibility, like street corners. The idea, officials say, is to clear up visual clutter that DOTI says people had complained about and open up sight lines.

Churchill, however, says it only makes the lanes more dangerous.

“We’ve already seen this since these flex posts were removed, cars are now way more comfortable just, like, hopping over the zippers," she said.

Specifically, DOTI says it removed posts in front of STK Steakhouse on Market to help clear up their valet parking lane, something Churchill is frustrated by, as cars can now easily block the bike lane.

“Every single time there’s someone parked in the bike lane, the person biking is forced into traffic, right? Or forced onto the sidewalk, both of which we don’t want," said Churchill.

Safety is not her only concern. DOTI says it spent $200,000 on these changes, using money they say is set aside for “neighborhood transportation and traffic calming.” While DOTI says that doesn’t just mean bike lanes, Churchill says that’s the fund’s greatest purpose.

“They used money meant for upgrading bikeways in order to downgrade a bikeway," she said.

Overall, Churchill says DOTI’s decisions concern her about the future of bike safety in Denver.

“We’re taking money out of the wrong fund to do the wrong thing for the wrong reasons," she said.