How to alleviate conflict on our sidewalks and streets
The sudden appearance of dockless scooters and bikes in Denver — and the range of reactions they have provoked — is shining a spotlight on an issue that has been simmering and may have finally reached the boiling point.
What is the best use of public rightsofway — streets and sidewalks — in our city? Who gets to use which parts of these public spaces to do what? And, how can we all get from point A to point B more efficiently?
A lack of consensus on the answers to these questions has resulted in an incoherent patchwork of street designs and public policies. This confusion inevitably leads to conflict among the residents, workers, and visitors who use Denver’s streets every day.
People on bikes are mad at people in cars who block the bike lane. People on foot and in wheelchairs are mad at people on scooters who block the sidewalk, or ride down the sidewalk too fast. People in cars seem to be mad at everyone as more people, including more people in cars, are encroaching on space that used to be the sole territory of cars.
It doesn’t have to be this way. We can design and manage our streets in a way that minimizes our daily conflicts with each other. Instead of shaking our fists at people we perceive to be using the public rightofway in the wrong way, we can focus on maximizing the benefits that result when people choose transportation options other than driving alone, like cleaner air, better public health outcomes, lower household transportation costs, more inclusive communities, thriving local business districts, and safer streets for everyone.
We can do so by establishing these basic principles for manag ing Denver’s street space.
First, we must establish clear priorities for the public rightofway that put people first.
Pedestrians, including people using wheelchairs and other needed mobility devices, should receive top consideration. Every single one of us is a pedestrian at some point in our day, so really, “pedestrian” is just another word for “person.”
For trips too long to walk, we should prioritize the safest and most spaceefficient modes of transportation — mass transit, bicycles and “small vehicles” that travel the same speed as bicycles (15 mph or slower) and take up the same or less space than bicycles (e.g., skateboards, scooters, etc.)
Curbside space should be provided for transit stops, parking of small vehicles (e.g., bike racks), deliveries, and passenger pickup/dropoff (including AccessaRide service for people with disabilities, taxis, ride hailing services like Uber and Lyft, and perhaps someday autonomous vehicles).
Space for private automobiles, whether autonomous or otherwise, including travel lanes and parking spaces, should have the lowest priority. Simply put, driv ing alone in a car is the least spaceefficient, least environmentallyfriendly, least safe way to get around.
Second, we should separate travel by speed.
Sidewalks should be preserved for people moving 6 mph or slower and remain free from obstructions that impede the movement of people with disabilities. Designated spaces separate from sidewalks should be provided for small vehicles traveling 15 mph or slower. Traditional bike lanes can evolve to play this role.
On busy corridors, transit vehicles should have designated lanes that enable rapid, high frequency transit service. In areas with very high volumes of people walking (such as Wynkoop in front of Union Station) and/or very low volumes of vehicular traffic (such as residential areas) streets should be designed as shared spaces that first and foremost serve pedestrians of all abilities, with other transportation modes allowed at slow speeds.
Finally, we should encourage marketplace innovation while capturing value created by public spaces:
Streets are public spaces. Pri
vate companies that generate a profit from either using these spaces (e.g., shared mobility and ride hailing services) or developing property adjacent to these spaces should pay their fair share through fees or other mechanisms that help cover the cost of building, maintaining, and managing the public rightofway.
By ensuring people — not any particular vehicle — are the foremost consideration in our thinking about public space, Denver will be better able to provide a safe and efficient transportation system that works for all users. And we can all enjoy a little less conflict in our daily lives.
Jill Locantore is the executive director of WalkDenver, Denver’s pedestrian advocacy organization. Piep van Heuven is the Denver director at Bicycle Colorado, Colorado’s bicycle advocacy organization. They are the vicechair and chair of the Denver Streets Partnership, a coalition of community organizations working together to improve active transportation and transit infrastructure, accessibility, and use to support healthy, inclusive, connected, and sustainable communities.