Urbanism: How do you get around?

Currently, there is an exciting expansion of new and alternative ways of getting around Denver’s urban core that doesn’t involve driving your own car. Having a lot of transportation options is an important part of urbanism, and one of the reasons why Denver’s center city population is exploding: people like to have choices. Let’s take a look at the many ways you can get around in central Denver without having to drive your own car:

Public Transit

We’ve had various forms of public transit in Denver since the 1870s when the first horse-drawn streetcars started operating on Denver streets. RTD already has one of the largest bus systems in the country and, recently, RTD has been adding rail transit to the mix, with train lines from Downtown running to the southeast, southwest, and western parts of the metro area, and new rail lines soon serving areas to the northwest, north, northeast, and east. I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait until Spring 2016 when I can take a train from Denver Union Station straight into the terminal at Denver International Airport in 35 minutes flat!

In addition to RTD’s major expansion, the City of Denver is currently making plans for a streetcar line along East Colfax. Streetcars are like a cross between light rail and a bus — they travel along rails imbedded in a street that cars can also drive on. Hopefully the Colfax line will be the first of several lines in a new system of streetcar corridors serving Denver’s inner-city neighborhoods.

Denver B-cycle

Launched in 2010, Denver B-cycle, the nation’s first large-scale bicycle sharing system, offers more than 80 stations within Denver’s urban center where you can rent a bike for a short-term trip. Not only is riding a bike a fun and healthy experience, but it is also better on the environment too.

Denver car2go

Have you seen the cute little car2go SmartCars all over town? They’re everywhere! If riding a bike or walking just won’t work and you need to drive, Denver car2go now gives Denverites a fuel-efficient car-sharing option that is easy and convenient.

Bicycle Infrastructure

Denver Public Works continues to add dozens of miles of bike lanes throughout the city, including the new 15^th Street Bikeway. The City’s DenverMoves bicycle and pedestrian master plan identifies hundreds of miles of bicycle infrastructure to be added to the city over the coming years.

Pedestrian Infrastructure

In 2007, Denver City Council declared Downtown Denver a “Pedestrian Priority Zone.” Since then, new pedestrian-friendly upgrades like along 14th Street have been added, with more to come.

Pedicabs

Denver’s pedicab industry, which includes various pedicab, rickshaw, and golf cart taxi transport services, has grown dramatically over the past few years — no longer just something you see before the start of a Rockies game around Coors Field.

Taxis and On-Call Vehicles

Hailing a taxi in Downtown Denver used to be a rare thing. Not only were there just not that many taxis on the streets, but they usually concentrated around just a few big hotels and the convention center. Now, it’s a lot easier to hail a taxi just about anywhere in Downtown and adjacent districts. Plus, there’s Uber, an on-call town call service that’s been operating in the Mile High City since 2012.

These are just some of the transportation options available in Denver’s city center. These different services, many of which are not available outside of Denver’s urban core, give people choices. You don’t have to own and drive a car anymore to be able to survive and thrive in central Denver. Thousands of Denverites can testify.