DENVER — Several neighbors and cyclists have spoken to Denver7, sharing concerns over changes made to the intersection of 7th Avenue and Williams Street. The city of Denver recently redesigned the intersection as part of its Neighborhood Bikeway program, which aims to improve safety for people riding bikes on city streets.
The above picture shows the intersection, which was completed by the city of Denver in May with the goal of lowering car volumes and speeds. Cars are now required to stop before the intersection, and again in the middle of the intersection when traveling northbound on Williams Street. 7th Avenue is now open only to eastbound traffic to the west of the intersection, and bike lanes have been reconfigured to cut across and to the side of the intersection. White bollards have been installed to separate cars and bikes.
Jan Douglas, who lives in the 7th Avenue area, said she rides her bike several times per week and strongly supports the initiative to improve the streets for bike safety.
“Absolutely, I very much support it,” she said. “We need to get out of our cars. We need to have less vehicle miles traveled. We need to get on to bicycles and public transportation.”
However, Douglas and several of her neighbors feel the reworked intersection at 7th and Williams has missed the mark, making it less safe for both drivers and cyclists. Douglas herself crashed on her bike riding through last month, where the new bike lane requires a 90-degree turn to continue east. She said it created a blind spot behind her, and she didn’t see another cyclist riding toward her.
“My husband riding behind me yelled for me to stop, and as I stopped I fell over,” Douglas recalled. “And unfortunately, the handlebar of my bike went into my abdomen. So I got a big contusion from that, and it was pretty scary, pretty painful.”
Douglas went to the emergency room after her crash, and said it took her about two weeks to recover. She is okay now, but is wary of the intersection now.
While Denver7 was at the intersection talking to Douglas about her crash, one man riding by on his bike did yell out his support of the change, saying the community needed it and it is “a long time coming.” Several others approached, on foot and on bike, to express frustration and concerns that the intersection is less safe.
Denver’s Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI) has met with community members for feedback on the 7th Avenue Neighborhood Bikeway project and is now “taking another look to improve the intersection,” according to spokesperson Vanessa Lacayo. Lacayo said DOTI will be getting back in touch with community members with updates within the next couple of weeks.
