By Jen Schumann | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice
Gov. Jared Polis’ Administration plans to build 3,540 miles of new bicycle lanes, an 81% increase from the current reality.
This goal is one of many outlined in his Administration’s “Colorado Transportation Vision 2035.” The plan is aimed to play a role in helping meet the state’s climate goals.
An underlying agenda, or one sub-goal, is explicitly stated in the plan: “Doubling Colorado’s non-auto mode share from today’s level of 9.6% to 19.2% by 2035.” But what does this administrative jargon mean exactly?
No speculation is needed. The answer is provided in the plan. “This means that the percentage of trips where people choose to take transit, walk, bike or roll (instead of driving alone) would slightly more than double between 2024 and 2035.”
Some elected officials in the state are eager to implement initiatives that meet these goals as quickly as possible. Take, for example, the Grand Junction 4th and 5th Street Pilot Project that has turned two-way streets into a labyrinth of one-way avenues for vehicles littered with white bollards and parallel parking, reserving space for larger bicycle lanes.
The project, meant to improve downtown safety and accessibility for all modes of transportation, has instead sparked significant public backlash. Among hundreds of public comments solicited online that show continued criticism of the project, Mayor Pro Tem Randall Reitz recently stated in a Daily Sentinel commentary that, “We should trust traffic engineers.” And that, “This science saves lives, reduces traffic and improves economics.” Contrary, some motorists have complained larger vehicles have trouble navigating turns in the area and drive over the bollards.
The call for trusting experts gathers scrutiny in light of design flaws highlighted by critics and supported by federal guidelines. A study conducted by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) emphasizes that “the absence of door zone buffers in bike lanes leads to higher risks of collisions between cyclists and opening car doors, especially in areas with high parking turnover.”
Additionally, narrower bike lanes without sufficient separation from motor vehicle traffic increase risks of right-hook crashes at intersections. These issues are at the heart of complaints like that of one resident, Patric86, who noted, “The bike and parking lane should either be switched, or you need to get rid of the parking lane next to the bike lane for more visibility and to avoid crashes with passenger doors.”
The public outcry has reached beyond Council chambers, manifesting in creative expressions like the satirical song “Silly Streets” posted on Facebook by Advance Grand Junction. The lyrics portray community frustrations:
“They painted lines and took out spots. Now the cars are stuck, tied up in knots. They said bikes and walkers will all appear. But now the streets are just plain weird. Oh, silly streets, what have you done? Nobody’s happy, not anyone.”
This artistic critique amplifies the sentiment of many residents who feel the project prioritizes ideology over practical solutions. Critics argue the project reflects the Polis Administration’s statewide vision to “double non-auto mode share,” rather than address specific needs in Colorado cities.
The FHWA underscores the need for thorough planning and stakeholder engagement in street design, noting that “public engagement must involve a full range of stakeholders — business owners, cyclists, individuals with disabilities, and pedestrians.” This principle appears to have been overlooked in the 4th/5th Street project, where mid-project changes, such as emergency vehicle lane widening, have not only complicated assessments of the pilot’s success but also raised concerns about whether the design truly reflects community needs.
As Colorado pushes toward its ambitious transportation goals, projects like the 4th/5th Street Pilot illustrate the challenges of bringing everyone onboard. Critics note it is another one-size-fits-all approach, that not every community is ready to trade its parking spaces and traffic lanes for bicycle corridors, and not everyone agrees that these changes are for the better.
For Grand Junction, the future of the 4th/5th Street experiment remains uncertain. But one thing is clear: while bicycles may be rolling toward 2035, they may hit a car door along the way if the experts are touted but not heeded.