Wednesday, March 4, 2026, 1:30 p.m. (Denver time), City & County Building, room 391
The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, chaired by Council Member Shontel Lewis, held a briefing from the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI) on Vision Zero and traffic safety. Chair Lewis opened with announcements about the Alameda lane reduction controversy and DOTI's response to a council letter on the 13th and 14th Avenue conversions, including a correction about notification claims. DOTI reported a record-high 93 traffic fatalities in Denver in 2025, and presented its speed management program (with preliminary results on Federal Boulevard and Alameda), rapid response fatality reviews, Safe Routes to School progress, and $19 million in 2026 safety capital investments. Council members questioned staff on speed camera equity, speed limit reductions, data sharing, bike lane mileage, and delayed beacon installations. No votes are shown in the transcript; several follow-up reports were promised.
0:03 project Gross Reservoir.
0:06 a Denver, it's time for
0:07 this biweekly meeting of the
0:08 Transportation and
0:09 Infrastructure Committee of
0:14 Denver City Council. Join us
0:15 for the Transportation and
0:15 Infrastructure Committee.
0:18 Starting now.
0:30 I'm doing. All righty.
0:37 Let's get he started brings
0:39 price target afternoon. My
0:41 name is Lewis. I chaired the
0:41 Transportation and
0:43 Infrastructure Committee and
0:44 i'm happy to do so. I
0:45 represent the constituents in
0:46 District 8 and we can start
0:46 was around an induction to
0:50 get. So if you can spend time.
0:50 Good afternoon. Denver
0:53 criticized protect.
0:54 Flynn, Southwest numbers
0:57 and I have. So if you guessed
0:58 here who are journalism
0:59 students at Metro Spectrum
1:10 State? With All right. Not a
1:10 professional to play. One on
1:13 represents out and district 6.
1:13 We're going be lucky
1:18 district. 7. Okay. We don't
1:19 have anyone online yet, but I
1:19 know that some folks will
1:21 joining us online. I wanted to
1:23 start with a few things with a
1:26 few announcements. Excuse me.
1:28 Me. Not because my computer
1:34 just explain. I want to start
1:34 with a few announcements
1:36 because a few things have come
1:39 up. I wanted to start with
1:41 Alameda lead with lane
1:42 reduction. And I wanted to
1:44 apologize the mayor's behalf
1:45 are calling people in
1:47 opposition to the changes on
1:50 ala many Alameda Trumpian
1:51 COUNCILMAN Leaders who did an
1:53 incredible job on Monday
1:55 addressing this during our
2:00 council. But I just wanted to
2:00 that the times that the folks
2:02 have come into our committee,
2:03 they've been respectful.
2:03 They've been thoughtful.
2:06 They've signs quietly
2:08 protested they've never
2:10 created. That disturbance in
2:11 my committee. That one's and
2:14 they've good partners, quite
2:15 frankly. Even when questions
2:17 not answered, even when
2:18 questions were answered
2:18 incorrectly or even when their
2:21 core request have gone
2:23 unanswered I just want to
2:24 start there because that that
2:27 it was important. The second
2:28 thing I wanted to address is I
2:30 wanted to thank you, director
2:31 forward for response to my
2:33 letter for 13th and 14th
2:33 Avenue. So for those of you
2:38 that do not know COUNCILMAN
2:41 Hines COUNCILWOMAN Sawyer
2:42 COUNCILWOMAN Parity and
2:44 COUNCILMAN Gonzalez Gutierrez
2:45 tonight, sent a letter to
2:48 dining regarding the rollout
2:50 of the 13 14 conversions. And
2:51 while not going to read the
2:54 entire response here, I did
2:56 want show my appreciation for
2:57 the responsibility that you
2:58 took one in that letter, but
3:01 also in I know, meeting that
3:05 we briefly after the rollout
3:05 and you started with an
3:07 apology. And so I thank you
3:08 for that. And you started with
3:11 the recognition that daddy did
3:12 not have the communication in
3:13 place to let residents know
3:16 what was going on the project.
3:18 And then you went on for to
3:20 talk about what were some of
3:23 the things that you all were
3:23 committed to doing in the
3:25 this project projects
3:25 future as we look at not just
3:28 throughout an entire city and
3:29 some of those was an enhanced
3:30 chain of command approval
3:30 process. Before any project
3:33 hits the street. That includes
3:33 a review of stakeholder
3:36 engagement and communication
3:38 checklists. The second is we
3:39 would immediately review
3:40 projects that directly impact
3:41 residents that are pending in
3:44 the near and medium term to
3:45 ensure that we provide
3:45 sufficient public notification
3:47 prior to proceeding. This will
3:48 include a review of when and
3:51 to whom the engagement and
3:53 notification occurs. And then
3:55 3rd, call for staff to pass
3:57 implementation in a project
3:58 found to have an adequate
3:59 notification or engagement in
4:00 order to complete that process
4:01 prior to proceeding. And I
4:03 know those things came
4:05 directly from daddy, but also
4:06 from interactions that we had
4:07 with our constituents. And so
4:10 I wanted to thank you for that
4:11 as well. I didn't want to
4:12 offer a correction in you
4:13 provided this in writing as
4:16 well. Sat in the letter. It
4:18 said that you all reached out
4:20 to my office in early FEBRUARY
4:22 to let us know that the change
4:23 in provided a flyer for
4:25 distant dissemination which
4:27 was untrue. We did have we
4:27 been we do have regular
4:29 meetings. We had a meeting in
4:32 JANUARY. Would you let us know
4:32 that the change would be
4:34 happening and that you would
4:34 send this over the fire?
4:37 However, the fire never came
4:38 into the office and that we
4:39 were not informed when the
4:42 change was actually happen
4:42 happening. And it did send
4:43 over response to a constituent
4:45 constituent service aid from
4:46 an inquiry that we've heard
4:49 from a constituent about 13 to
4:52 14. But it was retroactive in
4:53 nature, not proactive. It
4:54 wasn't a proactive, proactive
4:58 messages. Me that could have
4:59 been used. I had the
5:00 information been provided to
5:02 us. We would have absolutely
5:03 inform communities in real
5:04 time to make sure that they
5:05 knew right away. So when I
5:08 found out that is when I let
5:10 them know, the final thing is
5:12 for the members of this
5:13 committee. I know we received
5:14 the presentation pretty late
5:15 this round. And so I wanted to
5:17 have this one requested it,
5:19 which is to submit your
5:19 presentations on time. So that
5:21 staff and councilmembers have
5:23 time to prepare ahead of
5:25 committee. And I understand
5:26 that new information comes to
5:29 light or more clarity. Is that
5:30 is necessary. But the agent by
5:33 the agencies, but delays make
5:34 it harder for us to be able to
5:35 do our job. So if you all can
5:37 commit to making sure that
5:38 your presentations there and
5:39 on Thursday, I would
5:41 appreciate it with that. I'm
5:43 done talking. We have one
5:44 briefing all that. You will
5:45 introduce yourselves and then
5:47 you can get into that
5:49 presentation. Oh, yeah. Sure
5:50 comes and says I think
5:53 committee chair and thank you
5:54 being here.
5:55 I want to thank You are the
5:56 chair, the committee. You can
5:58 run the committee. However,
6:00 you'd like. I know that it's
6:01 been, you know, it's deceptive
6:04 to the discretion. The chair
6:07 when I was chair. If if
6:07 presentation wasn't filed by
6:10 Thursday at noon, which is the
6:12 so that it's posted an
6:17 legistar we would love to add
6:18 that. That item to a date
6:20 where it could presented in
6:21 advance. So thank you for
6:24 flexibility and willingness to
6:25 allowed it to present today.
6:26 Thank you. Appreciate that has
6:27 been heights. Great with that.
6:32 You have a and you've taken
6:32 Director Dottie joined here by
6:35 19 John Johnson role.
6:37 Ralph, I realize that I
6:40 always what last name so you I
6:40 think wrong. Now, singer,
6:46 Rihanna the word. And so I we
6:46 are joined today and I want to
6:50 thank the COUNCILMAN As she
6:53 joining this committee
6:54 creating a cadence of It which
6:56 we sort of talk about
6:57 transportation one-on-one.
6:59 And it's not meant to
7:00 elementary in that regard.
7:01 What it is meant to be is
7:03 actually set stage for talking
7:05 about our approach, our
7:06 vision, how we're approaching
7:07 different elements of
7:10 transportation and sort of
7:11 being able to engage with you.
7:13 Well, in that higher level
7:14 discussions so that as we come
7:16 to you with different things
7:18 like individual projects,
7:19 individual contracts and
7:20 others, you have a
7:21 around which to put those put
7:24 those items. And so that's the
7:27 intent. We have certifications
7:28 of several. We're coming up
7:30 and with the indulgence of the
7:33 chair, we shifted the 2 days
7:35 to safety based on the
7:36 conversation as I set out of
7:37 town and watch the last
7:40 council briefing since Vision,
7:42 0 and safety became a topic of
7:43 conversation. We thought
7:44 perhaps we should move that
7:45 went and have that discussion
7:48 today. So we apologize that
7:49 presentation is a little bit
7:50 later request that we made to
7:51 shift that. But give you that
7:54 sense of the 4 Vision, 0
7:58 safety, neighborhood streets.
8:00 One of called Main Street
8:01 slash sort of collect the
8:02 arterial sort of our bigger
8:04 streets and transit. And so we
8:06 want to talk with you about
8:07 sort of those frameworks over
8:08 the course of the next few
8:09 months. And that's what tried
8:10 it with the with the
8:12 COUNCILWOMAN And chair about
8:12 doing that again for that
8:15 potential side of it. So today
8:17 we wanted to talk about
8:18 Vision, 0, but more
8:19 specifically our safety
8:23 programs. And so as we go
8:24 through this presentation and
8:26 I recognize that you all are
8:26 sitting in looking at you
8:27 received it last that, you
8:30 know, yesterday afternoon. So
8:32 please feel free. And I know
8:33 this is not as typical in your
8:35 your process but feel free to
8:36 ask clarifying questions as
8:38 we're going through that. I
8:39 know the questions for please
8:41 feel free to ask questions and
8:42 clarify knows what we wanted
8:43 to do is we wanted to some
8:44 talk sort of a 3, measures, if
8:49 you will. Its vision 0. What
8:51 does it mean as a philosophy
8:54 approach what's happened in
8:56 2025? And then what are the
8:57 programs and other things that
8:59 we're doing, especially in
9:00 this year so that you can see
9:01 the kids flow with different
9:03 construction projects and
9:03 others. So we wanted to give
9:05 you more specifics. Details
9:06 about that. And then let me at
9:07 last the preface this with
9:12 this this year. Was
9:14 devastating in regards to last
9:15 year in regards to fatalities
9:21 on our roadways. We had 93
9:23 fatalities, people who died in
9:24 Denver on the roadways,
9:25 whether they were pedestrians.
9:30 People are driving scooter
9:30 riders. People are on the
9:31 interstate. People are local
9:34 streets. 93 people. We'll see
9:34 some stats when we first
9:36 started talking about Vision.
9:37 0 in hole. We're in the 56
9:40 number across the state this
9:42 There is a definite rise in
9:42 fatalities around the entire
9:43 state as well. And we're no
9:47 different than that. And for
9:51 us as a team and as a Dottie
9:53 and the people who are
9:55 responsible for our roads and
9:56 ensuring that you safely get
9:57 home and you safe jobs and
9:58 that you return from here to
10:01 there this stat and
10:02 information is sort of
10:03 devastating to us actually in
10:06 a way as we work so incredibly
10:07 hard to try to think about
10:09 what our role in our piece in
10:11 our place to try to help bring
10:15 that number down. And so
10:15 you're here today a little bit
10:17 about that. And then I'm gonna
10:18 close out with some some some
10:19 stuff that we're doing a
10:21 little bit differently to this
10:23 year. In light of what we saw
10:26 last year and summer spots and
10:26 others that we're asking the
10:27 team to to say, are we doing
10:30 everything we possibly can
10:31 Tilson talk a little bit about
10:33 that. But to let me turn it
10:35 over to the so you guys can
10:35 not go through it again.
10:37 Please feel free to engage as
10:39 we go through this. I know
10:41 that's a typical happy to do
10:42 so. Given the time of how we
10:50 set this summer. We will see
10:53 in the slides. Okay. Great.
11:01 All Away okay.
11:04 Center wanted to share
11:05 briefly for those who are
11:07 unfamiliar with Vision it is
11:08 an international movement that
11:09 started in Sweden in the 90's
11:13 to reduce traffic fatalities
11:14 to 0 adopting a sense adopting
11:15 visions or they have reduced
11:19 their fatalities by 50%. Now
11:20 here in the United States, we
11:22 have also had success like the
11:23 cities of Hoboken, New Jersey
11:23 that have reached 0 for the
11:28 past 9 years. Denver has
11:31 adopted Vision 0 2016 with a
11:34 plan 2017 that was released
11:36 committing to ending traffic
11:36 related fatalities and serious
11:41 injuries by 2030, by using
11:43 this isis from approach the
11:43 design streets to protect
11:47 people even mistakes happen.
11:49 Because of this commitment.
11:51 Safety is very much embedded
11:52 across daddy and our and our
11:53 projects procedures and
11:59 programs. Next slide. Please.
12:00 The Denver moves. Everyone
12:01 plan that I believe you're all
12:03 familiar with is our long-term
12:07 strategic transportation plan.
12:11 And in the development of this
12:12 resins community reaffirmed
12:14 that 0 is our goal and
12:18 reaffirmed a vision 0 for
12:19 Denver. The plan helps
12:20 priortize projects which are
12:20 implemented through a
12:23 programmatic approach. That
12:26 can be seen through these
12:27 programs and asset classes
12:29 such as as you see on the
12:32 screen, major multi-modal
12:35 pedestrian crossing. Find ways
12:37 transit signal multi-modal and
12:38 bridges and every traffic
12:43 calming. And these all work to
12:43 implement. They say system
12:45 approach, which is our road
12:50 map for reaching 0. And the
12:51 next slide. You know, we're
12:53 talking about the safe system
12:55 approach. One of the elements
12:58 of system approaches speed.
13:02 And we know speed increases
13:06 stopping distance increases
13:08 reaction, time I should say
13:09 the reaction tied speed
13:13 doubles reaction. Time
13:14 doubles. But stopping distance
13:15 actually quadruples. So what
13:17 does that mean in terms of
13:18 little but say a roadway? Just
13:21 35 miles an hour segments such
13:22 as you know, on Federal
13:24 Boulevard or Alameda Avenue.
13:27 That means would take about
13:28 200 feet to stop in order to
13:38 possibly avoid a crash. Been
13:39 looking at speed, particularly
13:42 in the lens of physics and
13:43 understanding the kinetic
13:44 energy that has created a it
13:45 as speeds increase. And, you
13:49 know, as it relates to how
13:53 much energy a human body can
13:55 absorb before a serious injury
13:58 occurs. So by applying that's
13:58 a summer in the safe system
14:01 approach very much works to
14:02 manage that kinetic energy. To
14:08 avoid serious injury outcomes.
14:12 And these are examples of
14:12 applying that's a system
14:13 approach. What it looks like a
14:14 fairly like to think of it as
14:16 the Swiss cheese approach that
14:19 the more layers of safety
14:21 interventions that implement