New Enhancements in Montbello Create Safer Routes to School
Published on February 22, 2023
New Enhancements in Montbello Create Safer Routes to School, Promote Walking and Rolling
DENVER – Today, the City and County of Denver completed needed safety enhancements for students and caregivers walking, biking, and rolling to and from Maxwell and DCIS at Ford elementary schools through its Safe Routes to School Program managed by the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure.
These changes include seven new pedestrian refuge islands meant to slow drivers down and make students more visible as they cross the street at the following intersections:
- Dillion Street and Bolling Drive
- Dillon Street and Deephaven Court
- Maxwell Place at Sable Street
- Maxwell Place at Dearborn Street
Last spring, DOTI installed four pedestrian islands and a pedestrian-activated flashing beacon in Ruby Hill near Schmitt and Godsman elementary schools. In the winter, DOTI installed curb extensions, shortening pedestrian crossings and increasing visibility, at critical intersections connecting the Cole Arts and Sciences and DSST: Cole Middle and High School Campus locations.
This summer, DOTI will begin construction on new sidewalks and two new pedestrian refuge islands near McAuliffe International School. The new sidewalks will fill existing gaps in the sidewalk network that will enable families to more easily walk, bike, or roll to and from school.
The Safe Routes to School Program is Denver’s first comprehensive initiative to double the number of families who walk or roll to school from about 14% in 2022 to 30% by 2027. As part of the program, the city recently completed a five-year action plan outlining specific goals and focus areas using a data-driven approach to prioritize projects.
Here is a link to a story map with more on the data that was used to create the action plan and prioritize improvements: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/1e5e891a16f04817ab93bb4d6348c69f
Here is the action plan: https://www.denvergov.org/files/assets/public/doti/documents/programsservices/srts/srts-final-action-plan.pdf