Sidewalk Implementation Plan

Every Denverite is a pedestrian and walks or rolls at some point during every trip. A complete and maintained sidewalk network increases transportation choices within the city by making more destinations accessible by walking, rolling, and connecting to transit.

Pedestrians are most at risk to serious injury or fatal traffic crashes when traveling, and therefore are the most vulnerable roadway users and highest priority to accommodate. A complete and maintained sidewalk network provides a safe, designated space for pedestrians to travel throughout the city.

Creating safe and comfortable places for pedestrians encourages residents to make trips by walking or rolling that they otherwise would have made by driving. This shift to more active transportation modes can improve air quality and address other environmental impacts. 

Walkable neighborhoods with quality sidewalks are the foundation of Denver’s complete transportation system and connect people to all the places they like to go.

Pedestrians of different abilities are most disadvantaged by deficiencies in the sidewalk network. Maintaining sidewalks to a state of good repair eliminates barriers and makes walking and rolling feel safer and more comfortable for all.

A complete sidewalk network is essential in Denver’s equity priority neighborhoods where more residents rely on walking, rolling, and transit as their primary means of travel than in other parts of the city. Providing safe, accessible sidewalks ensures that people without access to a personal vehicle—including low-income households, older adults, caregivers, and individuals with disabilities—can reach jobs, services, and community destinations.

Phase 1 of the Sidewalk Implementation Plan, which lasted from January to March 2026, documented the state of Denver’s sidewalk network, resulting in the State of the System Report. This report outlines the evolution of how Denver invests in sidewalks and the current state of Denver sidewalks.

Throughout Phase 1, DOTI gathered input about the community’s priorities for sidewalk construction and repair through in-person engagements and an online survey. The image below highlights Phase 1 outreach by the numbers.

Survey Priorities and Key Takeaways

The online survey was open from Jan. 14 to March 23, 2026, and was available in English, Spanish, Vietnamese and Amharic. There were 1,263 total responses, with 34 of those being from pop-up events.  

Respondents were asked which priorities for sidewalk buildout identified in previous citywide planning efforts, Denver Moves: Pedestrians & Trails and Denver Moves Everyone, were still a priority, with 5 being extremely important and 1 being not important. Based on the responses, on average Denverites still consider all elements key priorities, with safety as the most important. Comments revealed a variety of perspectives on sidewalk safety including the condition of sidewalks, pedestrian crossings, and the speed and volume of vehicles on the adjacent street. 

Respondents of the survey were asked to rank previously identified priorities for sidewalk buildout, with 5 being extremely important and 1 being not important. The numbers above each icon indicate the average ranking out of 5. 

In addition, the following themes represent common comments raised by Denverites in response to open-ended survey questions and in conversations with the project team: 

Learn more about the Sidewalk Program here.

It’s important for the program to have a plan, vetted by Denverites, that guides where and when the program repairs and builds out the sidewalk network. The revised sidewalk ordinance, which created Denver’s Sidewalk Program, helps guides what this plan should include.