There were high hopes when 13-year Denver police veteran Paul Pazen was appointed the Chief of the Denver Police Department (DPD) following the retirement of the highly controversial Robert White. White’s seven-year reign was marked by controversy after controversy and he was largely detested by the police officers themselves. Mayor Hancock’s appointment of Pazen from within DPD was popular with the rank and file. A former Marine, Pazen has an attractive appearance and seems to have at least average intelligence. Until July of this year, he generally received plus marks from the press and the public at large.
Denver Police Chief Paul Pazen
He has now, however, proven himself to be dishonest and a coward to all concerned. Those attributes have brought shame on the DPD at just the wrong time, when police departments across the country are under attack.
Every year, for the last five years, attorney Randy Corporon and organizer Ron MacLachlan have held a “Back the Blue Rally” at Civic Center Park in mid-July, without incident. When Corporon obtained a permit for this July, Pazen told him he did not want a rally this year, asserting it could get his officers hurt. Corporon responded in shock, indicating this of all year’s his officers needed support and that citizens have a First Amendment right even if Pazen didn’t believe in the same.
The rally attended by approximately 250 people, including celebrity Michelle Malkin and House Minority Leader Patrick Neville, started off with the Pledge of Allegiance and a prayer, when a mob of approximately 750 ANTIFA and BLM supporters smashed into the event blaring horns and attacked the rally participants. Women. including Michelle Malkin, were punched and beaten with batons. MacLachlan was badly bloodied with bull horns and skateboards. Dozens of DPD officers did literally nothing while the carnage was occurring. A grand total of one arrest was made for “public fighting.” Only after all of the rally participants had left, and ANTIFA and BLM rioters went after the police themselves did the DPD use pepper spray.
It was one of the most shameful moments in the history of the DPD. It was obvious that the officers were ordered to stand down by Pazen who had marched earlier in the summer arm and arm with BLM.
But if the event which made national news wasn’t bad enough, Pazen’s performance on media to justify his actions bordered on criminal. He appeared on the Steffan Tubbs show on 710 KNUS and the Dan Caplis Show on 630 KHOW claiming his police had been valiant in defense of the citizens and moreover it was the fault of the rally organizers. He claimed under permit orders for an event in the City and County of Denver, you must supply your own barricades and security. He also claimed that the organizers had said they had 200 security personnel for the event which was obviously a lie by him. According to Pazen, if you are a group of citizens in the City and County of Denver and want to express your First Amendment rights you must provide your own street army to bloodily battle it out with those who want to squash your freedom of speech. According to Pazen, Denver is no different than Berlin in the 1920s where deadly street battles were a common occurrence.
It is not clear whether Pazen is indirectly supporting the BLM position that the police need to be abolished. If they won’t protect its citizens from attack, who needs them? Devious, dishonest and cowardly, Pazen is a bad political hack for the mayor. If the police in the City and County of Denver ever want any support from anyone, Police Chief Paul Pazen needs to be removed and the sooner the better.
Denver’s food scene has taken a hard hit, caused by the recent pandemic, with long standing restaurants such as Old Chicago, formerly located at 1280 S. Colorado Boulevard, permanently closing their doors. However, conversely the Mile High City is welcoming its newest food hall, Junction Food & Drink, just down the road at 2000 S. Colorado Boulevard. The new food hall is managed by National Food Hall Solutions, a Texas-based company founded in 2018 that owns and operates various food halls.
Interior seating at Junction Food and Drink, photo provided by Lincoln Property Company.
This addition comes as part of the enhancement project at the Colorado Center, which includes a Dave & Buster’s, an IMAX theater, and the Colorado Boulevard light-rail station. Colorado Center is a mixed-use, transit-oriented development located between Downtown Denver and the Denver Tech Center. It comprises four Class A office towers totaling approximately 713,000 square-feet with a rooftop event space and 11,569 square-feet of high-end retail.
The 12,220-square-foot food hall will feature 10 food stalls, the Denver-based Sonder Coffee & Tea stand, plus a 40-foot bar and seating for 400 people, which will include both indoor seating and a 4,000-square-foot outdoor patio. Aside from its unique collection of chef-driven food vendors, one of the food hall’s biggest perks is its abundance of parking. The nearby parking garage offers ample space for parking with unlimited parking on the weekends.
With focus on small businesses, Pat Garza, the President and CEO of National Food Hall Solutions, wanted to feature vendors focused on local, quality-driven, authentic foods. From California-style street tacos to Nashville-inspired fried chicken, there is something that will satisfy everyone’s taste buds.
Exterior of Junction Food and Drink, photo provided by Lincoln Property Company.
Vendors include the following:
Big Wave Taco Shop: Founded by Chef Troy Guard, Big Wave Taco Shop, part of the Denver-based TAG restaurant group, will feature California-style tacos with various salsas, chips and queso.
Bird on a Wire Southern Chick’n: Nashville-style chicken and Southern favorites from the Garner Brother’s family-owned restaurant. Choose from fried chicken sandwiches, southern smoked wings, chicken tenders, plus sides including fried pickles, coleslaw, waffle fries and more.
Ebisu Ramen and Sushi food stall at Junction Food and Drink, photo provided by Lincoln Property Company.
Ebisu Ramen and Sushi: Chef Soon Choi, a former head chef from Sushi Den, brings Ebisu Ramen and sushi with a menu of small plates, sushi rolls, sushi bowls and ramen.
Grind and Grill Burger: A family-owned elevated burger concept, Grind and Grill Burger offers a wide variety of burgers, fries and shakes.
Lazo Empanadas: Serving traditional Argentinian, farm-fresh empanadas, Lazo is a local favorite with four other locations in Denver.
Mr. Miner’s Meat & Cheese: With its first location at Golden’s Tributary Food Hall & Drinkery, Mr. Miner’s Meat & Cheese will open its second location at Junction Food & Drink. The menu will include meat and cheese charcuterie boards, salads, sandwiches and a variety of shareables.
Paciugo Gelato: Using the freshest fruits and all-natural ingredients, Paciugo Gelato serves up gelati and sorbets the traditional Italian way. Their menu will feature gelato, frappes, gelatee and pastries.
Pete’s-A-Pie of Denver: A chef-driven purveyor of pizza using fresh, all-natural ingredients, Pete’s-A-Pie of Denver will feature New Haven-style pizza by the slice and whole pie.
Shawarma Shack: A Mediterranean food experience where patrons get front row access to the mesmerizing slow cooked meats roasting on spits, Shawarma Shack will also offer vegetarian and vegan options.
Smok Barbeque: With a focus on classic barbecue from across the county, including special notes from Austin, Texas and Kansas City, Smok will feature BBQ sandwiches, a variety of smoked meats and tasty sides, plus brisket and pulled pork tacos.
In addition to the food stalls, the Junction Food & Drink bar will offer a line-up of local craft beers and wine, plus a full bar serving up refreshing summer drinks.
Junction food hall is set to open early August with all the proper standards in place for social distancing. Adhering to all guidelines, each table will be six feet apart, with additional tables outside for eating and drinking. They will also offer curbside pick-up for food to go.
For further information, visit their website at junctionfoodanddrink.com. Junction Food & Drink at Colorado Center is a project of the partnership between ASB Real Estate Investments and Lincoln Property Company.
Out of everything that’s been lost over the past few months, one of the few things that won’t be lamented is the brown cloud of pollution hanging over Denver like a giant swarm of gnats.
Composting is a clear, logical way to reverse global warming on an individual scale.
As the city reopens, the brown cloud will return, but if you happened to go outside and glance upward anytime in late March, April or May 2020, you were probably shocked at how blue the sky actually is — even over a large city. In early April, The Denver Post reported an 80% decrease in sulfur oxide in the downtown area and up to 50% reduction of particulates such as nitrogen dioxide and nitric oxide compared to data from the same time in 2019.
Although the shutdown briefly reduced carbon emissions at home and across the globe, the respite is not nearly enough to reverse 200+ years of industrialization. If a significant reversal of global warming is to occur, everyone has to do their part. This does not mean you have to wear hemp sandals and ride a bamboo bicycle to work. You can actually help the planet out by doing less, that is, when it comes to throwing away grass clippings, dead tree branches and other detritus generated from landscaping and routine yardwork.
The Basics
But first, for those who may yet be unaware, the combustion of fossil fuel in automobiles, industrial machinery and farming equipment along with other agricultural activities releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, energy-related CO2 emissions across the globe are projected to increase from 32 billion metric tons in 2016 to 35 billion by the end of 2020. This atmospheric carbon, combined with methane, sulfur oxide, nitrogen dioxide and nitric oxide make up what are known as “greenhouse gasses.” The greenhouse effect occurs as these gasses allow sunlight to pass into the atmosphere, yet they do not allow heat from the planet to radiate into space. The result is global warming, which if allowed to continue, can have devastating effects on human populations worldwide — especially in coastal areas.
Carbon emissions from here can be reduced from the same place, one yard at a time.
Make The Yard Work
While the population as a whole might be able to reduce how much they travel via automobile, bus and airplane, curtailing the use of fossil fuels is not enough to reverse global warming. As an individual, however, you can lessen your carbon footprint by decreasing the amount of atmospheric carbon that originates from your front and back yard. Activities once deemed as essential must be reexamined through a CO2-awareness lens. Upending the soil for gardens, incessant cutting of grass, trimming of hedges and pruning of trees all release carbon in one form or another. Tilling and digging opens up the topsoil — and the escaping carbon mixes with the ever-present atmospheric oxygen and becomes CO2. Meanwhile, organic material in the form of grass clippings, hedge trimmings and tree twigs that gets hauled off to the landfill generates methane as it decomposes.
A Novel Approach
The brown cloud was lifted, but global warming is bigger than a brief shutdown.
Carbon sequestration is the process of removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and storing it through either biological or geological means. Plant life on your property is already doing this, all you have to do is to not interrupt the process with traditional yard maintenance protocols. Instead, you can leave dirt and soil undisturbed by growing flowers, plants and vegetables in raised garden beds. This leaves the soil intact while producing more oxygen and more plant material to reintroduce back into the ground. When you mow the lawn, prune trees, pull weeds and trim shrubbery you can take the trapped carbon in this “yard waste” and sequester it by breaking it down into small pieces (use a wood chipper for branches and twigs) and integrating it back into the soil through a deliberate process.
Composting Yard Waste
1.Air, water, nitrogen and carbon are the four essentials for compost. Nitrogen is supplied in the form of organic kitchen waste and green grass clippings. Carbon is just about anything organic that is brown such as pine needles, dry leaves, grass clippings, hay and sawdust as well as shredded paper and cardboard. The ratio of carbon to nitrogen (C:N) should be anywhere from 25:1 to 40:1 — which basically means material that is drier than fresh waste.
2.Choose a space that is approximately a cubic yard in dimension (3x3x3) and that is removed from high traffic pathways and living quarters. To partition off the area, you can use old wooden shipping pallets, hay bales, chicken wire or anything similar you have sitting around.
3.Next, build your compost pile keeping C:N ratios in mind. Be sure to place food scraps beneath pine needles, leaves, dry grass, etc. in order to keep odors down and insects and rodents away. Next, wet the pile and then simply allow worms, microorganisms, bacteria and fungi to break down the material. You can add air by poking the pile with a pitchfork or a rake or by turning it every few days with a shovel. Add a small amount of water every few days to keep the breakdown agents moist, and when you add more to the pile be sure to integrate the new material in with the old.
4.Once your compost is dark brown with an earthy texture, it can be added to your raised beds, placed at the base of trees and shrubs and sprinkled about the lawn. Composting can save you money on fertilizer, generate less waste that needs to be hauled away by a fossil fuel-burning engine and help yield lush plants and trees. Basically, to do your part for the planet, keep the carbon in the yard.
On May 26, 2020, during a televised press conference, Colorado Governor Jared Polis made a statement that turned more than just a few service industry heads.
New Space: Glendale’s Bull & Bush got the jump on outdoor seating through an expedited application process.
He suggested that Denver restaurants, upon reopening after the forced Covid-19 closure, commandeer adjacent outdoor areas, parking lots and even residential yard space so that they could increase their serving capacities under the current social distancing regulations. To many, the idea must have initially sounded farfetched and perhaps a bit naive. Yet now, for most establishments looking to resume business while complying with Department of Health regulations, this tactic may be their only hope.
Impossible Rules?
Governor: Colorado Governor Jared Polis stepped in to help restaurants quickly get approved for outdoor seating.
The restrictions on reopening are many and read like a restaurateur’s worst nightmare. Most involve distancing measures not only between patrons, but between employees as well (six feet seems to be a figure of ubiquity) and as anyone who has worked in a restaurant knows, following such a stipulation in a kitchen, behind a host stand, behind a bar or in a wait station is practically impossible. Navigating this turbulent stretch of the proverbial reopening waters seems daunting enough, that is, until you get to the part about capacity limits. All establishments must keep tables, yep you guessed it, six feet apart and can seat only up to 50% capacity or 175 people — whichever is less. Yet, realizing that restaurants employ 10% of Colorado’s workforce (300,000 people) leaders like Polis are urging proprietors and service professionals to get back to work — a crucial step in offsetting the economic disaster that looms on the horizon.
Uncertainty With A Side Of Harsh
So far, restaurants across the Mile High City in districts such as Glendale, LoDo and many others are getting creative with their proximal outdoor spaces. This unprecedented period of reopening could be deemed as a restaurant’s life support phase before either recovering enough to be released from the ICU or giving up and pulling the plug. After being shut down for three months (takeout and delivery notwithstanding) many places are simply unable to recover after such an extended hiatus from revenue and have already thrown in the towel. According to the National Restaurant Association, revenue losses through April 2020 are estimated at $80 billion and project to be as high as $240 billion through the end of the year. While (sadly) many restaurants forced to close are one-of-a-kind, mom and pop joints, several national chain restaurants are being forced into early retirement as well.
The New Abnormal
Despite the setbacks, some establishments with a loyal clientele and a strong identity across the neighborhood culture are attempting to forge forth. In doing so, however, they are forced to cut indoor capacities in half. This is where auxiliary external spaces turned into temporary seating areas can make a big difference. Bull & Bush Brewery (4700 Cherry Creek South Dr.) co-owners David and Erik Peterson have opted for a temporary exterior expansion. “So far it’s working out quite well,” David explains. “The waitstaff are all young, energetic and eager to work — so to them a few extra steps is no big deal.” While a recent Friday afternoon lunch service was moderately busy at best, Peterson was confident that the evening’s numbers would be many times greater — meaning that his overflow patio would indeed be helping circumvent the restrictions so that the restaurant could operate at an optimal capacity.
Another long time Glendale business, Shotgun Willie’s, has had to reimagine what their footprint looks like and how they can maximize their space while adhering to guidelines. When businesses were shut down, they shifted their sister company TBar (adjacent to Shotgun Willie’s) to a To-Go food and liquor business. They were even able to run some car washes during the warmer days to help generate some revenue which owner Debbie Matthews allowed her employees to keep. “I wanted to make sure when we reopened, that some of my most loyal and hard-working employees would come back,” said Debbie Matthews, owner of Shotgun Willie’s. “We got creative and kept Shotgun Willie’s and TBar on people’s minds. Now, having reopened, Shotgun Willie’s and TBar are seeing loyal customers return. They are both open for business at noon, seven days a week.
TBar: Jeremy Marshall stands inside TBar Patio which is the bar adjacent to Shotgun Willie’s at 490 S. Colorado Blvd. TBar Patio has an open-air concept and serves cold draft beer, specialty cocktails, and has plenty of games to choose from.
Unlikely Allies
While restaurant owners/managers have often found dealing with the Denver Department of Excise and Licenses to be highly challenging, getting approval for outdoor seating areas has been fast and easy for most. Whereas pre-Covid-19, garnering such clearance would have taken weeks or even months from an agency that is notorious for red tape, miscommunication and outright hostility toward businesspeople. Observations aside, the truth behind the sudden expediency is that on June 5, Governor Polis signed an executive order requiring that the Department of Revenue and the Liquor Enforcement Division respond to applications for extended seating/serving areas within 24 hours. The order allows restaurants to extend dining areas up to 1,000 feet of their entryways while allowing the consumption of alcoholic beverages within these areas as well.
Expansion: Esters has expanded into their parking lot in order to adhere to new regulations and serve at an optimal capacity. Pictured here is Paul Sullivan, owner of Esters Neighborhood Pub
Determined Stalwarts
Meanwhile, Esters at 1950 S. Holly has expanded outdoor seating into the adjacent strip mall parking lot. A staff member explained that an application was recently submitted and approved — giving the place the green light to expand seating by 40 guests at the start of the third week of June. “This is not something we would have normally done,” said Paul Sullivan, owner of Esters Neighborhood Pub. “This gives us open air seating which I think people are looking for. The landlord at this location and the other tenants were cooperative on getting this going and adjusting to our new reality of what people want in a dining experience. I am thankful we are allowed to do this, I hope people enjoy it, and I feel this is going to help us survive this tough time.”
Beer Garden: Blake Street Tavern has expanded their serving capacity and are now “in the beer garden business.”
Further west into LoDo, longtime area staple Blake Street Tavern is ahead of the curve. Of the 700+ Denver restaurants who applied for additional patio space permits, they are already serving meals in their parking lot like their aforementioned Glendale counterparts. In a recent piece published by CBS4, owner Chris Fuselier states, “We’re in the beer garden business now. It’s all about outdoor dining.” Although Colorado is beloved for 300+ days of sunshine per year, that was not the case the day Blake Street opened their temporary beer garden, as violent winds showed up without a reservation and made for an interesting afternoon. This brings to light another potential issue: While the additional seating remedy is seasonal at best and better than nothing at all, inclement Colorado weather that hits hard and fast can cause inadvertent violations. Should an outdoor area need to be evacuated quickly, a bunch of patrons being herded indoors will take the social distancing regulations and scrape them into the trash bin.
Silver Linings
Perhaps on the brighter side, diminished capacity of all restaurants still in business as well as the closure of so many others could present a boon for places like Bull & Bush, Esters and Blake Street Tavern, as other establishments competing for the dollars of patrons could be at an all-time low. Yet the question remains whether a society that has been cooped up for three months is ready to go out to eat again, or if they are still skittish — content to stay at home and dine with caution.
United States Rugby Foundation has recognized Glendale Mayor Mike Dunafon with its prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award to be presented to the mayor August 2020.
Lifetime Achievement: Glendale Mayor Mike Dunafon is receiving the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award from United States Rugby Foundation in August 2020. He is shown here in Chile back in 2001 while he served as Manager of the United States U-19 National Team.
Dunafon was a football, rather than a rugby standout, in his youth. He was a star running back at Golden High School and then played at the University of Northern Colorado (UNC) where he played H-back and wide receiver. Many of Dunafon’s receiving records are still intact at UNC. He was signed on as a wide receiver by the Denver Broncos in 1976, but injuries curtailed his professional career.
In 1978 he traveled down to the Caribbean island Tortola, in the British Virgin Islands, where he was introduced to one of the islands’ favorite sports — rugby and he fell in love with the game’s continuous play and the camaraderie between players and teams.
Dunafon has stated that: “Rugby has had an incredible impact on my life; it’s an extended family that welcomed me instantly as I took to the pitch for the first time and it has since instilled in me an inherent respect and acceptance for people.” He went on to note, “I knew that if I could share that experience with my community, we could create something truly extraordinary that exceeds the bounds of race, religion, sex and economic standing.”
Island Paradise: Mike Dunafon, pictured here in a promotion for Village Cay Marina in the Caribbean island Tortola in 1978, the year he was introduced to the sport of rugby.
He played for British Virgin Islands RFC until 1992 when he moved back to Colorado. He also has a USA Rugby Level 3 coaching certification. From 2000 to 2001, he was the Manager of the United States U-19 National Team, taking them on three international tours to Australia, a World Cup Qualifier in Trinidad, and the 2001 Junior World Cup in Chile.
“Rugby continues to be a big part of my life and has become part of the Glendale lexicon since Infinity Park was established in 2007,” says Dunafon. “I’m thrilled to be honored by the U.S. Rugby Foundation and look forward to the August award event.”
As the only municipally-owned, rugby-specific stadium in the United States, Infinity Park has hosted teams from all over the world. According to U.S. Rugby Foundation Executive Director Brian Vizard, Dunafon’s “biggest impact on rugby in America is the development of RugbyTown USA in Glendale, Colorado.”
On May 30, 2007, then Governor Bill Ritter officially proclaimed Glendale to be the “Rugby Capital of Colorado.”
Vizard went on to note: “As Mayor of Glendale, Mike’s vision was to revitalize a community by embracing the ethos that he saw in rugby — the camaraderie, sportsmanship, and commitment to community. Infinity Park is widely considered to be the finest rugby training facility in the country. I have seen the growth of RugbyTown over the years and am truly amazed by what Mike and the City of Glendale have been able to accomplish.”
Adds Vizard, “We look forward to . . . recognizing Mike with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his over 40 years of service to the sport.”
Glendale has various men’s, women’s and under 19 teams as well as junior programs for kids of all ages. The Glendale Raptors recently withdrew from Major League Rugby wanting to concentrate on developing top players for the national team known as the American Eagles. With regard to the same, USA Rugby has moved from Boulder to Glendale which should greatly assist such an effort.
Dunafon who was reelected for another four-year term as Mayor of Glendale in April 2020, indicated that: “Glendale’s role in the world of rugby will keep on growing. As much as we have achieved over the last decade it is just the beginning. We hope that every kid who plays rugby will want to someday visit and play in RugbyTown U.S.A.”
The Denver Department of Transportation & Infrastructure (DOTI) has elaborate plans for the streets of the Mile High City. These upgrades involve alteration of major travel routes, busy thoroughfares and neighborhood streets in order to accommodate an ambitious, multimodal, city-wide bike lane initiative. According to DOTI’s website, the Denver Moves: Bicycles project is driven, in part, by the fact that many would-be cyclists do not feel safe using two-wheeled, non-motorized transportation in order to get around town. The website infographics demonstrate that a majority of would-be bicycle riders (60%) feel “interested but concerned” about safety for cyclists across the city at large while 25% say “no way, not now” while just 12% are “somewhat confident” and only 4% of those surveyed say they are “highly confident” that riding through the city is actually safe.
A New Beginning
As of January 1, 2020, the Department of Public Works became DOTI, with a modernized mission that is “ … focused on increasing mobility and safety while reducing congestion and fighting climate change.” A fundamental part of creating a remedy for the above statistical disparities involves an overhaul of the existing network of bike routes — with increased signage, more visible lane markers and physical installations in the form of barriers for enhanced safety. Such measures are already in place in some areas of the city, with new lanes, buffered lanes and protected lanes popping up virtually overnight. While these improvements are no doubt paved with good intentions, many neighborhood leaders, property owners and longtime residents have been caught by surprise, with the look and feel of their community having been altered with little notice and without majority consent.
An Old Neighborhood
One such community is the Wellshire district, bordered on the west and east by University and Colorado Boulevards, respectively, and framed to the north and south by E. Yale Ave. and Hampden Ave. This quiet district was built over 60 years ago, and consists primarily of single family, owner-occupied homes. DOTI’s plan is to eradicate all on-street parking on E. Dartmouth Ave. to make way for a well-defined, buffered bike lane that would no doubt increase safety and security for users while creating possible hazards and other negative impacts for homeowners.
Some residents feel that, since there have been no recent crashes reported along this stretch of Dartmouth (already a designated bike route), enhancing the bike lane is an overzealous remedy to a nonexistent problem. This viewpoint also supports the idea that installing a buffered bike lane could create hazards for residents pulling into and backing out from driveways as well as minor inconveniences and major hassles when it comes to available parking for visitors, delivery drivers and service providers. Other residents feel that removing on-street parking can also have a negative effect on value of the homes along Dartmouth, which in turn can decrease property values throughout the neighborhood.
Some bike lanes in Denver are welcome improvements, others are not.
An Exclusive Agenda
The DOTI website lists several dozen bike lane installation sites — complete with the types of lanes to be implemented, expected completion dates and some with documents presenting the details of the neighborhood outreach. Yet, concerned homeowner Richard Davies — who lives just off Dartmouth — explains how City Council members and DOTI representatives seemed to forgo the outreach dimension of the project, using the Coronavirus shutdown as an excuse to push their agendas through uncontested. After the first public meeting was held in early 2020 at an area elementary school, the follow-up meeting on April 22 was scheduled as a “virtual open house” but organizers would only field questions and speaking points from attendees that were submitted and approved prior to the meeting.
Protected or “buffered” bike lanes are part of DOTI’s Denver Moves initiative.
The Political Side
City Councilwoman Kendra Black, who had claimed to be opposed to this particular stretch of the Denver Moves: Bicycles project, was also rumored to have inferred to a concerned resident that the proposed changes were a done deal, and they should not waste their time. Regardless, nearly 200 signatures opposing the measure were submitted with zero acknowledgement from DOTI or the city council.
Wellshire residents may have to get used to new signage along E. Dartmouth Avenue.
In an online interview, Councilwoman Black was neutral on the issue, transferring all blame to the will of DOTI’s traffic engineers. She attests that, “The city’s goal is to create safe alternatives to driving for people who are willing and able to use other modes of transportation. Fewer cars on the roads improves air quality, personal health and traffic congestion.” Black continues by stating “Every bike lane project is different depending on what type of street it is, the traffic count, the configuration of the street and more. The goal is to add safe bike lanes — sometimes, according to DOTI engineers — the designs eliminate parking because there is not enough room to have parking, bike lanes and car lanes.”
Some residents are concerned with collision hazards presented by installing a buffered bike lane.
A Possible Compromise
Meanwhile, Wellshire resident David Sherman offers another perspective, ex-
plaining that “Removing parking can actually increase traffic speed and volume.” Yet, he remains hopeful that a copacetic agreement can be reached between residents and DOTI by “lowering the speed limit by five miles per hour and providing plenty of signage about ‘sharing the road.’” Either way, repaving is scheduled for June and the buffered bikeway installation will coincide. Whether a compromise is part of the outcome or the city gets its way uncontested is still a few cycles away.
