3.5 miles of downtown lanes to close for upcoming ¡Viva! Streets Denver community event: "Open streets bring in environmental benefits, increase spending"
¡Viva! Streets Denver is a free community event series that celebrates the city's vibrant neighborhoods and supports local businesses with temporary car-free streets. Over four Sundays, from May through August, approximately 3.5 miles of downtown streets will close for vehicles and open to the public.
The event will activate downtown Denver streets on Broadway from Alameda Avenue to 20th Street and on Welton Street from 20th Street to Five Points.
Vehicles will be able to cross the route as the Denver Police Department will monitor traffic crossings.
Kourtny Garrett, president and CEO of the Downtown Denver Partnership, believes this will be a great event to motivate people to get back outside.
"Over the course of four Sundays, from May through August, people and families of all ages are invited to walk roll, jog, scoot and my very favorite, dance... down the 3.5 miles of activated car-free streets in the heart of our city and connect with the community through exercise, entertainment and food," Garrett said.
The event is set to occur on May 14, June 4, July 9, and August 6, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The Taste of Colorado festival is also set to return, which will feature various food trucks and live music.
This is an event that is usually available during Labor Day weekend only, but Kate Barton with the organization believes the addition of an event like this, around this time of year, will increase foot traffic.
"At the partnership, we are committed to activating our outdoor spaces, in unique ways and creating memorable experiences for residents and visitors of all ages in the heart of our center city. This is why we found this perfect marriage between a Taste of Colorado and VIVA that enables us to do that," Barton said.
Inspired by the Latin American event CICLOVIA, which is Spanish for bikeway, the Denver Downtown Partnership says this event has been successful in 400 cities and 30 countries, increasing environmental benefits and sales for small businesses.
"Open streets bring in environmental benefits, increase spending and greater awareness of new ways to get around. We can't wait for participants to be car free and discover new (things) in our city," Garrett said.
However, the Broadway Merchants Association, which supports more than 100 businesses in the area, has expressed concerns with this event.
In a statement sent to CBS News Colorado a spokesperson with the association said:
"84% of respondents were upset about the event and did not want it to occur. Over the course of two meetings the BMA relayed this information to the Downtown Denver partnership and the Viva streets planning committee. For the sake of our small businesses and the residents they employ in the community, we are hopeful this event will be a success."
According to the Downtown Denver Partnership, businesses that were active participants in CicLAvia in Los Angeles saw a 57%. average increase in sales.
City leaders hope businesses in the area will see this increase also.
¡Viva! Streets Denver will begin at 8 a.m. and ends at 2 p.m. Taste of Colorado will go on until 6 p.m. Get more information at vivastreetsdenver.com.
¡Viva! Streets Denver is a CBS Colorado sponsored event.
