Candace BarnetteColorado is advancing new initiatives to make multimodal travel safer and more accessible across the state. The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) has unveiled a new Statewide Active Transportation Plan (ATP)—an updated version of the state’s multimodal plan from 2012.
Active transportation includes any human-powered mode of transportation like bicycling, walking, running, wheelchair use and more. CDOT has been working closely with the public and community stakeholders since last year to draft the current plan.
CDOT studies have found pedestrians and bicyclists are facing increasing safety hazards and incidents. These incidents account for 17.7% of all fatalities and serious injury crashes for only 2.6% of all traffic crashes across the state. The state has seen a 144% increase in pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities over the last decade, according to CDOT studies.
The ATP covers several major areas of improvements to combat these rising dangers for vulnerable road users, including safety infrastructure projects, connected communities development, mobility choice expansion and accessibility.
Major planned safety improvements include the Intersection Safety Overhaul Program, which would work alongside deployment of federally approved safety countermeasures. The intersection program addresses high-risk intersections, combating design deficiencies such as inadequate lighting, limited sight distance and inadequate turning space. CDOT estimates that over 50% of all fatal or serious pedestrian crashes are intersection-related.
CDOT also plans to implement proven federal safety measures such as rapid flashing beacons, pedestrian refuge islands and bicycle lanes on four-lane urban roadways. A Traffic Calming Infrastructure program would also be instituted, using roadway designs and physical infrastructure to lower vehicle speeds in areas with high pedestrian traffic.
For the Connected Communities Development initiative, CDOT is planning to build a comprehensive network of multimodal transportation centers. These would be developed along I-25 (Fort Collins to Pueblo) and I-70 (Denver to Grand Junction). The effort will transform traditional park-and-ride locations into hubs for local transit, trails and other modes of active transportation.
The Mobility Choice Expansion effort will see a statewide initiative to close gaps in the active transportation network. It specifically targets bike facilities, increasing state roadway coverage from 47% to 60% by 2037, and sidewalk coverage in urban areas from 34% to 50% by 2037.
As for equity and accessibility, the ATP will prioritize projects in areas that are disproportionately affected by traffic safety challenges. It will also institute a systematic upgrade of more than 20,000 curb ramps along with pedestrian infrastructure such as push buttons and transit facilities.
The ATP was shaped by robust community engagement and data collection, including a statewide survey on current transportation needs. Once finalized, the plan will act as a guide for CDOT and other groups in coordinating and prioritizing efforts to improve active transportation across the state.
The plan awaits final adoption in 2025, after which CDOT must deliver a comprehensive project inventory by July 1, 2026, under Senate Bill 25-030. The department will then evaluate progress annually and update the plan every five years as needed.
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