DENVER, Colo. — The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) is reimagining how Coloradans get around, and it wants to hear from the public before finalizing its plan.
CDOT is updating its Statewide Active Transportation Plan, a project meant to improve infrastructure for walking, biking, and rolling throughout Colorado. Officials tell Scripps News Denver the goal is to make non-car travel safer, easier, and more accessible, especially as more people embrace alternatives to driving.
“Not everybody has access to or wants to use a car,” said Darius Pakbaz, director of transportation development at CDOT. “We want to make sure folks can use their mode of choice and safely get to their destination.”
- View the current plan below:
The updated plan comes as the state sees increased interest in micro-mobility like scooters, e-bikes, and walking, as well as a growing desire for safer infrastructure in urban and rural areas alike. CDOT said the plan will guide where investments are made over the next decade.
“We know there’s limited dollars, and we want to utilize those dollars to make the biggest difference for citizens throughout the state,” Pakbaz said.
The plan includes a focus on expanding Safe Routes to School, improving visibility through better signage and lane markings, and targeting projects in areas with high crash rates. CDOT said these improvements could make everyday travel easier and safer for children, older adults, and anyone who opts to get around outside of a car.
- Scripps News Denver is tracking vulnerable road user deaths in Colorado in the infographics below:
Scripps News Denver spoke to several cyclists at Confluence Park on Friday, and safety was a top priority for them. While bicycle fatalities have declined since 2023, CDOT hopes the new Statewide Active Transportation Plan will help those numbers trend down even further.
Mikayla Smith, a Denver resident and cyclist, supports the direction CDOT is heading.
“I think the plan would serve the greater community,” she said. “And that’s what we need to focus on first, and then focus on potholes.”
Carlos Mujica, a teacher in Denver, called the plan “super beneficial” and emphasized the importance of protected bike lanes.
“Riding our bikes and being protected at the same time is something that, of course, I’m going to push for,” he said.
Mujica added that better bike and pedestrian routes can boost sustainability and community health.
“It’s all about bringing communities together and making it more accessible for everyone," he said.
But not everyone supports CDOT’s approach. Critics like Jon Caldara, president of the Independence Institute, argue the agency should focus on fixing crumbling roads.
“CDOT should focus on fixing the roads. It’s just that simple,” Caldara said. “They want to make traffic so awful you have to use transit.”
Caldara questioned the public outreach process, calling it a “rigged game” that prioritizes feedback from plan supporters.
“The engineers already know what they want,” he said. “This isn’t about moving people – it’s about moving money.”
CDOT is currently seeking public feedback on the draft plan and will accept comments through July 18. Officials say input from Coloradans will help refine priorities and ensure the benefits are shared equitably across communities.
“We want to know, did we get it right?” said Pakbaz. “We want to make sure that all concerns are heard, and that the benefits of the transportation system are spread to everybody.”
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