Galena Cooper Living Lab

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Consultation has concluded


September 27, 2022 Update: Galena Cooper Living Lab Approaches Experiment End

The Galena Cooper Living Lab will end on Monday, September 26. The project team will be installing adjustments to the parking and roadway design from September 27 – September 30. Construction crews will be in the area for five days to remove some of the current elements and install a new parking layout. During this time, there will be limited parking available on Galena Street.

The new configuration will remain in place throughout the upcoming winter season.

The living lab on South Galena Street from Hopkins Avenue to Cooper


September 27, 2022 Update: Galena Cooper Living Lab Approaches Experiment End

The Galena Cooper Living Lab will end on Monday, September 26. The project team will be installing adjustments to the parking and roadway design from September 27 – September 30. Construction crews will be in the area for five days to remove some of the current elements and install a new parking layout. During this time, there will be limited parking available on Galena Street.

The new configuration will remain in place throughout the upcoming winter season.

The living lab on South Galena Street from Hopkins Avenue to Cooper Avenue and Cooper Avenue from Galena Street to Hunter Street has been installed for 13 weeks to evaluate temporary modifications before any permanent safety and design improvements. Field observations, public comments, live phone log recordings, and the community survey will close on Friday, September 23. A comprehensive outreach and engagement report will be presented to City Council in November.

What is going away on September 27:

  1. Removal of counterflow bikeway, curb extensions, and protective temporary curbs
  2. Removal of existing counter-flow bike lane striping on the east side of Galena Street and north side of Cooper Avenue
  3. Removal of parallel parking spots on the east side of Galena Street and the north side of Cooper Avenue
  4. Removal of the we-cycle station on Galena St
  5. Remove loading zone on Hyman Ave – it will be replaced on Galena St as a double loading zone (prelab conditions)

What will remain through the winter:

  1. Parallel parking on the west side of Galena Street and the south side of Cooper Avenue
  2. Angled parking spots next to the existing curb on the east side of Galena Street and the north side of Cooper Avenue
  3. All-way stop signs at Hopkins Ave and Galena Street intersection


ABOUT THE GALENA COOPER LIVING LAB 

Safety enhancements are being piloted in downtown Aspen throughout summer 2022 as part of an ongoing city-wide effort to improve safety and mobility for pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists while also encouraging a reduction in reliance on fossil fuels. Building on the outcomes of the City's "Safety in the Downtown Core" project, the City of Aspen's Engineering Department is implementing recommendations from City Council designed to balance user priorities through dedicated spaces for each transportation mode while also encouraging people to slow down and share the road in a heavily trafficked area.

A living lab installed on South Galena and Cooper Street primarily intended to prevent injury or death features parallel parking spaces for better sight lines, a counter-flow protected bikeway to minimize the potential for unpredictable interaction between cars and cyclists, and curb extensions at intersections that shorten crosswalk distances for pedestrians. The living lab also eliminates the left turn from Galena Street onto Hyman Avenue.

TIMELINE

June 27 - September 26, 2022

LIVING LAB DETAILS

  1. Formalize one-way shared roadway for cyclists and vehicles
  2. Dedicated counter-flow bikeways
  3. Parallel parking
  4. Curb extensions at intersections
  5. Widened pedestrian areas
  6. No left turn onto Hyman from Galena

PROJECT GOALS

  • Improve the convenience, safety, and quality of experience for bicyclists and pedestrians on streets and trails
  • Develop a strategic parking plan that manages the supply of parking and reduces the adverse impacts of the automobile
  • Encourage alternative forms of transportation to reduce reliance on follis fuels
  • Increase safety by providing safe, balanced, and dedicated spaces for all users

PARTICIPATE & PROVIDE FEEDBACK
Data is being collected at four intersections on a three-block stretch until the end of September 2022. An outreach team is also collecting data from residents and business owners, conducting sidewalk surveys, and holding monthly pop-up events during the lab.

  • Subscribe to receive project updates
  • Take the Online Questionnaire below through the "Experience Survey" tab
  • Attend a pop-up event
  • Participate in a sidewalk survey
  • Share your questions below through the "Question" tab
  • Share your comments below through the "Comments" tab
  • Email feedback to GalenaCooperLivingLab@aspen.gov


WECycle bike riding down the street of the living lab


Consultation has concluded

If you have a specific question about the Galena Cooper Living Lab, please share it with the project team; we will try to respond within three business days. If you wish to share an opinion about the project, please share these under the "Comments" tab. Your questions will be included in the data collection for this project and the project's engagement report.

We invite you to subscribe for ongoing project updates through the "Stay Informed" box at the top of this page to stay in-the-know of upcoming engagement opportunities.

  • Share Kudos to you for creating this experiment. "Living Lab".....you need the public to experience this to see if it works. on Facebook Share Kudos to you for creating this experiment. "Living Lab".....you need the public to experience this to see if it works. on Twitter Share Kudos to you for creating this experiment. "Living Lab".....you need the public to experience this to see if it works. on Linkedin Email Kudos to you for creating this experiment. "Living Lab".....you need the public to experience this to see if it works. link

    Kudos to you for creating this experiment. "Living Lab".....you need the public to experience this to see if it works.

    Ebohman asked over 1 year ago

    Thank you for your feedback. We will add your input to our outreach and engagement report.

  • Share To be honest, Aspen needs to be turned into a no car zone period. Build a mega big parking garage out at the Brush Creek (Intercept Lot) lot and visitors must park out there and be shuttled in. Then increase RFTA/Downtowner shuttles to move folks around. You would still need to allow lodges to shuttle their guests around. It doesn't matter what you do to improve the safety for folks walking and bikes. Visitors don't pay attention to the yield signs on main street so why would they follow these rules? Get the cars out of town. Solves your parking problem and the risk of someone getting hurt on their bike or walking. Personally, I don't ride my bike in town. I walk out of town on with my bike before I mount and peddle home. Good luck and thank you for trying to make this town safer for bike riders and pedestrians. on Facebook Share To be honest, Aspen needs to be turned into a no car zone period. Build a mega big parking garage out at the Brush Creek (Intercept Lot) lot and visitors must park out there and be shuttled in. Then increase RFTA/Downtowner shuttles to move folks around. You would still need to allow lodges to shuttle their guests around. It doesn't matter what you do to improve the safety for folks walking and bikes. Visitors don't pay attention to the yield signs on main street so why would they follow these rules? Get the cars out of town. Solves your parking problem and the risk of someone getting hurt on their bike or walking. Personally, I don't ride my bike in town. I walk out of town on with my bike before I mount and peddle home. Good luck and thank you for trying to make this town safer for bike riders and pedestrians. on Twitter Share To be honest, Aspen needs to be turned into a no car zone period. Build a mega big parking garage out at the Brush Creek (Intercept Lot) lot and visitors must park out there and be shuttled in. Then increase RFTA/Downtowner shuttles to move folks around. You would still need to allow lodges to shuttle their guests around. It doesn't matter what you do to improve the safety for folks walking and bikes. Visitors don't pay attention to the yield signs on main street so why would they follow these rules? Get the cars out of town. Solves your parking problem and the risk of someone getting hurt on their bike or walking. Personally, I don't ride my bike in town. I walk out of town on with my bike before I mount and peddle home. Good luck and thank you for trying to make this town safer for bike riders and pedestrians. on Linkedin Email To be honest, Aspen needs to be turned into a no car zone period. Build a mega big parking garage out at the Brush Creek (Intercept Lot) lot and visitors must park out there and be shuttled in. Then increase RFTA/Downtowner shuttles to move folks around. You would still need to allow lodges to shuttle their guests around. It doesn't matter what you do to improve the safety for folks walking and bikes. Visitors don't pay attention to the yield signs on main street so why would they follow these rules? Get the cars out of town. Solves your parking problem and the risk of someone getting hurt on their bike or walking. Personally, I don't ride my bike in town. I walk out of town on with my bike before I mount and peddle home. Good luck and thank you for trying to make this town safer for bike riders and pedestrians. link

    To be honest, Aspen needs to be turned into a no car zone period. Build a mega big parking garage out at the Brush Creek (Intercept Lot) lot and visitors must park out there and be shuttled in. Then increase RFTA/Downtowner shuttles to move folks around. You would still need to allow lodges to shuttle their guests around. It doesn't matter what you do to improve the safety for folks walking and bikes. Visitors don't pay attention to the yield signs on main street so why would they follow these rules? Get the cars out of town. Solves your parking problem and the risk of someone getting hurt on their bike or walking. Personally, I don't ride my bike in town. I walk out of town on with my bike before I mount and peddle home. Good luck and thank you for trying to make this town safer for bike riders and pedestrians.

    Ebohman asked over 1 year ago

    Thank you for your feedback. We will add your input to our outreach and engagement report.

  • Share The new bike lanes on Galena and Cooper are awful. The three times I have been in town, No bikes were using the bike lanes. There were a few people walking on the bike lanes. Taking away parking spots from people who want to eat and shop in town was stupid. on Facebook Share The new bike lanes on Galena and Cooper are awful. The three times I have been in town, No bikes were using the bike lanes. There were a few people walking on the bike lanes. Taking away parking spots from people who want to eat and shop in town was stupid. on Twitter Share The new bike lanes on Galena and Cooper are awful. The three times I have been in town, No bikes were using the bike lanes. There were a few people walking on the bike lanes. Taking away parking spots from people who want to eat and shop in town was stupid. on Linkedin Email The new bike lanes on Galena and Cooper are awful. The three times I have been in town, No bikes were using the bike lanes. There were a few people walking on the bike lanes. Taking away parking spots from people who want to eat and shop in town was stupid. link

    The new bike lanes on Galena and Cooper are awful. The three times I have been in town, No bikes were using the bike lanes. There were a few people walking on the bike lanes. Taking away parking spots from people who want to eat and shop in town was stupid.

    SinCloud55 asked almost 2 years ago

    Thank you for your feedback. We will add your input to our outreach and engagement report. 

  • Share This cannot be permanent. It is a slap in the face to the business that are downtown. They just endured years of the Pandemic and now you throw this at them. We are in a recession as we speak. Is very quiet in town. We realize that is what you want to try to stop cars but that is not what business needs. It is dangerous. People walk in the bike path now and not on the sidewalk. A car can actually take out a bicycle by opening their door on either side of the car. And people have to walk across the bike path to get into their car. Also trying to parallel in that space is an accident waiting to happen. Put it back like it was. Tory said they want to hear what we think. We don't really believe that as they do what they want anyway. But this is the worst idea of a lot bad ideas by this council in years. on Facebook Share This cannot be permanent. It is a slap in the face to the business that are downtown. They just endured years of the Pandemic and now you throw this at them. We are in a recession as we speak. Is very quiet in town. We realize that is what you want to try to stop cars but that is not what business needs. It is dangerous. People walk in the bike path now and not on the sidewalk. A car can actually take out a bicycle by opening their door on either side of the car. And people have to walk across the bike path to get into their car. Also trying to parallel in that space is an accident waiting to happen. Put it back like it was. Tory said they want to hear what we think. We don't really believe that as they do what they want anyway. But this is the worst idea of a lot bad ideas by this council in years. on Twitter Share This cannot be permanent. It is a slap in the face to the business that are downtown. They just endured years of the Pandemic and now you throw this at them. We are in a recession as we speak. Is very quiet in town. We realize that is what you want to try to stop cars but that is not what business needs. It is dangerous. People walk in the bike path now and not on the sidewalk. A car can actually take out a bicycle by opening their door on either side of the car. And people have to walk across the bike path to get into their car. Also trying to parallel in that space is an accident waiting to happen. Put it back like it was. Tory said they want to hear what we think. We don't really believe that as they do what they want anyway. But this is the worst idea of a lot bad ideas by this council in years. on Linkedin Email This cannot be permanent. It is a slap in the face to the business that are downtown. They just endured years of the Pandemic and now you throw this at them. We are in a recession as we speak. Is very quiet in town. We realize that is what you want to try to stop cars but that is not what business needs. It is dangerous. People walk in the bike path now and not on the sidewalk. A car can actually take out a bicycle by opening their door on either side of the car. And people have to walk across the bike path to get into their car. Also trying to parallel in that space is an accident waiting to happen. Put it back like it was. Tory said they want to hear what we think. We don't really believe that as they do what they want anyway. But this is the worst idea of a lot bad ideas by this council in years. link

    This cannot be permanent. It is a slap in the face to the business that are downtown. They just endured years of the Pandemic and now you throw this at them. We are in a recession as we speak. Is very quiet in town. We realize that is what you want to try to stop cars but that is not what business needs. It is dangerous. People walk in the bike path now and not on the sidewalk. A car can actually take out a bicycle by opening their door on either side of the car. And people have to walk across the bike path to get into their car. Also trying to parallel in that space is an accident waiting to happen. Put it back like it was. Tory said they want to hear what we think. We don't really believe that as they do what they want anyway. But this is the worst idea of a lot bad ideas by this council in years.

    ASD asked almost 2 years ago

    Thank you for your feedback. We will add your input to our outreach and engagement report. 

  • Share Why not make the streets two ways again? The parking was parallel then and there was no confusion between bikers and pedestrians. on Facebook Share Why not make the streets two ways again? The parking was parallel then and there was no confusion between bikers and pedestrians. on Twitter Share Why not make the streets two ways again? The parking was parallel then and there was no confusion between bikers and pedestrians. on Linkedin Email Why not make the streets two ways again? The parking was parallel then and there was no confusion between bikers and pedestrians. link

    Why not make the streets two ways again? The parking was parallel then and there was no confusion between bikers and pedestrians.

    dancerjessie asked almost 2 years ago

    Thank you for your feedback. We will add your input to our outreach and engagement report. 

  • Share This is maybe the most rediculous idea and execution I’ve ever seen. It is hurting local businesses. We have to have parking in town or provide more garage space. I am hearing from my elderly clients that they are very unhappy and feel pushed out of town. on Facebook Share This is maybe the most rediculous idea and execution I’ve ever seen. It is hurting local businesses. We have to have parking in town or provide more garage space. I am hearing from my elderly clients that they are very unhappy and feel pushed out of town. on Twitter Share This is maybe the most rediculous idea and execution I’ve ever seen. It is hurting local businesses. We have to have parking in town or provide more garage space. I am hearing from my elderly clients that they are very unhappy and feel pushed out of town. on Linkedin Email This is maybe the most rediculous idea and execution I’ve ever seen. It is hurting local businesses. We have to have parking in town or provide more garage space. I am hearing from my elderly clients that they are very unhappy and feel pushed out of town. link

    This is maybe the most rediculous idea and execution I’ve ever seen. It is hurting local businesses. We have to have parking in town or provide more garage space. I am hearing from my elderly clients that they are very unhappy and feel pushed out of town.

    Euroskin asked almost 2 years ago

    Thank you for your feedback. We will add your input to our outreach and engagement report. 

  • Share I am enjoying less traffic in the downtown core, As a long time local, I have said for YEARS, why isn't all of the downtown core, "malled". We should be forward thinking in our approach to the environment and the livelihood of our local community, while also maintaining a welcoming environment for our visitors. I have vistited Many other small Colorado towns and our downtown is by far the most amazingly organized, and pedestrian/biker friendly. Can't we make it even more so? My vote would be to mall the whole downtown area, make cars park at brush creek and bus in, but since that is not on the table YET, and just this small change has caused some of the super wealthy to have a hissy fit, I would love to see this living lab improved upon and made even better. I am sure there is a way to make stores accessible to all and allow for our kids, pedestrians, bikers, families to be safe as the wonder around. on Facebook Share I am enjoying less traffic in the downtown core, As a long time local, I have said for YEARS, why isn't all of the downtown core, "malled". We should be forward thinking in our approach to the environment and the livelihood of our local community, while also maintaining a welcoming environment for our visitors. I have vistited Many other small Colorado towns and our downtown is by far the most amazingly organized, and pedestrian/biker friendly. Can't we make it even more so? My vote would be to mall the whole downtown area, make cars park at brush creek and bus in, but since that is not on the table YET, and just this small change has caused some of the super wealthy to have a hissy fit, I would love to see this living lab improved upon and made even better. I am sure there is a way to make stores accessible to all and allow for our kids, pedestrians, bikers, families to be safe as the wonder around. on Twitter Share I am enjoying less traffic in the downtown core, As a long time local, I have said for YEARS, why isn't all of the downtown core, "malled". We should be forward thinking in our approach to the environment and the livelihood of our local community, while also maintaining a welcoming environment for our visitors. I have vistited Many other small Colorado towns and our downtown is by far the most amazingly organized, and pedestrian/biker friendly. Can't we make it even more so? My vote would be to mall the whole downtown area, make cars park at brush creek and bus in, but since that is not on the table YET, and just this small change has caused some of the super wealthy to have a hissy fit, I would love to see this living lab improved upon and made even better. I am sure there is a way to make stores accessible to all and allow for our kids, pedestrians, bikers, families to be safe as the wonder around. on Linkedin Email I am enjoying less traffic in the downtown core, As a long time local, I have said for YEARS, why isn't all of the downtown core, "malled". We should be forward thinking in our approach to the environment and the livelihood of our local community, while also maintaining a welcoming environment for our visitors. I have vistited Many other small Colorado towns and our downtown is by far the most amazingly organized, and pedestrian/biker friendly. Can't we make it even more so? My vote would be to mall the whole downtown area, make cars park at brush creek and bus in, but since that is not on the table YET, and just this small change has caused some of the super wealthy to have a hissy fit, I would love to see this living lab improved upon and made even better. I am sure there is a way to make stores accessible to all and allow for our kids, pedestrians, bikers, families to be safe as the wonder around. link

    I am enjoying less traffic in the downtown core, As a long time local, I have said for YEARS, why isn't all of the downtown core, "malled". We should be forward thinking in our approach to the environment and the livelihood of our local community, while also maintaining a welcoming environment for our visitors. I have vistited Many other small Colorado towns and our downtown is by far the most amazingly organized, and pedestrian/biker friendly. Can't we make it even more so? My vote would be to mall the whole downtown area, make cars park at brush creek and bus in, but since that is not on the table YET, and just this small change has caused some of the super wealthy to have a hissy fit, I would love to see this living lab improved upon and made even better. I am sure there is a way to make stores accessible to all and allow for our kids, pedestrians, bikers, families to be safe as the wonder around.

    Jenlid asked almost 2 years ago

    Thank you for your feedback. We will add your input to our outreach and engagement report.

  • Share It is actually worse than before…and to me it’s less safe on Facebook Share It is actually worse than before…and to me it’s less safe on Twitter Share It is actually worse than before…and to me it’s less safe on Linkedin Email It is actually worse than before…and to me it’s less safe link

    It is actually worse than before…and to me it’s less safe

    Aspenmikey asked almost 2 years ago

    Thank you for your feedback. We will add your input to our outreach and engagement report. 

  • Share Hello - Not sure where to submit feedback, but I have several comments below on the Galena / Cooper reorganization: First of call, I think turning Hyman in front of Clark's, etc. into one-way is great and improves safety on the busy corner of Hyman / Galena. However, the reorg'd parking and bike lane on Galena and Cooper seem to - among other things - more than offset that safety gain. The counter flow bike lane is just dangerous - drivers, pedestrians, etc. are expecting traffic from the right on a one-way street and it creates a real blind spot for people coming the opposite direction in the bike lane. This is how accidents happen. Not to mention cyclists themselves expect to go with the flow of traffic and ride the incorrect way in the bike lane causing bike on bike accidents. Not to mention people in cars parking along the bike lane opening doors or just crossing the bike lane without looking. No amount of signage is going to change this thinking - in fact more signage will just confuse people. Further, the parallel parking is really unfortunate. The street was wide even with the angle parking - now with parallel parking its almost two full lanes wide. I now see people double parking (because they can't find spots) - especially trucks or people dropping off. The last spot on the corner in front of paradise is especially bad - trucks are parked off the back there regularly. If you must keep the bike lane and parallel parking on the left side of the street, you still have more than enough room to return the right side to angle parking on Cooper. The extra wide street only increases the danger here. I really appreciate what you are trying to do here - I am a long-time cyclist and often a pedestrian in town and a full-time resident. However, I came from a big city with lots of bike lanes. They introduce TONS of issues unless they are extremely protected. They are valuable on larger, fast traffic roads and again ONLY work when they are extremely protected on both sides. At the end of the day, it is MUCH safer for bikes to go with the direction of traffic and in the street. These aren't highways, its a slow downtown street. Bikes need to be 1. very visible, and 2. where cars and pedestrians expect them to be (in front of them, going with traffic). Please focus your attention on more critical areas for bikes / cars. How about eliminating the West-End sneak or enforcing the one-block limit on the pedways? I was riding through there with my friend and their 6-year old and its like a parking lot at 5pm. Cars blatantly ignore the one-block limit and drive wildly. Just block powerplant road for 2 hours at rush hour. Creating a counter flow bike lane for two blocks does absolutely nothing for cyclist safety - in fact I'd argue it makes it much worse. Return Galena and Cooper to how they were and focus on areas with real problems. How about building more four-way stops in the core? Overall, really disappointed with this project. Lot of time and effort seems to have gone into a two block project with what seems like little to no thought or input from actual pedestrians or cyclists. I am passionate about this because I'd like to enjoy going into town safely and have had many friends hurt or killed in bike / car accidents. The answer is to make it as easy as possible for all modes of traffic - cars, bikes, people - to navigate. There are tons of distractions already (for everyone, including cyclists). Make things as easy and intuitive as possible. on Facebook Share Hello - Not sure where to submit feedback, but I have several comments below on the Galena / Cooper reorganization: First of call, I think turning Hyman in front of Clark's, etc. into one-way is great and improves safety on the busy corner of Hyman / Galena. However, the reorg'd parking and bike lane on Galena and Cooper seem to - among other things - more than offset that safety gain. The counter flow bike lane is just dangerous - drivers, pedestrians, etc. are expecting traffic from the right on a one-way street and it creates a real blind spot for people coming the opposite direction in the bike lane. This is how accidents happen. Not to mention cyclists themselves expect to go with the flow of traffic and ride the incorrect way in the bike lane causing bike on bike accidents. Not to mention people in cars parking along the bike lane opening doors or just crossing the bike lane without looking. No amount of signage is going to change this thinking - in fact more signage will just confuse people. Further, the parallel parking is really unfortunate. The street was wide even with the angle parking - now with parallel parking its almost two full lanes wide. I now see people double parking (because they can't find spots) - especially trucks or people dropping off. The last spot on the corner in front of paradise is especially bad - trucks are parked off the back there regularly. If you must keep the bike lane and parallel parking on the left side of the street, you still have more than enough room to return the right side to angle parking on Cooper. The extra wide street only increases the danger here. I really appreciate what you are trying to do here - I am a long-time cyclist and often a pedestrian in town and a full-time resident. However, I came from a big city with lots of bike lanes. They introduce TONS of issues unless they are extremely protected. They are valuable on larger, fast traffic roads and again ONLY work when they are extremely protected on both sides. At the end of the day, it is MUCH safer for bikes to go with the direction of traffic and in the street. These aren't highways, its a slow downtown street. Bikes need to be 1. very visible, and 2. where cars and pedestrians expect them to be (in front of them, going with traffic). Please focus your attention on more critical areas for bikes / cars. How about eliminating the West-End sneak or enforcing the one-block limit on the pedways? I was riding through there with my friend and their 6-year old and its like a parking lot at 5pm. Cars blatantly ignore the one-block limit and drive wildly. Just block powerplant road for 2 hours at rush hour. Creating a counter flow bike lane for two blocks does absolutely nothing for cyclist safety - in fact I'd argue it makes it much worse. Return Galena and Cooper to how they were and focus on areas with real problems. How about building more four-way stops in the core? Overall, really disappointed with this project. Lot of time and effort seems to have gone into a two block project with what seems like little to no thought or input from actual pedestrians or cyclists. I am passionate about this because I'd like to enjoy going into town safely and have had many friends hurt or killed in bike / car accidents. The answer is to make it as easy as possible for all modes of traffic - cars, bikes, people - to navigate. There are tons of distractions already (for everyone, including cyclists). Make things as easy and intuitive as possible. on Twitter Share Hello - Not sure where to submit feedback, but I have several comments below on the Galena / Cooper reorganization: First of call, I think turning Hyman in front of Clark's, etc. into one-way is great and improves safety on the busy corner of Hyman / Galena. However, the reorg'd parking and bike lane on Galena and Cooper seem to - among other things - more than offset that safety gain. The counter flow bike lane is just dangerous - drivers, pedestrians, etc. are expecting traffic from the right on a one-way street and it creates a real blind spot for people coming the opposite direction in the bike lane. This is how accidents happen. Not to mention cyclists themselves expect to go with the flow of traffic and ride the incorrect way in the bike lane causing bike on bike accidents. Not to mention people in cars parking along the bike lane opening doors or just crossing the bike lane without looking. No amount of signage is going to change this thinking - in fact more signage will just confuse people. Further, the parallel parking is really unfortunate. The street was wide even with the angle parking - now with parallel parking its almost two full lanes wide. I now see people double parking (because they can't find spots) - especially trucks or people dropping off. The last spot on the corner in front of paradise is especially bad - trucks are parked off the back there regularly. If you must keep the bike lane and parallel parking on the left side of the street, you still have more than enough room to return the right side to angle parking on Cooper. The extra wide street only increases the danger here. I really appreciate what you are trying to do here - I am a long-time cyclist and often a pedestrian in town and a full-time resident. However, I came from a big city with lots of bike lanes. They introduce TONS of issues unless they are extremely protected. They are valuable on larger, fast traffic roads and again ONLY work when they are extremely protected on both sides. At the end of the day, it is MUCH safer for bikes to go with the direction of traffic and in the street. These aren't highways, its a slow downtown street. Bikes need to be 1. very visible, and 2. where cars and pedestrians expect them to be (in front of them, going with traffic). Please focus your attention on more critical areas for bikes / cars. How about eliminating the West-End sneak or enforcing the one-block limit on the pedways? I was riding through there with my friend and their 6-year old and its like a parking lot at 5pm. Cars blatantly ignore the one-block limit and drive wildly. Just block powerplant road for 2 hours at rush hour. Creating a counter flow bike lane for two blocks does absolutely nothing for cyclist safety - in fact I'd argue it makes it much worse. Return Galena and Cooper to how they were and focus on areas with real problems. How about building more four-way stops in the core? Overall, really disappointed with this project. Lot of time and effort seems to have gone into a two block project with what seems like little to no thought or input from actual pedestrians or cyclists. I am passionate about this because I'd like to enjoy going into town safely and have had many friends hurt or killed in bike / car accidents. The answer is to make it as easy as possible for all modes of traffic - cars, bikes, people - to navigate. There are tons of distractions already (for everyone, including cyclists). Make things as easy and intuitive as possible. on Linkedin Email Hello - Not sure where to submit feedback, but I have several comments below on the Galena / Cooper reorganization: First of call, I think turning Hyman in front of Clark's, etc. into one-way is great and improves safety on the busy corner of Hyman / Galena. However, the reorg'd parking and bike lane on Galena and Cooper seem to - among other things - more than offset that safety gain. The counter flow bike lane is just dangerous - drivers, pedestrians, etc. are expecting traffic from the right on a one-way street and it creates a real blind spot for people coming the opposite direction in the bike lane. This is how accidents happen. Not to mention cyclists themselves expect to go with the flow of traffic and ride the incorrect way in the bike lane causing bike on bike accidents. Not to mention people in cars parking along the bike lane opening doors or just crossing the bike lane without looking. No amount of signage is going to change this thinking - in fact more signage will just confuse people. Further, the parallel parking is really unfortunate. The street was wide even with the angle parking - now with parallel parking its almost two full lanes wide. I now see people double parking (because they can't find spots) - especially trucks or people dropping off. The last spot on the corner in front of paradise is especially bad - trucks are parked off the back there regularly. If you must keep the bike lane and parallel parking on the left side of the street, you still have more than enough room to return the right side to angle parking on Cooper. The extra wide street only increases the danger here. I really appreciate what you are trying to do here - I am a long-time cyclist and often a pedestrian in town and a full-time resident. However, I came from a big city with lots of bike lanes. They introduce TONS of issues unless they are extremely protected. They are valuable on larger, fast traffic roads and again ONLY work when they are extremely protected on both sides. At the end of the day, it is MUCH safer for bikes to go with the direction of traffic and in the street. These aren't highways, its a slow downtown street. Bikes need to be 1. very visible, and 2. where cars and pedestrians expect them to be (in front of them, going with traffic). Please focus your attention on more critical areas for bikes / cars. How about eliminating the West-End sneak or enforcing the one-block limit on the pedways? I was riding through there with my friend and their 6-year old and its like a parking lot at 5pm. Cars blatantly ignore the one-block limit and drive wildly. Just block powerplant road for 2 hours at rush hour. Creating a counter flow bike lane for two blocks does absolutely nothing for cyclist safety - in fact I'd argue it makes it much worse. Return Galena and Cooper to how they were and focus on areas with real problems. How about building more four-way stops in the core? Overall, really disappointed with this project. Lot of time and effort seems to have gone into a two block project with what seems like little to no thought or input from actual pedestrians or cyclists. I am passionate about this because I'd like to enjoy going into town safely and have had many friends hurt or killed in bike / car accidents. The answer is to make it as easy as possible for all modes of traffic - cars, bikes, people - to navigate. There are tons of distractions already (for everyone, including cyclists). Make things as easy and intuitive as possible. link

    Hello - Not sure where to submit feedback, but I have several comments below on the Galena / Cooper reorganization: First of call, I think turning Hyman in front of Clark's, etc. into one-way is great and improves safety on the busy corner of Hyman / Galena. However, the reorg'd parking and bike lane on Galena and Cooper seem to - among other things - more than offset that safety gain. The counter flow bike lane is just dangerous - drivers, pedestrians, etc. are expecting traffic from the right on a one-way street and it creates a real blind spot for people coming the opposite direction in the bike lane. This is how accidents happen. Not to mention cyclists themselves expect to go with the flow of traffic and ride the incorrect way in the bike lane causing bike on bike accidents. Not to mention people in cars parking along the bike lane opening doors or just crossing the bike lane without looking. No amount of signage is going to change this thinking - in fact more signage will just confuse people. Further, the parallel parking is really unfortunate. The street was wide even with the angle parking - now with parallel parking its almost two full lanes wide. I now see people double parking (because they can't find spots) - especially trucks or people dropping off. The last spot on the corner in front of paradise is especially bad - trucks are parked off the back there regularly. If you must keep the bike lane and parallel parking on the left side of the street, you still have more than enough room to return the right side to angle parking on Cooper. The extra wide street only increases the danger here. I really appreciate what you are trying to do here - I am a long-time cyclist and often a pedestrian in town and a full-time resident. However, I came from a big city with lots of bike lanes. They introduce TONS of issues unless they are extremely protected. They are valuable on larger, fast traffic roads and again ONLY work when they are extremely protected on both sides. At the end of the day, it is MUCH safer for bikes to go with the direction of traffic and in the street. These aren't highways, its a slow downtown street. Bikes need to be 1. very visible, and 2. where cars and pedestrians expect them to be (in front of them, going with traffic). Please focus your attention on more critical areas for bikes / cars. How about eliminating the West-End sneak or enforcing the one-block limit on the pedways? I was riding through there with my friend and their 6-year old and its like a parking lot at 5pm. Cars blatantly ignore the one-block limit and drive wildly. Just block powerplant road for 2 hours at rush hour. Creating a counter flow bike lane for two blocks does absolutely nothing for cyclist safety - in fact I'd argue it makes it much worse. Return Galena and Cooper to how they were and focus on areas with real problems. How about building more four-way stops in the core? Overall, really disappointed with this project. Lot of time and effort seems to have gone into a two block project with what seems like little to no thought or input from actual pedestrians or cyclists. I am passionate about this because I'd like to enjoy going into town safely and have had many friends hurt or killed in bike / car accidents. The answer is to make it as easy as possible for all modes of traffic - cars, bikes, people - to navigate. There are tons of distractions already (for everyone, including cyclists). Make things as easy and intuitive as possible.

    pdhoffmann asked almost 2 years ago

    Thank you for your feedback. We will add your input to our outreach and engagement report. 

  • Share As a pedestrian and biker (and driver), I consider it highly dangerousness to be downtown due to the proliferation of cars and drivers disrespectful of the pedestrian nature of Aspen. Eliminating angled parking not only eliminates the solid close in visual wall that they create, but eliminates the highly dangerous process of backing out with limited visibility of bikes and other cars. The vibrancy of the town is based on the mobility of pedestrians and bikers. E-bike and scooters of all types now provide access to those who would not otherwise have access. For the most part, close-in parking is a luxury for those choosing not to enjoy the outdoors and instead shop at the ubiquitous unaffordable “fashion” boutiques that minimizes my visits to the core of Aspen two blocks away from my residence on the top of South Galena. I believe your latest traffic management changes are excellent and follow other inspirational municipalities that add to their vibrancy by encouraging outdoor access unimpeded by unnecessary car traffic in pedestrian dominated locations. Karl Friedman on Facebook Share As a pedestrian and biker (and driver), I consider it highly dangerousness to be downtown due to the proliferation of cars and drivers disrespectful of the pedestrian nature of Aspen. Eliminating angled parking not only eliminates the solid close in visual wall that they create, but eliminates the highly dangerous process of backing out with limited visibility of bikes and other cars. The vibrancy of the town is based on the mobility of pedestrians and bikers. E-bike and scooters of all types now provide access to those who would not otherwise have access. For the most part, close-in parking is a luxury for those choosing not to enjoy the outdoors and instead shop at the ubiquitous unaffordable “fashion” boutiques that minimizes my visits to the core of Aspen two blocks away from my residence on the top of South Galena. I believe your latest traffic management changes are excellent and follow other inspirational municipalities that add to their vibrancy by encouraging outdoor access unimpeded by unnecessary car traffic in pedestrian dominated locations. Karl Friedman on Twitter Share As a pedestrian and biker (and driver), I consider it highly dangerousness to be downtown due to the proliferation of cars and drivers disrespectful of the pedestrian nature of Aspen. Eliminating angled parking not only eliminates the solid close in visual wall that they create, but eliminates the highly dangerous process of backing out with limited visibility of bikes and other cars. The vibrancy of the town is based on the mobility of pedestrians and bikers. E-bike and scooters of all types now provide access to those who would not otherwise have access. For the most part, close-in parking is a luxury for those choosing not to enjoy the outdoors and instead shop at the ubiquitous unaffordable “fashion” boutiques that minimizes my visits to the core of Aspen two blocks away from my residence on the top of South Galena. I believe your latest traffic management changes are excellent and follow other inspirational municipalities that add to their vibrancy by encouraging outdoor access unimpeded by unnecessary car traffic in pedestrian dominated locations. Karl Friedman on Linkedin Email As a pedestrian and biker (and driver), I consider it highly dangerousness to be downtown due to the proliferation of cars and drivers disrespectful of the pedestrian nature of Aspen. Eliminating angled parking not only eliminates the solid close in visual wall that they create, but eliminates the highly dangerous process of backing out with limited visibility of bikes and other cars. The vibrancy of the town is based on the mobility of pedestrians and bikers. E-bike and scooters of all types now provide access to those who would not otherwise have access. For the most part, close-in parking is a luxury for those choosing not to enjoy the outdoors and instead shop at the ubiquitous unaffordable “fashion” boutiques that minimizes my visits to the core of Aspen two blocks away from my residence on the top of South Galena. I believe your latest traffic management changes are excellent and follow other inspirational municipalities that add to their vibrancy by encouraging outdoor access unimpeded by unnecessary car traffic in pedestrian dominated locations. Karl Friedman link

    As a pedestrian and biker (and driver), I consider it highly dangerousness to be downtown due to the proliferation of cars and drivers disrespectful of the pedestrian nature of Aspen. Eliminating angled parking not only eliminates the solid close in visual wall that they create, but eliminates the highly dangerous process of backing out with limited visibility of bikes and other cars. The vibrancy of the town is based on the mobility of pedestrians and bikers. E-bike and scooters of all types now provide access to those who would not otherwise have access. For the most part, close-in parking is a luxury for those choosing not to enjoy the outdoors and instead shop at the ubiquitous unaffordable “fashion” boutiques that minimizes my visits to the core of Aspen two blocks away from my residence on the top of South Galena. I believe your latest traffic management changes are excellent and follow other inspirational municipalities that add to their vibrancy by encouraging outdoor access unimpeded by unnecessary car traffic in pedestrian dominated locations. Karl Friedman

    repertoire asked almost 2 years ago

    Thank you for your feedback. We will add your input to our outreach and engagement report.