City Reverses Crosswalk Changes After Public Pushback

A street redesign in Colorado Springs is proving that the first version of a plan is rarely the final one. The city has pulled concrete barriers from crosswalks along West Colorado Avenue, a move driven by public feedback that the structures were creating visibility problems for pedestrians, particularly shorter individuals. This adjustment comes alongside a reduction in the size of center pedestrian refuge areas, a change implemented to address concerns from emergency services regarding vehicle access.

The project, which involves lane realignment, parking adjustments, and new features for pedestrians, has been operating as a test. Protected crosswalks were installed last month, but the design was modified shortly thereafter in response to comments from the community. Ryan Phipps, the city's capital improvements manager, characterized the work as an ongoing process of trial and adjustment. "Recently we made some adjustments to what we had initially implemented, and this is just that ongoing iterative process of testing what's working, what's not working as well as was originally anticipated," Phipps said.

The concrete barriers, originally part of the first crosswalk design, have been removed because they formed a solid wall that blocked sightlines. Phipps said the city received reports that the barriers, though temporary, obstructed the view for pedestrians crossing the street. Additionally, the center pedestrian refuge areas were scaled back following input from first responders. According to Phipps, drivers attempting to pull out of the way for emergency vehicles were at times creating a blockade at the refuge. The city removed those sections, he said, "to ensure that fire and police have the access that they need up and down Colorado Avenue."

Phipps said the changes are not necessarily corrections of mistakes but a search for better options. "It's all just kind of tweaking and balancing," he said, adding that the test phase is important for seeing how the design performs in practice. The city is now asking for further feedback to determine if the latest adjustments are effective.

Local businesses are watching the changes closely. Centennial Cuts, a shop selling Colorado beef, relies on customers being able to reach its door. Manager Joe Kliche said all of the store's cattle are raised on the family's ranch in Fowler, Colorado, now in its third generation, and that the beef is sold at the company's single brick-and-mortar location. The store's Colorado-made products draw both local shoppers and tourists, so its managers are watching how roads, parking, and walkways along the avenue are changing.

Kliche said he likes the center lane for parking, which is helpful for loading and unloading. Managers had expected more additional parking, however, and reactions to the crosswalk changes have been mixed. Kliche called the stanchions rising in the middle of the street "a little weird." The latest updates amount to a reset of this part of the trial period, as city planners seek further feedback to judge whether the changes are working.