Transportation is always an issue in any metro area and Denver is no different. What does make it stand out is the proliferation of public transport and the continuing investment in it by local authorities.
Denver uses the grid system as you would expect, with a mix of streets, avenues and blocks going North, South, East and West. If you’re used to American city layouts, then Denver will be no problem.
Much of the public transport in Denver is run by the Regional Transport District, referred to as the RTD. They run over 1,000 buses, 5 light rail lines and FasTrack. There are over 10,000 bus stops throughout Denver, 36 rail stations and that number is growing all the time.
Union Station still serves as the rail hub for the city with many national routes passing through here. As historic Denver was a transportation hub, it is very well served by rail.
Getting round the city by car can be a challenge as with any metro area. That said, driving isn’t as torturous here as it is in other cities. Traffic flows quite freely within the city itself, although rush hour is still just that.
Denver is served by the I-25 and I-70, which culminate at “the mousetrap,” after the confusion of roads and profusion of traffic when seen from the air. The I-25 runs north to south from New Mexico to Wyoming, while the I-70 runs east to west from Utah to Maryland.
We also have a beltway, which makes traversing the city easier than it used to be. The SH470 and E-470 encircle the city, although the E-470 is a toll road.
Denver is quite pedestrian friendly as far as cities go. It was rated as the 16th most walkable city in 2015. The sheer number of parks make it quite a pleasure to walk around. There are also pedestrianized areas in some of the shopping and entertainment districts, making it even more friendly to those on foot.
Cycling is big in Denver. That’s partly thanks to the weather, our love for outdoors and partly because of the 850 miles of bike paths throughout the region. Some of these routes cut through our many parks, or parallel the South Platte River, making getting around by bike a real pleasure.
Many people who live here travel by bike and not just hippies and the young. Many downtown workers prefer the exercise and ease of commuting to their offices by bike. This prompted a bike sharing initiative called B-Cycle to be launched, which is one of the largest in the country.