One of the many challenges that the covid era has brought Denver is getting pedestrians back on the street. Pedestrians promote local business and gives the city life. One of the biggest areas that could use some improvement is the 16th Street Mall. As many as 40,000 pedestrians use this area annually. Though the northwestern end of the Mall did get some updates 8 years ago, much of the 40 year old strip needs to be modernized. Continue reading to find out what plans the city has in store for this iconic metro area.
The 16th Street Mall
If you use the 16th Street Mall often or live in the area you will be glad to hear that they are already working on improvements with additional ideas being considered. One of the things already in progress is the widening the sidewalks. The city is planning to remove the median, expanding the sidewalks by 2 feet on each side and adding an extra 9 foot buffer zone for lighting, benches, and more walking room. They are also already expanding the tree canopy. Another 80 trees are expected to be added to the 150 existing trees on the mall. This will make the mall cooler and more attractive to visitors.
Another plan in the works is to improve the existing lighting on the 16th Street Mall. This upgrade will give the area the ability to dim and brighten the lights depending on the time of day. This feature is expected to save the city energy as well as save on high electricity costs. This new technology will also give the area the ability to change the color of the lighting, which will attract more visitors. Another proposed solution to upgrading the mall is making it more family friendly. This could mean adding more areas for picnicking, playgrounds of children, extra benches, and even public sculptures.