ARVADA, Colo. — Steve Duran has called Arvada home for over three decades, and through the years, he explained to Denver7 how things have changed. He supports the growth of Olde Town but would like to see solutions to improving traffic flow and safety along Yukon Street.
We are highlighting Duran's voice in a series of stories Denver7 is doing this week about the community in Arvada, and what residents love and find challenging about living there. We will be live from Olde Town on Friday, July 25 during Arvada's Fourth Friday event.
- What is Denver7 | Your Voice? Read about the project here.
"When we first came here, it was very quiet and quaint, A lot of antique shops," Duran said.
Now, Duran told Denver7 there are issues with parking along Yukon Street and people driving too fast down the residential road.
"Probably mid to late 2010, early 2015 time frame is when we saw a lot of changes in rebuilding and restaurants moving in so the infrastructure changing," Duran said.
While Duran loves to see how his beloved city has blossomed, Olde Town's popularity is impacting his everyday life just blocks away.
"Yukon Street has become the new Olde Wadsworth Boulevard, and we get so many people, and when it's busy, people still go so fast down this road," Duran said.
While speed is one issue, Duran said the problems do not stop there.
"We put a cone in front of our place, because what people do is that they'll come in, into our drive, unload like it's their home, or they'll park in front of it, I mean, it just adds a lot of confusion," Duran said.
With this in mind, Denver 7's Wanya Reese reached out to the City of Arvada and the Arvada Police Department to get answers. While nobody from the city or the police department agreed to go on camera, they did send a statement back via email.
The Arvada Police Department said officers are not aware of any traffic or speed complaints on Yukon Street where Duran lives.
On the other hand, the city said when it comes to parking, it employs a parking enforcement team to monitor the Olde Town area. It issues ticket parking violations, including for people who block intersections or driveways. On the subject of improving traffic, the city and the Arvada Urban Renewal Authority are in the planning stages of redesign for Yukon Street.
As Duran waits for these changes, he hopes that the city can work together with residents to find a solution.
"The hope is just incorporate the residents into this type of conversation with us, engage us. Come knocking on our doors and just hear us out, because you know, what we're presenting is legit," Duran said.
This is the full statement the Arvada Police Department sent Denver7 in response to the issues Duran faces:
"Generally speaking, when the Arvada Police Department receives complaints about speeding in a specific area, we use a data-driven approach to assess the issue and determine the best solution.
To understand the scope of the problem, we deploy a speed monitoring device to collect data continuously over a period of two to three weeks. This allows us to gather important information, including:
- Average speed of vehicles on the road.
- Maximum and minimum speeds recorded.
- 85th percentile speed, which is the speed at or below which 85% of drivers are traveling.
By analyzing this data, we can determine if speeding is a recurring issue, identify patterns or trends, and evaluate the severity of the problem. Based on these insights, and where deemed appropriate, we develop targeted solutions to address the concern.
Potential actions may include:
- Public education campaigns to raise awareness about safe driving practices.
- Directed speed enforcement to address problem areas at specific times.
- Engineering solutions, in collaboration with government partners, to improve road design or implement traffic-calming measures.
This approach ensures that we address speeding concerns effectively while prioritizing the safety of everyone on Arvada’s roads.
The City utilizes the industry standard that requires 5 feet between a driveway and a parking space. Space length can vary slightly from 20-22 feet depending on the location. The City employs a parking enforcement team to monitor the Olde Town area and ticket parking violations, including people who block intersections or driveways. All Olde Town visitors are encouraged to use the ample, free parking at the Olde Town Parking Hub (5575 Vance Street).
The creation of the pedestrian mall in Olde Town has shifted the flow of traffic through the area, including on Yukon in the last few years. With this, and additional pedestrian improvements in mind, the City and Arvada Urban Renewal Authority are in the planning stages of a redesign for Yukon Street from Ralston to Grandview, including the intersection at W 57th Avenue. This redesign will include changing the diagonal parking to parallel parking to improve congestion and flow through the area. Sidewalk improvements, including bump outs at the 57th and Yukon intersection will be installed to improve line of sight for pedestrian crossing and slow traffic through the corridor. Additionally, a 4-way stop was recently installed at the 57th and Yukon intersection to ease the flow and speed of traffic.
The City monitors areas throughout Arvada for speeding concerns and potential conflict zones. Speed reduction, traffic calming, congestion, and accessibility improvements are implemented based on industry best practices when found to be appropriate. Overall, the City is committed to providing safe, efficient travel experiences for all modes, balancing the needs of people who are walking, biking, rolling, and driving."
In these Denver7 | Your Voice stories, we want to hear from you about what matters most in your community. We hope to hear what makes our communities special, the challenges facing them, and everything in between. Have an idea or want to share your thoughts? Fill out the contact form below.
