The Denver Connector is a free, on-demand, public microtransit service designed to connect residents to the greater regional transportation network and to key services like grocery stores. On this walkshop, we’ll learn about the latest expansion of the Denver Connector as a tool in the Globeville Elyria-Swansea neighborhood to address the historic inequities that have shaped the socioeconomic, environmental, and infrastructure conditions found in this community. We’ll discuss the history of the neighborhood, talk to residents, business owners, explore the state’s first cap park that has transformed the area, stop by a tiny home village, and have a Connector vehicle stop by to have a discussion with the operator.
Click here to see the details of the map and route.
Mode
Moderate walking 2 miles, with light rail travel
Leader
My La, Senior City Planner, DOTI
Located just north of Downtown along the South Platte, the River North neighborhood (RiNo) has transformed over the past decade from an industrial hub to a burgeoning arts district. On this tour, we’ll check out public art and murals that reflect the neighborhood's history and culture, and learn about the development of vibrant and functional community spaces like the Arkins Park and Promenade, and Brighton Boulevard, where art, infrastructure, and culture converge. We’ll discuss the partnerships that have transformed this community, and the nuts and bolts of how these spaces were created.
Click here to see the details of the map and route.
Mode
Moderate walking and bus trips.
Leader
Tom Beasley, DOTI
Speaker
Todd Johnson, DOTI
Join this tour to learn about Denver’s efforts to fill in critical gaps in the citywide sidewalk network, and how the City’s CALC program is building neighborhood power through deep engagement with neighbors in the East Colfax community. Learn about how Denver’s experience bringing together engineers, planners, and the people with the most expertise about their neighborhood—the people who live there—to inform safety and infrastructure projects, and to build critical connections throughout the city’s sidewalk and Vision Zero programs.
Click here to see the details of the route and map.
Mode:
Moderate walking and bus trips.
Leader:
Christian Steward, Denver Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI)
Speaker:
Sarah Klarich, Denver Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI)
For over a decade, Denver has been at the forefront of shared micromobility in the U.S. The city launched the country’s first dock-based bike share system in 2010, and was among the first to permit the large-scale operation of shared micromobility vehicles in 2018. Since then, Denver has written new regulatory mechanisms and collaborated with micromobility operators to tap into a growing rider base that took over five million trips in 2022 alone. This explosion of shared e-scooter and e-bike ridership has also created growing pains, which Denver is addressing to ensure shared micromobility is safe and convenient, and that it advances the City’s multimodal goals. Join this ScooterShop to learn about the initiatives and regulatory frameworks—and experience the connected micromobility network—that support Denver’s Shared Micromobility Program around Downtown.
Click here to see the details of the route and map.
Mode
Moderate scootering and standing – Mixed on-street bikeways and separated trails, moderate pace – requires the ability to ride an e-scooter in a busy, downtown environment.
Leader
Stephen Rijo, Principal City Planner, DOTI
13th and 14th ave is a new protected bikeway project that received People for Bikes 2021 Bike Project of the Year Award. This project fills a critical gap in Denver's bikeway network, connecting one of Denver's highest priority areas for transportation equity to Downtwon Denver. The resulting project provides a safer, affordable alternative to travelling between these areas.
• Participants in this Walkshop will learn the background on the outreach for this project, design details, including innovative loading zone and ADA parking design, the Denver Wedge intersection design, tactics to reduce crossing distances, temporary material applications.
• What it took to accommodate the new PBL, including lane reductions and parking removal.
• This project is also a transit corridor, and participants will learn about efforts to consider bus/bike interactions, and view a concrete floating bus island. • DOTI staff will talk about what has been working well, as well as areas for improvement and lessons learned.
Click here to see the details of the map and route.
Mode
Scootering and standing – on-street separated bikeways – requires the ability to ride an e-scooter in a busy, downtown environment.
Leader
Sam Piper, Principal City Planner, DOTI
Located just west of Downtown yet isolated by highway-style infrastructure, the Sun Valley neighborhood is Denver’s gem. It is one of the most diverse neighborhoods in Denver, with over 30 languages spoken from five continents. Sun Valley is also one of Denver’s lowest-income neighborhoods, where 99.5% of residents earn below the median income. On this tour, learn how residents, businesses, and community-based organizations are working to actively transform their community, advocate for inclusive development and fight displacement, and create mechanisms for long-term accountability to avoid displacement.
Click here to see the details of the route and map.
Mode
E-Bike, moderate; mix of separated bike lanes and low-traffic streets.
For participants unable to bike, there is an option to ride along. Please register for the WalkShop, then email jace@denverstreetspartnership.
Leader
Jill Locantore, Denver Streets Partnership
During this WalkShop, participants will ride an RTD Bus down Denver’s First Transit-Only Lane , visit a local school that is all-in on Safe Routes to School, hear from SRTS stakeholders and project teams about the SRTS Action Plan, Travel Plan Studies, and in-school active transportation education. The Walkshop will also see and hear about small-area planning for Denver’s Community Transportation Networks, see innovative parking solutions for bicycles and scooters, and hear about Vision Zero’s Safety and Slow Zones that are underway at DOTI.
Click here for details of the route and map.
Mode:
Bus riding and moderate walking
Leader:
Jon Johnson, Denver Department of Transportation & Infrastructure (DOTI)
Speaker:
Stephanie Holden, Denver Department of Transportation & Infrastructure (DOTI)
Take a tour through Denver’s downtown high-comfort bikeway network, with City design and implementation staff. We’ll discuss the ins and outs of different bikeways including material usage, intersection treatments and the unique challenges posed with each corridor–both during installation and after. The walkshop will take participants through multiple destinations Downtown and showcase the evolution of bikeway design in Denver.
Click here to see the details of the route and map.
Mode
E-Bike, moderate; mix of separated bike lanes and on-street bike facilities.
Leader
Brittany Price, Engineering Manager, DOTI
On this WalkShop, joining City & County of Denver staff on a short walk to the Webb Municipal Building, which houses the City’s Traffic Management Center (TMC). DOTI staff will discuss its detection and data collection equipment for prioritizing people walking, bicycling, and scooting at downtown signals, and show off the Smart Cities deployment including Road Side Units, passive pedestrian detection, and Bluetooth readers. Leaders will then take you behind the scenes and share how Denver manages its 1,300 traffic signals and 2,700 miles of roadway. Learn directly from the skilled operations and engineering team how Denver is leveraging its infrastructure to meet its mobility goals and keep Denverites safe and moving.
Note: Because a portion of this tour is inside the Webb Municipal Building, participants must be prepared to enter through building security. Be prepared to remove laptops and pass through a metal detector.
Click here for details of the route and map.
Mode:
Walking, light pace
Leader:
David DiGiacomo, P.E., PTOE, Engineering Manager, City and County of Denver Department of Transportation Infrastructure
On this tour, we’ll explore Denver’s Lower Downtown Historic District from an urban design and development perspective. LoDo, located near the confluence of the Platte River and Cherry Creek, was once the city’s birthplace, before the area transformed into a warehouse district with the addition of Denver Union Station in 1881. After WWII, the district faced the threat of demolition through urban renewal, only to experience a remarkable revitalization through historic preservation and adaptive reuse that created the thriving mixed-use district of today. While we explore this history, we’ll also discuss what the future holds, as new developments begin to replace surface parking lots.
Click here to see the details of the map and route.
Mode
Walking; moderate pace
Leader
Ken Schroeppel, Director of Urban Design, Assistant Professor CTT, Urban and Regional Planning, University of Colorado-Denver
Denver is all about e-bikes. Join this walkshop to learn how the Denver Office of Climate Action, Sustainability and Resiliency has worked to shift trips away from fossil fuels and fostered an e-bike boom. On this tour, we’ll visit local e-bike libraries and e-cargo-bike organizations to better understand the impact of e-bikes here. We’ll also learn about Denver’s successful e-bike rebate program and discuss the future of e-bikes in the city.
Click here to see the details of the route and map.
Mode
Moderate 11 mile e-bike ride on separated paths and bike lanes.
Leader
Nathan Pope, Senior City Planner, DOTI
This WalkShop will take a look at Denver's Downtown Library renovations and surrounding projects in the heart of the city.
Map and route to come.
Mode:
Walking, light pace
Leader:
Curt Winn, DOTI Senior Project Manager
On this tour, we'll ride along sections of the 5280 Trail and learn about major redevelopment occuring in the Golden Triangle neighborhood, including the historic Evans School Building. Then, we’ll examine the decade-long effort to transform Broadway, one of Denver's primary travel corridors, to prioritize bikes and buses.
Click here to see the details of the route and map.
Mode
Scootering and standing, light pace – on-street separated bikeways and mixed low-traffic streets – requires the ability to ride an e-scooter in an urban environment.
Leader
Downtown Denver Partnership
Speaker
James Colbert, DOTI
The 5280 Trail is a vision for a new, distinctly Denver amenity that connects vibrant and diverse city neighborhoods through the great urban outdoors while creating a powerful sense of place. This planned 5.28-mile loop through the heart of Denver will bring together a signature walking, bicycling, and rolling circuit that connects community landmarks and public spaces throughout the city's core. On this tour, we’ll learn about upcoming plans for the 5280 Trail, as well as work already completed, including public art and placemaking projects, wayfinding, and quick-build connections.
Click here to see the details of the map and route.
Mode
Moderate scootering and standing – mixed on-street bikeways and separated trails, moderate pace – requires the ability to ride an e-scooter in a busy, downtown environment.
Leader
Ellen Forthofer, Downtown Denver Partnership
Denver’s Complete Streets Design Guidelines have shaped the way the city designs streets since they were introduced in early 2020. On this tour, we’ll travel along Downtown Denver’s best complete streets, highlighting the ways street design has changed since the Guidelines’ completion. We’ll discuss the evolution of Denver’s bikeway design; examine ways to prioritize people walking, bicycling, and taking transit on one street; and highlight some of Denver’s best streetscapes, green infrastructure, and people-first spaces. Be prepared to walk or roll approximately 2.5 to 3 miles, and look forward to a snack stop at Denver’s famous Milk Market.
Click here to see the details of the map and route.
Mode
Walking; moderate pace
Leader
Taylor Phillips, Senior City Planner, DOTI
For the past four years, Denver has worked to build out a complete, low-cost bicycle network in three of the city’s densest areas, in an effort known as the Community Transportation Network. On this walkshop, we’ll explore the recently-constructed network in Northwest Denver, and learn how bikeway design has evolved over time in Northwest Denver and the city as a whole. We’ll also discuss the trials and tribulations that DOTI has worked through along the way. Then, we’ll stop at a locally-owned tamale shop for a snack and drink before heading back Downtown.
Click here to see the details of the route and map.
Mode
E-Bike, moderate; mix of separated bike lanes and low-traffic streets.
Leader
Paige Colton, Senior City Planner, DOTI
Our streets are the lifeblood of our cities; they not only move people to where they need to go but are also, collectively, our largest public space. Too often, the latter part is forgotten when it comes to street design. On this tour, you'll learn how Denver is transforming several streets downtown to become destinations in themselves. We’ll visit sites where, by thinking beyond the curb, Denver is designing streets that not only move people but also encourage them to stick around.
Click here to see the details of the map and route.
Mode
Walking; will follow accessible route
Leader
Riley La Mie, Principal City Planner, DOTI
Speaker
Jay Decker, DOTI
Denver sees green infrastructure as a critical tool to mitigate the impacts of a warming climate and protect residents’ high quality of life. On this WalkShop, we’ll visit several green complete streets in North Denver, and learn how they balance green infrastructure with multi-modal mobility needs. Tour leaders will discuss design, planning, construction, monitoring, and maintenance best practices that have resulted in greener city streets, and how these practices can introduce vital ecosystems back into the right-of-way while also promoting safer, more comfortable streets for different modes.
Click here to see the details of the route and map.
Mode
E-Bike, moderate; mix of separated bike lanes and low-traffic streets.
Leader
Sarah Anderson, Manager, Division of Green Infrastructure, DOTI
Denver has been prioritizing buses on its streets since the opening of the Broadway Bus Lane in 1975 and the 16th Street Mall in 1982. More recently, the City has implemented nearly 25 miles of bus lanes, 8 transit signal queue jumps, 20 transit priority signals, 9 bus boarding islands, and various other innovative bus priority treatments on key transit corridors. Join this walkshop to learn how these various roadway and intersection enhancements improve transit travel times, increase reliability, and create safe multimodal connections to and from transit.
Click here to see the details of the map and route.
Mode
Walking (approximately 2 miles) and a few short bus rides.
Leader
Phoebe Fooks, Associate City Planner, DOTI
Speakers
Justin Begley, Multimodal Development & Planning Supervisor, DOTI
Ryan Billings, Principal, Nelson\Nygaard
On this tour of Wašíŋ Wakpá, we’ll focus on Denver’s early beginnings, examining what the river meant to the indigenous people that were present well before any trace of the contemporary city. We’ll travel along the river to STEAM on the Platte, and take participants through the history of the site and adjacent neighborhood. Then, we’ll scoot along the Cherry Creek Art Trail, where we’ll examined the history and opportunity that lies ahead.
Click here to see the details of the map and route.
Mode
Moderate scootering and standing – mixed on-street bikeways and separated trails, moderate pace – requires the ability to ride an e-scooter in a busy, downtown environment
Leader
Downtown Denver Partnership
This WalkShop will highlight the Denver Performing Arts Complex, the largest performing arts center under one roof in the country. With ten performance spaces on its four-block, 12-acre site, the venue is home to the Colorado Ballet, Colorado Symphony Orchestra, Opera Colorado and the Denver Center for the Performing Arts which offers Broadway shows, Tony-winning theatre, cabaret and experimental productions. Getting in, out, and around the Arts Complex in the heart of Downtown Denver presents unique challenges for the over 800 thousand patrons that attend over 500 shows each year. Come see how the mobility magic happens!
Mode:
Walking
Leader:
Mark Heiser, Venue Director for the Denver Performing Arts Complex
Denver is a four-season city, with both sun and snowfall posing major challenges to building and maintaining sidewalks and bikeways throughout the year. Join this relaxed Downtown walking tour to learn how Denver's Department of Transportation & Infrastructure has adapted to improve year-round mobility and access. Join the Operations team to test out specialized sweep and plow equipment, and learn lessons about how Denver has refined construction and materials to meet the city’s climate needs.
Click here to see the details of the map and route.
Mode
Walking; light, fully accessible, regular opportunities to sit
Leader
Jeff Gonzalez, Street Maintenance, DOTI
On this walkshop, we’ll explore the National Western Center, a new take on a legendary Colorado space that hosts research, education, entertainment, and agribusiness initiatives. We’ll learn about the work being done there to advance food systems and support agriculture in the Mountain West, and the ways the design, construction, and operation of the Center promote sustainability and regenerative planning. We’ll also examine strategies to expand walking, bicycling, and transit options in nearby neighborhoods that have been historically cut off from the rest of Denver.
Click here to see the details of the route and map.
Mode
Moderate walking and light rail rides.
Leader
Patrick Riley, Horizontal Construction Program Manager for the Mayor's Office of the National Western Center
Cherry Creek is one of Denver’s economic centers, and a key retail and restaurant hub. Residents, visitors, and workers all use the area’s streets and trails, and sometimes have competing needs. As the area densifies, new challenges arise, including safety, parking, curbside management, and access to multimodal options. On this tour, we’ll learn more about these challenges and how the City of Denver is responding with projects like Denver Moves: Cherry Creek, which aims to help people get to and from Cherry Creek more easily, and to ensure the neighborhood continues to prosper.
Click here to see the details of the route and map.
Mode
E-Bike, intensive; mix of off-street trails, on-street bike lanes, and low-traffic streets.
Leader
Walter Scheib, Senior City Planner, DOTI
Following numerous instances of severe flooding, in 2015 the City and County of Denver initiated the Platte to Park Hill Stormwater Systems Program, an ambitious new infrastructure initiative in five Northeast Denver neighborhoods intended to protect against future flooding, increase connectivity, and enhance green spaces. Join this bicycling tour to learn how the project knit together green stormwater infrastructure across northeast Denver, from detention ponds in the City Park Golf Course and the 39th Avenue Greenway to Globeville Landing Park, bringing multimodal streets and stormwater facilities together.
Click here to see the details of the map and route.
Mode
E-Bike, moderate; mix of separated bike lanes and low-traffic streets.
Leader
Amy Foreman & Ryan Crum, DOTI Transportation Design
Expanding multimodal infrastructure in Denver is a process of innovation and iteration. From bicycle green waves to new separation construction methods, the bikeway and multimodal network in the Capitol Hill, City Park, Cheesman Park, and Congress Park neighborhoods features a full spectrum of design approaches. On this walkshop, we’ll learn how multimodal design has blossomed over the past ten years. We’ll see new separated bike lanes, neighborhood bikeways, traffic signal designs, and adaptive streets, and discuss how Denver is learning and iterating to make bicycling and scootering more comfortable and accessible.
Click here to see the details of the map and route.
Mode
Moderate scootering and standing – mixed on-street bikeways and separated trails, moderate pace – requires the ability to ride an e-scooter in a busy, downtown environment.
Leader
David Pulsipher, Planning Supervisor, DOTI
This walkshop explores Denver’s Rapid Response program, which consists of a small team of DOTI employees and partners at the Denver Police Department. The Rapid Response team meets regularly to investigate recent fatal crashes and determine, using historic crash data, what treatments—engineering, education, enforcement, or a combination of the three—are appropriate at crash locations. We will walk to the site of a fatal crash, discussing the Rapid Response program on the way, and then see firsthand what a treatment implementation could look like.
Click here to view the map and details of the route.
Mode:
Walking, light pace
Leader:
Eric Stein, Senior Engineer, City and County of Denver Department of Transportation Infrastructure
La Alma-Lincoln Park is not only one of Denver’s oldest residential neighborhoods; it was also at the heart of Denver’s Chicano Movement, El Movimiento, in the 1960s and 1970s. The neighborhood’s rich, cultural fabric is made tangible by its diverse architectural structures, vibrant public spaces, and the presence of Denver’s oldest active art district. This walkshop will take participants through the past, present, and future of the area, which is steeped in Latino heritage and today represents a diverse population. We’ll begin with an overview of the neighborhood’s Chicano history and discuss the development of Denver’s 5280 Loop hiking trail. Then, we’ll learn about the vibrant, mixed-income Mariposa District, before ending the tour with a visit to the Santa Fe Streetscape pilot project.
Click here to see the details of the map and route.
Mode
Moderate walking, with light rail travel
Leader
Wesley Dismore, Engineer, Transportation Implementation Division, DOTI
Speaker
Gabriella Serrado, Regional Planning Manager, CONSOR Engineering
The Regional Transportation District (RTD) will lead two groups to Union Station: one on the Free Mall Ride and one on foot -- you choose! Once both groups reach Union Station, we will discuss micromobility in Downtown Denver, the history of Union Station, and the ins and outs of transit from one of Denver’s most beloved transit hubs. Take time to learn about the many partners that work in Union Station, including RTD, Amtrack, Bustang, Greyhound, among others, and learn how this hub connects the city, state, and interstate travelers.
Click here for details of the route and map.
Mode:
Light walking and bus riding.
Leader:
Jyotsna Khattri, RTD Market Development Supervisor
Denver's Community Transportation Networks program has focused on building out multimodal infrastructure in three initial areas of the city, including the neighborhoods immediately south of downtown. Starting with a ride along the signature Cherry Creek Trail, a major bicycling artery, we will explore the South Central Community Transportation Network and its overlap with other bikeway initiatives. See innovative designs and approaches such as the Marion Street bikeway and the Bayaud shared streets, as well as enhancements to bicycling in Washington Park made during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Click here to see the details of the route and map.
Mode:
E-Bike, moderate; mix of separated bike lanes and on-street bike facilities.
Leader:
Ashlee Grace, Director, South Platte River and Tributaries Program, DOTI
The 16th Street Mall is simultaneously Denver's backbone, its central Main Street, and a key catalyst for our collective growth. The 16th Street Mall Project is Denver’s plan to revitalize this crucial space by improving safety and mobility, addressing deteriorating infrastructure, and creating more opportunities for people who live, visit, and work in the Mile High City to enjoy the area for years to come. In this walkshop, you’ll learn how the City has engaged community stakeholders, including blind and visually-impaired people, to test and refine a new curbless configuration. We’ll also examine ways the City has worked with local businesses to provide support during the construction process and throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Finally, we’ll discuss Denver’s approach to creating a thriving tree canopy, and check out the future of the mall through VR headsets.
Click here to see details of the map and route.
Mode
Walking; light pace, fully accessible
Leader
Molly Veldkamp, Program Manager, Stakeholder Management & Strategic Communications, DOTI
On this tour, we’ll explore the wide variety of bike infrastructure in the Five Points neighborhood, while learning from the design staff that implemented it and those who advocated for it. We’ll begin in Downtown and ride along several of Denver’s high-comfort bikeways, exploring the use of strategic interventions like the new “Denver Wedge” along Stout Street, intersection protection along the Champa Street bikeway, and Denver’s first speed cushion pilot along the 25th Avenue neighborhood bikeway. We’ll also learn how Denver selects, spaces, and designs speed and traffic diversion treatments along the 25th Avenue, 30th Street, and Lawrence Street neighborhood bikeways.
Click here to see the details of the route and map.
Mode
E-Bike, moderate; mix of separated bike lanes and on-street bike facilities.
Leader
Brett Boncore, Senior Engineer, DOTI
Join Five Points BID Board Member and other Five Points neighborhood leaders as we explore the past, present, and future of the “Harlem of the West.” On this tour participants will ride to the corridor on the Welton Street Streetcar (RTD L Line). From there, the walking tour will visit some of Five Points’ most treasured spaces, like Sonny Lawson Park (the site of Denver’s first Negro League baseball game), music venues that hosted jazz icons such as Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Nat King Cole, and Dinah Washington; the city and RTD efforts to invest in the neighborhood, and the important neighborhood champions who do the same.
Click here to see the details of the route and map.
Mode:
Moderate walking and light rail travel.
Speaker:
Haroun Cowans, Five Points BID
Downtown Denver is a sports fan’s dream, and the transformation of the city’s center has been deeply enmeshed with the growth of the city’s four major sports teams. On this tour, learn how the region’s transit system has added new connections to three major sporting venues, from Empower Field and the historic Mile High Stadium grounds, to the rapidly changing Ball Arena district. Finally, finish in Lower Downtown, anchored by the new Union Station and Coors Field, one of the country’s first modern ballparks.
Click here to see the details of the route and map.
Mode:
Mix of bus, rail, and moderate walking.
Leader:
Mike King, Denver Department of Transportation & Infrastructure (DOTI)
Colfax Avenue is many things: it’s the longest commercial corridor in America, an iconic street that embodies Denver's history, and one of the primary transit routes for the region. On this tour, we’ll ride the bustling 15 bus from Downtown through Capitol Hill and out to City Park. From there, we’ll travel through Denver's transit history and learn about community engagement and development along Colfax Avenue. We’ll examine plans for bus rapid transit designed to connect Denver's east side neighborhoods, and check out the many transit priority measures that have already been implemented to make transit faster, more reliable, and more comfortable.
Click here to see the details of the map and route.
Mode
Bus; Walking, moderate pace, with periodic stops and opportunities to sit.
Leader
David Krutsinger, Transit Director, DOTI
Speakers
Curt Upton, Principal City Planner, Community Planning & Development
Brian Welch, Senior Manager, Planning Technical Services, RTD
Frank Locantore, Executive Director, Colfax Ave Business Improvement District
On this tour, we’ll explore the Westwood Via Verde, a three-mile neighborhood greenway designed to improve water quality, increase tree canopy, and support community empowerment and job creation. The Via Verde is more than a walking and biking route; it’s also a bold vision to connect a network of new and existing green spaces. On this walkshop, we’ll dive into this vision, learning about the neighborhood bikeways, green streets, parks and enhanced alleys that make up the Via Verde and provide spaces for residents of all ages to be active.
Click here to see the details of the map and route.
Mode
Walking, intensive, with regular standing and stopping.
Leader
Kayla Gilbert, Senior Program Manager, Health Equity & Community Partnerships, DOTI
The Denver Connector is a free, on-demand, public microtransit service designed to connect residents to the greater regional transportation network and to key services like grocery stores. On this walkshop, we’ll learn about the latest expansion of the Denver Connector as a tool in the Globeville Elyria-Swansea neighborhood to address the historic inequities that have shaped the socioeconomic, environmental, and infrastructure conditions found in this community. We’ll discuss the history of the neighborhood, talk to residents, business owners, explore the state’s first cap park that has transformed the area, stop by a tiny home village, and have a Connector vehicle stop by to have a discussion with the operator.
Click here to see the details of the map and route.
Mode
Moderate walking 2 miles, with light rail travel
Leader
My La, Senior City Planner, DOTI
Located just north of Downtown along the South Platte, the River North neighborhood (RiNo) has transformed over the past decade from an industrial hub to a burgeoning arts district. On this tour, we’ll check out public art and murals that reflect the neighborhood's history and culture, and learn about the development of vibrant and functional community spaces like the Arkins Park and Promenade, and Brighton Boulevard, where art, infrastructure, and culture converge. We’ll discuss the partnerships that have transformed this community, and the nuts and bolts of how these spaces were created.
Click here to see the details of the map and route.
Mode
Moderate walking and bus trips.
Leader
Tom Beasley, DOTI
Speaker
Todd Johnson, DOTI
Join this tour to learn about Denver’s efforts to fill in critical gaps in the citywide sidewalk network, and how the City’s CALC program is building neighborhood power through deep engagement with neighbors in the East Colfax community. Learn about how Denver’s experience bringing together engineers, planners, and the people with the most expertise about their neighborhood—the people who live there—to inform safety and infrastructure projects, and to build critical connections throughout the city’s sidewalk and Vision Zero programs.
Click here to see the details of the route and map.
Mode:
Moderate walking and bus trips.
Leader:
Christian Steward, Denver Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI)
Speaker:
Sarah Klarich, Denver Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI)
For over a decade, Denver has been at the forefront of shared micromobility in the U.S. The city launched the country’s first dock-based bike share system in 2010, and was among the first to permit the large-scale operation of shared micromobility vehicles in 2018. Since then, Denver has written new regulatory mechanisms and collaborated with micromobility operators to tap into a growing rider base that took over five million trips in 2022 alone. This explosion of shared e-scooter and e-bike ridership has also created growing pains, which Denver is addressing to ensure shared micromobility is safe and convenient, and that it advances the City’s multimodal goals. Join this ScooterShop to learn about the initiatives and regulatory frameworks—and experience the connected micromobility network—that support Denver’s Shared Micromobility Program around Downtown.
Click here to see the details of the route and map.
Mode
Moderate scootering and standing – Mixed on-street bikeways and separated trails, moderate pace – requires the ability to ride an e-scooter in a busy, downtown environment.
Leader
Stephen Rijo, Principal City Planner, DOTI
13th and 14th ave is a new protected bikeway project that received People for Bikes 2021 Bike Project of the Year Award. This project fills a critical gap in Denver's bikeway network, connecting one of Denver's highest priority areas for transportation equity to Downtwon Denver. The resulting project provides a safer, affordable alternative to travelling between these areas.
• Participants in this Walkshop will learn the background on the outreach for this project, design details, including innovative loading zone and ADA parking design, the Denver Wedge intersection design, tactics to reduce crossing distances, temporary material applications.
• What it took to accommodate the new PBL, including lane reductions and parking removal.
• This project is also a transit corridor, and participants will learn about efforts to consider bus/bike interactions, and view a concrete floating bus island. • DOTI staff will talk about what has been working well, as well as areas for improvement and lessons learned.
Click here to see the details of the map and route.
Mode
Scootering and standing – on-street separated bikeways – requires the ability to ride an e-scooter in a busy, downtown environment.
Leader
Sam Piper, Principal City Planner, DOTI
Located just west of Downtown yet isolated by highway-style infrastructure, the Sun Valley neighborhood is Denver’s gem. It is one of the most diverse neighborhoods in Denver, with over 30 languages spoken from five continents. Sun Valley is also one of Denver’s lowest-income neighborhoods, where 99.5% of residents earn below the median income. On this tour, learn how residents, businesses, and community-based organizations are working to actively transform their community, advocate for inclusive development and fight displacement, and create mechanisms for long-term accountability to avoid displacement.
Click here to see the details of the route and map.
Mode
E-Bike, moderate; mix of separated bike lanes and low-traffic streets.
For participants unable to bike, there is an option to ride along. Please register for the WalkShop, then email jace@denverstreetspartnership.
Leader
Jill Locantore, Denver Streets Partnership
During this WalkShop, participants will ride an RTD Bus down Denver’s First Transit-Only Lane , visit a local school that is all-in on Safe Routes to School, hear from SRTS stakeholders and project teams about the SRTS Action Plan, Travel Plan Studies, and in-school active transportation education. The Walkshop will also see and hear about small-area planning for Denver’s Community Transportation Networks, see innovative parking solutions for bicycles and scooters, and hear about Vision Zero’s Safety and Slow Zones that are underway at DOTI.
Click here for details of the route and map.
Mode:
Bus riding and moderate walking
Leader:
Jon Johnson, Denver Department of Transportation & Infrastructure (DOTI)
Speaker:
Stephanie Holden, Denver Department of Transportation & Infrastructure (DOTI)
Take a tour through Denver’s downtown high-comfort bikeway network, with City design and implementation staff. We’ll discuss the ins and outs of different bikeways including material usage, intersection treatments and the unique challenges posed with each corridor–both during installation and after. The walkshop will take participants through multiple destinations Downtown and showcase the evolution of bikeway design in Denver.
Click here to see the details of the route and map.
Mode
E-Bike, moderate; mix of separated bike lanes and on-street bike facilities.
Leader
Brittany Price, Engineering Manager, DOTI
On this WalkShop, joining City & County of Denver staff on a short walk to the Webb Municipal Building, which houses the City’s Traffic Management Center (TMC). DOTI staff will discuss its detection and data collection equipment for prioritizing people walking, bicycling, and scooting at downtown signals, and show off the Smart Cities deployment including Road Side Units, passive pedestrian detection, and Bluetooth readers. Leaders will then take you behind the scenes and share how Denver manages its 1,300 traffic signals and 2,700 miles of roadway. Learn directly from the skilled operations and engineering team how Denver is leveraging its infrastructure to meet its mobility goals and keep Denverites safe and moving.
Note: Because a portion of this tour is inside the Webb Municipal Building, participants must be prepared to enter through building security. Be prepared to remove laptops and pass through a metal detector.
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Mode:
Walking, light pace
Leader:
David DiGiacomo, P.E., PTOE, Engineering Manager, City and County of Denver Department of Transportation Infrastructure
On this tour, we’ll explore Denver’s Lower Downtown Historic District from an urban design and development perspective. LoDo, located near the confluence of the Platte River and Cherry Creek, was once the city’s birthplace, before the area transformed into a warehouse district with the addition of Denver Union Station in 1881. After WWII, the district faced the threat of demolition through urban renewal, only to experience a remarkable revitalization through historic preservation and adaptive reuse that created the thriving mixed-use district of today. While we explore this history, we’ll also discuss what the future holds, as new developments begin to replace surface parking lots.
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Mode
Walking; moderate pace
Leader
Ken Schroeppel, Director of Urban Design, Assistant Professor CTT, Urban and Regional Planning, University of Colorado-Denver
Denver is all about e-bikes. Join this walkshop to learn how the Denver Office of Climate Action, Sustainability and Resiliency has worked to shift trips away from fossil fuels and fostered an e-bike boom. On this tour, we’ll visit local e-bike libraries and e-cargo-bike organizations to better understand the impact of e-bikes here. We’ll also learn about Denver’s successful e-bike rebate program and discuss the future of e-bikes in the city.
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Mode
Moderate 11 mile e-bike ride on separated paths and bike lanes.
Leader
Nathan Pope, Senior City Planner, DOTI
This WalkShop will take a look at Denver's Downtown Library renovations and surrounding projects in the heart of the city.
Map and route to come.
Mode:
Walking, light pace
Leader:
Curt Winn, DOTI Senior Project Manager
On this tour, we'll ride along sections of the 5280 Trail and learn about major redevelopment occuring in the Golden Triangle neighborhood, including the historic Evans School Building. Then, we’ll examine the decade-long effort to transform Broadway, one of Denver's primary travel corridors, to prioritize bikes and buses.
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Mode
Scootering and standing, light pace – on-street separated bikeways and mixed low-traffic streets – requires the ability to ride an e-scooter in an urban environment.
Leader
Downtown Denver Partnership
Speaker
James Colbert, DOTI
The 5280 Trail is a vision for a new, distinctly Denver amenity that connects vibrant and diverse city neighborhoods through the great urban outdoors while creating a powerful sense of place. This planned 5.28-mile loop through the heart of Denver will bring together a signature walking, bicycling, and rolling circuit that connects community landmarks and public spaces throughout the city's core. On this tour, we’ll learn about upcoming plans for the 5280 Trail, as well as work already completed, including public art and placemaking projects, wayfinding, and quick-build connections.
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Mode
Moderate scootering and standing – mixed on-street bikeways and separated trails, moderate pace – requires the ability to ride an e-scooter in a busy, downtown environment.
Leader
Ellen Forthofer, Downtown Denver Partnership
Denver’s Complete Streets Design Guidelines have shaped the way the city designs streets since they were introduced in early 2020. On this tour, we’ll travel along Downtown Denver’s best complete streets, highlighting the ways street design has changed since the Guidelines’ completion. We’ll discuss the evolution of Denver’s bikeway design; examine ways to prioritize people walking, bicycling, and taking transit on one street; and highlight some of Denver’s best streetscapes, green infrastructure, and people-first spaces. Be prepared to walk or roll approximately 2.5 to 3 miles, and look forward to a snack stop at Denver’s famous Milk Market.
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Mode
Walking; moderate pace
Leader
Taylor Phillips, Senior City Planner, DOTI
For the past four years, Denver has worked to build out a complete, low-cost bicycle network in three of the city’s densest areas, in an effort known as the Community Transportation Network. On this walkshop, we’ll explore the recently-constructed network in Northwest Denver, and learn how bikeway design has evolved over time in Northwest Denver and the city as a whole. We’ll also discuss the trials and tribulations that DOTI has worked through along the way. Then, we’ll stop at a locally-owned tamale shop for a snack and drink before heading back Downtown.
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Mode
E-Bike, moderate; mix of separated bike lanes and low-traffic streets.
Leader
Paige Colton, Senior City Planner, DOTI
Our streets are the lifeblood of our cities; they not only move people to where they need to go but are also, collectively, our largest public space. Too often, the latter part is forgotten when it comes to street design. On this tour, you'll learn how Denver is transforming several streets downtown to become destinations in themselves. We’ll visit sites where, by thinking beyond the curb, Denver is designing streets that not only move people but also encourage them to stick around.
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Mode
Walking; will follow accessible route
Leader
Riley La Mie, Principal City Planner, DOTI
Speaker
Jay Decker, DOTI
Denver sees green infrastructure as a critical tool to mitigate the impacts of a warming climate and protect residents’ high quality of life. On this WalkShop, we’ll visit several green complete streets in North Denver, and learn how they balance green infrastructure with multi-modal mobility needs. Tour leaders will discuss design, planning, construction, monitoring, and maintenance best practices that have resulted in greener city streets, and how these practices can introduce vital ecosystems back into the right-of-way while also promoting safer, more comfortable streets for different modes.
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Mode
E-Bike, moderate; mix of separated bike lanes and low-traffic streets.
Leader
Sarah Anderson, Manager, Division of Green Infrastructure, DOTI
Denver has been prioritizing buses on its streets since the opening of the Broadway Bus Lane in 1975 and the 16th Street Mall in 1982. More recently, the City has implemented nearly 25 miles of bus lanes, 8 transit signal queue jumps, 20 transit priority signals, 9 bus boarding islands, and various other innovative bus priority treatments on key transit corridors. Join this walkshop to learn how these various roadway and intersection enhancements improve transit travel times, increase reliability, and create safe multimodal connections to and from transit.
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Mode
Walking (approximately 2 miles) and a few short bus rides.
Leader
Phoebe Fooks, Associate City Planner, DOTI
Speakers
Justin Begley, Multimodal Development & Planning Supervisor, DOTI
Ryan Billings, Principal, Nelson\Nygaard
On this tour of Wašíŋ Wakpá, we’ll focus on Denver’s early beginnings, examining what the river meant to the indigenous people that were present well before any trace of the contemporary city. We’ll travel along the river to STEAM on the Platte, and take participants through the history of the site and adjacent neighborhood. Then, we’ll scoot along the Cherry Creek Art Trail, where we’ll examined the history and opportunity that lies ahead.
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Mode
Moderate scootering and standing – mixed on-street bikeways and separated trails, moderate pace – requires the ability to ride an e-scooter in a busy, downtown environment
Leader
Downtown Denver Partnership
This WalkShop will highlight the Denver Performing Arts Complex, the largest performing arts center under one roof in the country. With ten performance spaces on its four-block, 12-acre site, the venue is home to the Colorado Ballet, Colorado Symphony Orchestra, Opera Colorado and the Denver Center for the Performing Arts which offers Broadway shows, Tony-winning theatre, cabaret and experimental productions. Getting in, out, and around the Arts Complex in the heart of Downtown Denver presents unique challenges for the over 800 thousand patrons that attend over 500 shows each year. Come see how the mobility magic happens!
Mode:
Walking
Leader:
Mark Heiser, Venue Director for the Denver Performing Arts Complex
Denver is a four-season city, with both sun and snowfall posing major challenges to building and maintaining sidewalks and bikeways throughout the year. Join this relaxed Downtown walking tour to learn how Denver's Department of Transportation & Infrastructure has adapted to improve year-round mobility and access. Join the Operations team to test out specialized sweep and plow equipment, and learn lessons about how Denver has refined construction and materials to meet the city’s climate needs.
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Mode
Walking; light, fully accessible, regular opportunities to sit
Leader
Jeff Gonzalez, Street Maintenance, DOTI
On this walkshop, we’ll explore the National Western Center, a new take on a legendary Colorado space that hosts research, education, entertainment, and agribusiness initiatives. We’ll learn about the work being done there to advance food systems and support agriculture in the Mountain West, and the ways the design, construction, and operation of the Center promote sustainability and regenerative planning. We’ll also examine strategies to expand walking, bicycling, and transit options in nearby neighborhoods that have been historically cut off from the rest of Denver.
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Mode
Moderate walking and light rail rides.
Leader
Patrick Riley, Horizontal Construction Program Manager for the Mayor's Office of the National Western Center
Cherry Creek is one of Denver’s economic centers, and a key retail and restaurant hub. Residents, visitors, and workers all use the area’s streets and trails, and sometimes have competing needs. As the area densifies, new challenges arise, including safety, parking, curbside management, and access to multimodal options. On this tour, we’ll learn more about these challenges and how the City of Denver is responding with projects like Denver Moves: Cherry Creek, which aims to help people get to and from Cherry Creek more easily, and to ensure the neighborhood continues to prosper.
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Mode
E-Bike, intensive; mix of off-street trails, on-street bike lanes, and low-traffic streets.
Leader
Walter Scheib, Senior City Planner, DOTI
Following numerous instances of severe flooding, in 2015 the City and County of Denver initiated the Platte to Park Hill Stormwater Systems Program, an ambitious new infrastructure initiative in five Northeast Denver neighborhoods intended to protect against future flooding, increase connectivity, and enhance green spaces. Join this bicycling tour to learn how the project knit together green stormwater infrastructure across northeast Denver, from detention ponds in the City Park Golf Course and the 39th Avenue Greenway to Globeville Landing Park, bringing multimodal streets and stormwater facilities together.
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Mode
E-Bike, moderate; mix of separated bike lanes and low-traffic streets.
Leader
Amy Foreman & Ryan Crum, DOTI Transportation Design
Expanding multimodal infrastructure in Denver is a process of innovation and iteration. From bicycle green waves to new separation construction methods, the bikeway and multimodal network in the Capitol Hill, City Park, Cheesman Park, and Congress Park neighborhoods features a full spectrum of design approaches. On this walkshop, we’ll learn how multimodal design has blossomed over the past ten years. We’ll see new separated bike lanes, neighborhood bikeways, traffic signal designs, and adaptive streets, and discuss how Denver is learning and iterating to make bicycling and scootering more comfortable and accessible.
Click here to see the details of the map and route.
Mode
Moderate scootering and standing – mixed on-street bikeways and separated trails, moderate pace – requires the ability to ride an e-scooter in a busy, downtown environment.
Leader
David Pulsipher, Planning Supervisor, DOTI
This walkshop explores Denver’s Rapid Response program, which consists of a small team of DOTI employees and partners at the Denver Police Department. The Rapid Response team meets regularly to investigate recent fatal crashes and determine, using historic crash data, what treatments—engineering, education, enforcement, or a combination of the three—are appropriate at crash locations. We will walk to the site of a fatal crash, discussing the Rapid Response program on the way, and then see firsthand what a treatment implementation could look like.
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Mode:
Walking, light pace
Leader:
Eric Stein, Senior Engineer, City and County of Denver Department of Transportation Infrastructure
La Alma-Lincoln Park is not only one of Denver’s oldest residential neighborhoods; it was also at the heart of Denver’s Chicano Movement, El Movimiento, in the 1960s and 1970s. The neighborhood’s rich, cultural fabric is made tangible by its diverse architectural structures, vibrant public spaces, and the presence of Denver’s oldest active art district. This walkshop will take participants through the past, present, and future of the area, which is steeped in Latino heritage and today represents a diverse population. We’ll begin with an overview of the neighborhood’s Chicano history and discuss the development of Denver’s 5280 Loop hiking trail. Then, we’ll learn about the vibrant, mixed-income Mariposa District, before ending the tour with a visit to the Santa Fe Streetscape pilot project.
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Mode
Moderate walking, with light rail travel
Leader
Wesley Dismore, Engineer, Transportation Implementation Division, DOTI
Speaker
Gabriella Serrado, Regional Planning Manager, CONSOR Engineering
The Regional Transportation District (RTD) will lead two groups to Union Station: one on the Free Mall Ride and one on foot -- you choose! Once both groups reach Union Station, we will discuss micromobility in Downtown Denver, the history of Union Station, and the ins and outs of transit from one of Denver’s most beloved transit hubs. Take time to learn about the many partners that work in Union Station, including RTD, Amtrak, Bustang, Greyhound, among others, and learn how this hub connects the city, state, and interstate travelers.
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Mode:
Light walking and bus riding.
Leader:
Jyotsna Khattri, RTD Market Development Supervisor
Denver's Community Transportation Networks program has focused on building out multimodal infrastructure in three initial areas of the city, including the neighborhoods immediately south of downtown. Starting with a ride along the signature Cherry Creek Trail, a major bicycling artery, we will explore the South Central Community Transportation Network and its overlap with other bikeway initiatives. See innovative designs and approaches such as the Marion Street bikeway and the Bayaud shared streets, as well as enhancements to bicycling in Washington Park made during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Mode:
E-Bike, moderate; mix of separated bike lanes and on-street bike facilities.
Speaker:
Ashlee Grace, Director, South Platte River and Tributaries Program, DOTI
The 16th Street Mall is simultaneously Denver's backbone, its central Main Street, and a key catalyst for our collective growth. The 16th Street Mall Project is Denver’s plan to revitalize this crucial space by improving safety and mobility, addressing deteriorating infrastructure, and creating more opportunities for people who live, visit, and work in the Mile High City to enjoy the area for years to come. In this walkshop, you’ll learn how the City has engaged community stakeholders, including blind and visually-impaired people, to test and refine a new curbless configuration. We’ll also examine ways the City has worked with local businesses to provide support during the construction process and throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Finally, we’ll discuss Denver’s approach to creating a thriving tree canopy, and check out the future of the mall through VR headsets.
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Mode
Walking; light pace, fully accessible
Leader
Molly Veldkamp, Program Manager, Stakeholder Management & Strategic Communications, DOTI
On this tour, we’ll explore the wide variety of bike infrastructure in the Five Points neighborhood, while learning from the design staff that implemented it and those who advocated for it. We’ll begin in Downtown and ride along several of Denver’s high-comfort bikeways, exploring the use of strategic interventions like the new “Denver Wedge” along Stout Street, intersection protection along the Champa Street bikeway, and Denver’s first speed cushion pilot along the 25th Avenue neighborhood bikeway. We’ll also learn how Denver selects, spaces, and designs speed and traffic diversion treatments along the 25th Avenue, 30th Street, and Lawrence Street neighborhood bikeways.
Click here to see the details of the route and map.
Mode
E-Bike, moderate; mix of separated bike lanes and on-street bike facilities.
Leader
Brett Boncore, Senior Engineer, DOTI
Join Five Points BID Board Member and other Five Points neighborhood leaders as we explore the past, present, and future of the “Harlem of the West.” On this tour participants will ride to the corridor on the Welton Street Streetcar (RTD L Line). From there, the walking tour will visit some of Five Points’ most treasured spaces, like Sonny Lawson Park (the site of Denver’s first Negro League baseball game), music venues that hosted jazz icons such as Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Nat King Cole, and Dinah Washington; the city and RTD efforts to invest in the neighborhood, and the important neighborhood champions who do the same.
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Mode:
Moderate walking and light rail travel.
Speaker:
Haroun Cowans, Five Points BID
Downtown Denver is a sports fan’s dream, and the transformation of the city’s center has been deeply enmeshed with the growth of the city’s four major sports teams. On this tour, learn how the region’s transit system has added new connections to three major sporting venues, from Empower Field and the historic Mile High Stadium grounds, to the rapidly changing Ball Arena district. Finally, finish in Lower Downtown, anchored by the new Union Station and Coors Field, one of the country’s first modern ballparks.
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Mode:
Mix of bus, rail, and moderate walking.
Leader:
Mike King, Denver Department of Transportation & Infrastructure (DOTI)
Colfax Avenue is many things: it’s the longest commercial corridor in America, an iconic street that embodies Denver's history, and one of the primary transit routes for the region. On this tour, we’ll ride the bustling 15 bus from Downtown through Capitol Hill and out to City Park. From there, we’ll travel through Denver's transit history and learn about community engagement and development along Colfax Avenue. We’ll examine plans for bus rapid transit designed to connect Denver's east side neighborhoods, and check out the many transit priority measures that have already been implemented to make transit faster, more reliable, and more comfortable.
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Mode
Bus; Walking, moderate pace, with periodic stops and opportunities to sit.
Leader
David Krutsinger, Transit Director, DOTI
Speakers
Curt Upton, Principal City Planner, Community Planning & Development
Brian Welch, Senior Manager, Planning Technical Services, RTD
Frank Locantore, Executive Director, Colfax Ave Business Improvement District
On this tour, we’ll explore the Westwood Via Verde, a three-mile neighborhood greenway designed to improve water quality, increase tree canopy, and support community empowerment and job creation. The Via Verde is more than a walking and biking route; it’s also a bold vision to connect a network of new and existing green spaces. On this walkshop, we’ll dive into this vision, learning about the neighborhood bikeways, green streets, parks and enhanced alleys that make up the Via Verde and provide spaces for residents of all ages to be active.
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Mode
Walking, intensive, with regular standing and stopping.
Leader
Kayla Gilbert, Senior Program Manager, Health Equity & Community Partnerships, DOTI