City removes West Avenue barriers

Drivers and pedestrians on West Colorado Avenue in Colorado Springs face a modified street layout as the city removed concrete barriers and reduced the size of center pedestrian refuge areas. These changes mark a reset in the year-long redesign trial that began last month with protected crosswalks.

Ryan Phipps, the city's capital improvements manager, stated that the initial concrete barriers blocked sightlines, particularly for shorter pedestrians. He noted that the solid walls of concrete created visibility issues that residents and visitors reported to city staff. The barriers were part of the first phase of the crosswalk design but have now been taken out.

First responders provided input that led to the scaling back of the center pedestrian refuge areas. Phipps explained that drivers attempting to pull over for emergency vehicles sometimes created blockades at these refuges. The city removed those specific sections to ensure fire and police units maintain clear access up and down the avenue.

Phipps described the current phase as an ongoing process of testing and adjustment rather than a correction of errors. He said the city is evaluating what works and what does not in practice. "It's all just kind of tweaking and balancing," Phipps said, emphasizing the importance of the test phase for observing design performance.

Local businesses are monitoring the alterations closely. Joe Kliche, manager of Centennial Cuts, a shop selling Colorado beef, noted that the store relies on customers reaching its door. The business sells beef from a family ranch in Fowler, Colorado, which is now in its third generation. Kliche said the store serves both local shoppers and tourists from its single brick-and-mortar location.

Kliche expressed mixed feelings about the updates. He appreciated the center lane for parking, which aids in loading and unloading goods. However, managers had anticipated more additional parking space. He described the stanchions rising in the middle of the street as "a little weird." City planners are now soliciting further feedback to determine if the revised design meets its goals.