City resets West Colorado Avenue trial after removing concrete barriers

City planners removed concrete barriers from the crosswalks on West Colorado Avenue in Colorado Springs, ending the initial phase of a year-long street redesign. The move follows public complaints that the temporary structures blocked visibility for pedestrians and hindered emergency vehicle movement.

The redesign, which began with lane realignment and parking adjustments, included protected crosswalks installed last month. City capital improvements manager Ryan Phipps described the project as an iterative process of testing different configurations. He noted that the city recently modified the initial implementation to determine which elements function effectively in daily use.

The concrete barriers were part of the first crosswalk design. Phipps explained that residents reported the walls, though temporary, obstructed sightlines for shorter pedestrians. The city also scaled back the center pedestrian refuge areas based on input from first responders. Drivers attempting to yield to emergency vehicles sometimes created blockades at these refuges, prompting the city to remove those sections to ensure fire and police have necessary access up and down the avenue.

Phipps characterized the changes as a search for better options rather than corrections of errors. He stated that the test phase remains important for evaluating how the design performs in practice. The latest updates effectively reset this portion of the trial period as planners seek further feedback.

Local businesses along the corridor are monitoring the changes closely. Joe Kliche, manager of Centennial Cuts, a shop selling Colorado beef, noted that the store relies on customer access to its door. The company raises its cattle on a family ranch in Fowler, Colorado, and sells the meat at its single brick-and-mortar location. Kliche said the store’s products attract local shoppers and tourists, making road and parking changes relevant to their operations.

Kliche expressed approval of the center lane for parking, which aids in loading and unloading. However, he said managers had expected additional parking options. He described the stanchions rising in the middle of the street as a little weird, reflecting mixed reactions to the crosswalk modifications among local stakeholders.

The city is now requesting further public input to assess the performance of the new configuration. The trial period continues as planners evaluate the balance between pedestrian safety, driver visibility, and emergency access on West Colorado Avenue.