Sidewalk Implementation Plan

Phase 1 of the Sidewalk Implementation Plan, which lasted from January to March 2026, documented the state of Denver’s sidewalk network, resulting in the State of the System Report. This report outlines the evolution of how Denver invests in sidewalks and the current state of Denver sidewalks.

Throughout Phase 1, DOTI gathered input about the community’s priorities for sidewalk construction and repair through in-person engagements and an online survey. The image below highlights Phase 1 outreach by the numbers.

Phase 1 in-person and virtual community outreach included:

• 13 in-person events with 282 attendees
• 8 events in priority areas for transportation equity
• 21 stakeholder or public meetings with 110 attendees
• 11 City Council briefings
• 1,859 accepted calls for the Telephone Town Hall

Phase 1 digital outreach included:

• 4 email newsletters
• 10 social media posts
• 8 NextDoor posts

The community’s interest during Phase 1 resulted in:

• 3,000+ visits to the State of the System data dashboard
• 7,000+ visits to the State of the System Report
• 1,263 survey respondents

Survey Priorities and Key Takeaways

The online survey was open from Jan. 14 to March 23, 2026, and was available in English, Spanish, Vietnamese and Amharic. There were 1,263 total responses, with 34 of those being from pop-up events.  

Respondents were asked which priorities for sidewalk buildout identified in previous citywide planning efforts, Denver Moves: Pedestrians & Trails and Denver Moves Everyone, were still a priority, with 5 being extremely important and 1 being not important. Based on the responses, on average Denverites still consider all elements key priorities, with safety as the most important. Comments revealed a variety of perspectives on sidewalk safety including the condition of sidewalks, pedestrian crossings, and the speed and volume of vehicles on the adjacent street. 

Respondents of the survey were asked to rank previously identified priorities for sidewalk buildout, with 5 being extremely important and 1 being not important. The numbers above each icon indicate the average ranking out of 5. 

The top priorities by average ranking were:

1. Safety – 4.35 average ranking
2. Community Destination – 4.17 average ranking
3. Transit – 3.88 average ranking
4. Areas of Need – 3.82 average ranking

In addition, the following themes represent common comments raised by Denverites in response to open-ended survey questions and in conversations with the project team: 

• Divided opinions on which type of sidewalk needs to address first, repair, missing, or widening existing substandard sidewalks. 
• Safety as a major issue residents want to address, though defined in a variety of ways, including as trip hazards, unsafe crossings, lack of sidewalks, and sidewalks along high-volume arterials. 
• Concerns about independence and mobility, especially for elderly and disabled sidewalk users. 
• Eagerness to see sidewalk repair and construction happen quickly. 
• Concern about possible impacts to the tree canopy, flagstone sidewalks, and other elements in or adjacent to the public right of way such as irrigation and fences. 

DOTI gathered community input on how and where to prioritize the build out of the sidewalk network through an online survey and in-person engagements across Denver. The graphic below outlines Phase 2 public outreach results by the numbers.

Phase 2 in-person and virtual community outreach included:

• 11 in-person events with 365 attendees
• 10 stakeholder or public meetings with 199 attendees
• 9 City Council briefings
• 7 events in priority areas for transportation equity

In total, 77 Denver neighborhoods were engaged through the survey and in-person events. Phase 2 digital outreach included:

• 3 email newsletters
• 14 social media posts
• 5 NextDoor posts

The community’s interest during Phase 2 resulted in:

• 875+ visits to the Sidewalk Implementation Plan website

• 1,100+ visits to the Charting the Path Forward report
• 1,567 survey respondents

Survey Results and Key Takeaways

The online survey was open from June 3 to July 31, 2026, and was available in English, Spanish, Vietnamese and Amharic. There were 1,567 total responses, with 128 of those being from pop-up events, surpassing the number of responses received in the first phase of outreach.

The survey asked respondents to identify their preferences for how DOTI will begin approaching sidewalk improvements across Denver. Results revealed:

• Respondents equally prefer new and widened sidewalks and sidewalk repairs.
• Respondents prefer sidewalk improvements in high-priority areas.
• Respondents prefer sidewalk improvements on arterial streets.

Specific results from the survey included:

New & Widened Sidewalks vs. Sidewalk Repairs

• 39% prioritized existing repair
• 38% prioritized building new sidewalks and widening current ones
• 23% said both should be prioritized equally

High-Priority Areas vs. Fast-Paced Delivery

• 75% prioritized High Priority Areas
• 25% prioritized fast pace of delivery

Priorities by Types of Streets

• 64% prioritized arterial streets and areas of high stress for pedestrians
• 36% prioritized local and collector streets in neighborhoods

Additional themes were communicated to the project team through an open-ended survey question and conversations at in-person events throughout the outreach phase. Common topics raised by Denverites included:

• Preservation of mature trees, landscaping and properties, including the desire to widen sidewalks with deficient width into the street where possible.
• Prioritizing sidewalk improvements that connect people to transit and other community destinations.
• Frustration with the sidewalk fee, especially from folks who have already repaired the sidewalks outside their properties.
• Addressing cracks, upheaval, uneven surfaces and immediate trip hazards.