Good news from our Denver Public Works Department: Cherokee and Delaware streets in Downtown’s Golden Triangle district will be converted from one-way to two-way streets.

While one-way streets can make driving around easier for motorists, they also encourage higher driving speeds and generally make the environment less appealing for pedestrians and bicyclists. Since we’re focused on making urban Denver as friendly to peds and bikes as we can, this is a good thing. I look forward to more one-way street conversions (where it makes sense) in the future.

Here’s the official press release from the city:

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One-Way Delaware and Cherokee Streets To Become Two-Way Streets 

DENVER, CO ­— November 28, 2011

Starting November 28th, Denver Public Works will begin converting Delaware Street between 13th Avenue and 11th Avenue from a one-way southbound street to a two-way roadway.  The conversion of Cherokee Street between Speer Boulevard and 13th Avenue will begin the week of December 5th.

The conversions are expected to be complete by December 7, however the schedules are weather dependent and may change due to any adverse weather conditions. No work will be conducted from December 1st thru the 4th to ensure there are not conflicts with the Parade of Lights activities.

In order to install the new travel lanes on Delaware and Cherokee Streetstemporary parking restrictions will be in effect, beginning Monday, November 28th.  These restrictions will allow crews to turn all the parking signage to orient towards the new direction of traffic. There will be a lane closure in place for a few days to allow the work to be completed.  No parking restrictions will be in place from December 1st thru the 4th.

Our staff has been working with Councilwoman Jeanne Robb and the Golden Triangle Neighborhood Association over the past three years regarding the Denver Justice Center and related traffic impacts. The Golden Triangle Neighborhood Association, with the support of Councilwoman Robb, requested that Delaware Street from 11th Avenue to 13th Avenue, and Cherokee Street from 10th Avenue to 13th Avenue, be converted to two-way traffic to help mitigate anticipated traffic impacts from the new Denver Justice Center. The daily volume of traffic on both Cherokee and Delaware is below 5,000 vehicles per day, which can be accommodated with a two-way street design.