Denver’s e-bike voucher program that helps citizens pay for e-bikes, a component of the city’s carbon reduction plan, has proven extremely popular with residents.
Earlier this year, Denver’s effort to get residents to swap some motor vehicle trips for bike trips ran out of vouchers in less than 10 minutes after the program opened to online applications. In its third year, the program is generating impressive momentum to spur more adoption of bicycle transportation. The city estimates that the subsidies are helping to eliminate 170,000 vehicle miles traveled per week.
A key to this growth has been considerable investment in bike infrastructure. Over the past five years, the city added 137 miles of “high-comfort” bike lanes.
This year, it launched the Denver Mobility Incentive Program that includes grants to nonprofits and other organizations to install bike storage lockers, places to plug in, and e-bike libraries so that residents can borrow bikes at no cost. If rolled out nationwide, efforts to convert car trips to bike trips could yield significant carbon emissions reductions, according to Rocky Mountain Institute.
If the country’s 10 most populous cities shifted a quarter of all short vehicle trips to e-bike rides, they could save 4.2 million barrels of oil and 1.8 million metric tons of CO2 in one year, RMI says.
Related Stories
Urban Planning | Oct 30, 2024
Bridging the gap: How early architect involvement can revolutionize a city’s capital improvement plans
Capital Improvement Plans (CIPs) typically span three to five years and outline future city projects and their costs. While they set the stage, the design and construction of these projects often extend beyond the CIP window, leading to a disconnect between the initial budget and evolving project scope. This can result in financial shortfalls, forcing cities to cut back on critical project features.
Designers | Sep 20, 2024
The growing moral responsibility of designing for shade
Elliot Glassman, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP BD+C, CPHD, Building Performance Leader, CannonDesign, makes the argument for architects to consider better shade solutions through these four strategies.
Multifamily Housing | Aug 21, 2024
Nation's leading multifamily developer expands into infrastructure
Greystar's strategy for infrastructure is driven by the shifting landscape of today's cities—primarily in the increased digitization, urbanization, and transitions to clean energy.
Urban Planning | Aug 15, 2024
New York City begins first large-scale porous pavement installation
New York City is installing its first large-scale porous pavement installation along seven miles of roadway in Brooklyn. The project will keep 35 million gallons of stormwater out of the combined sewer system each year, according to a news release.
Urban Planning | Aug 15, 2024
The magic of L.A.’s Melrose Mile
Great streets are generally not initially curated or willed into being. Rather, they emerge organically from unintentional synergies of commercial, business, cultural and economic drivers. L.A.’s Melrose Avenue is a prime example.
MFPRO+ News | Jul 22, 2024
6 multifamily WAFX 2024 Prize winners
Over 30 projects tackling global challenges such as climate change, public health, and social inequality have been named winners of the World Architecture Festival’s WAFX Awards.
Urban Planning | Jun 10, 2024
N.Y. governor halts Manhattan traffic congestion pricing plan
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul says she is indefinitely delaying the implementation of congestion pricing in Manhattan just weeks before the plan was to take effect. The controversial plan would have had drivers pay $15 to enter Manhattan south of 60th street.
Urban Planning | May 28, 2024
‘Flowing’ design emphasizes interaction at Bellevue, Wash., development
The three-tower 1,030,000-sf office and retail development designed by Graphite Design Group in collaboration with Compton Design Office for Vulcan Real Estate is attracting some of the world’s largest names in tech and hospitality.
Mixed-Use | May 22, 2024
Multifamily properties above ground-floor grocers continue to see positive rental premiums
Optimizing land usage is becoming an even bigger priority for developers. In some city centers, many large grocery stores sprawl across valuable land.
Sustainable Development | May 10, 2024
Nature as the city: Why it’s time for a new framework to guide development
NBBJ leaders Jonathan Ward and Margaret Montgomery explore five inspirational ideas they are actively integrating into projects to ensure more healthy, natural cities.
