West Avenue Crosswalks Rebuilt for Better Visibility

City planners in Colorado Springs removed concrete barriers from the crosswalks on West Colorado Avenue, ending a specific phase of a year-long street redesign. The changes follow a month of public feedback regarding the initial layout, which included lane realignment, parking adjustments, and new pedestrian infrastructure.

Ryan Phipps, the city's capital improvements manager, described the recent removals as part of an iterative testing process. "Recently we made some adjustments to what we had initially implemented, and this is just that ongoing iterative process of testing what's working, what's not working as well as was originally anticipated," Phipps said.

The concrete barriers, which formed solid walls at the first crosswalk design, were taken out because they blocked sightlines. Phipps noted that residents, particularly shorter pedestrians, complained that the temporary structures made it difficult to see oncoming traffic. This feedback prompted the city to dismantle the walls to restore visibility for those crossing the street.

First responders also influenced the design changes by asking for reduced center pedestrian refuge areas. Phipps explained that drivers attempting to pull over for emergency vehicles occasionally created blockages at these refuges. To address this, the city scaled back those sections to ensure fire and police units had clear access up and down the avenue.

Local businesses along the corridor are monitoring the adjustments. Joe Kliche, manager of Centennial Cuts, a brick-and-mortar shop selling Colorado beef raised on a family ranch in Fowler, said the store relies on easy customer access. While Kliche appreciates the center lane for loading and unloading, he noted that the stanchions in the middle of the street looked "a little weird."

The city views these updates as a reset of the trial period rather than a final fix. Planners are currently seeking further feedback to determine if the new configuration effectively balances pedestrian safety with vehicle flow and emergency access.

The project includes protected crosswalks installed last month, which have already undergone modifications. The current state of the street reflects a balance between initial plans and the practical needs expressed by the public and local businesses.