DENVER -- Business improvement districts along Colfax are teaming up in hopes of getting the City of Denver to invest $500,000.
If city council agrees, the money would be added to the Denver's 2017 budget to improve pedestrian safety and infrastructure. An online petition with more than 1,5000 signatures was also launched to support a safer Colfax.
"Colfax has its own sort of history and...coolness, and some people want it to be left behind. But when it comes to safety, we can't leave it behind," said Steven Alix, who owns two businesses along Colfax.
Four business improvement districts teamed up to form the Colfax Collaborative, including West Colfax, Bluebird, Colfax and Colfax Mayfair. The group is lobbying the council and mayor for the added funds.
The money would go toward design plans. Once plans are finalized, Dan Shah, the Executive Director for the West Colfax Business Improvement District, says it would be the first step toward applying for a bond to begin construction.
"This is a good example: there’s no on-street parking here, the traffic is so close to where I am as a pedestrian, the crossing is hazardous to take on, there isn’t that much time to cross," said Shah.
Some of the improvements would include better sidewalks, curbs and streetscaping.