Letter Concerning Changes Proposed for 16th Street Mall

On September 5, 2019, The President of NFBCO sent a letter to Denver Mayor, Michael Hancock. President, Scott LaBarre, writing on behalf of our affiliate thoroughly and accurately expressed our concerns about planned changes on the pedestrian mall. Scott explained the inherent safety risks and usability issues that would result from many of the current planned changes. As we understand them.

On the date of October 2^nd, we received the following response from the Mayor. We think the letter was gracious, clear, and informative. Here is the text of the letter.

October 2, 2019

Dear Mr. LaBarre:

Thank you for your recent letter regarding potential impacts of the 16th Street Mall project to the visually impaired community. Your comments are important to us.  Please know that our first priority for this project is to create a safe and accessible environment for all. 

As you may know, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is currently reviewing an Environmental Assessment (EA) of the 16th Street Mall to evaluate proposed improvements.  The EA is a component of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), which requires the City to assess, prior to making final decisions, the potential environmental and related social and economic impacts of a proposed project.

The EA was published in April for a 30-day public review period. A copy of the document is available on The Mall Experience website (https://www.denvergov.org/content/denvergov/en/community-planningand-development/planning-and-design/plans-in-progress/the-mall-experience.html). The EA includes commitments to coordinate with the disabled community during all project phases.

As part of our outreach efforts associated with the EA for the 16th Street Mall, we held meetings with a variety of organizations representing people with disabilities, including a meeting with the National Federation of the Blind of Colorado on February 20, 2019. The goal of these meetings was to better understand the accessibility needs for different communities in order to best inform the design moving forward.  Based on these conversations, we are considering the following improvements: 

• Physical elements to be constructed on the Mall, such as tactile markings that offer landmarks and guidance for feet, guides and guard dogs;
• Directional signing with words, braille, and/or graphics; and
•  Consideration of materials and methods to reduce icing on the curb ramps.

We continue to engage with community members to learn more about the limited curb “hybrid” option and get a full understanding of the design option and delineation measures.  Your organization has been invited to a meeting scheduled with the disabled community on Tuesday, October 8th from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Webb Building (201 W. Colfax Ave) in Room 1.B.6. Representatives from my office will be in attendance. For questions, please contact Brian Pinkerton at brian.pinkerton@denvergov.org or 720865-2524.

There will be opportunities for future engagement throughout the duration of the 16th Street Mall project. We appreciate and look forward to your participation. Thank you again for your time and input. 

Respectfully,
Michael B. Hancock Mayor