The city of Lakewood built its first separated bike lanes in late June as part of a larger summer installation project that officials said would increase safety and sustainability on roadways.

Construction for the bike lanes is already completed on Denver West Parkway, Harlan Street, and the first part of Garrison Street, according to Lakewood Together, the city’s community engagement portal.

The work on the second section of Garrison Street is set to begin in early August, the city said.

Construction of bike lanes has been both welcomed and criticized in metro Denver. Supporters insist that they make roads safer for cyclists, while also cutting down emissions. Critics counter that they increase car-bike collisions, while in some instances also reducing lanes for motor vehicles.

The aesthetics of the bike lanes also come into play. The debate often gets heated — and sometimes wrapped in ideological terms over the pros and cons of transitioning away from fossil-fired energy.   

In Lakewood, project managers chose the locations by looking at the busiest roads with bike routes and determining which ones could have long stretches of separated bike lanes installed without the need for costly road widening or major alterations, said Jenny Gritton, Lakewood’s active transportation coordinator.

The project will cost the city $350,000, which comes from a special budget approved by the City Council last fall, according to Gritton.

Over the next few months, the city plans to gather feedback and statistics on bikability and crash analysis, and it also plans to update a bicycle facility map, officials said. 

“By upgrading to separated bike lanes, we’re not only enhancing safety and comfort for bicyclists but also aligning with our 2015 Sustainability Plan’s goal to foster sustainable transportation choices,” Gritton told the Denver Gazette via email.

The new bike lanes feature a 1-to-3-foot buffer zone for bicyclists, plastic curbing, and posts that keep vehicles out of the buffer zone.

The lanes visually narrow the roadway and provide more space for bicyclists, which Gritton said would reduce vehicle speeds and offer more safety. 

Community members have shared some complaints on the city’s website about poor compliance with the new bike lanes, saying that that delivery trucks, garbage cans, and landscaping vehicles regularly block the bike lanes.

Others raised worries about the aesthetic of the bike lanes, calling the posts and plastic curbs “garish” and “unsightly.”

In response, Gritton said the goal is to improve safety and that the bike lane design is still quite new. The city will enforce compliance after proper warnings and notices are distributed, Gritton said. 

“We hope the separated bike lanes will invite more Lakewood residents to leave their personal vehicles at home and ride a bicycle to their destination instead! More people on bicycles and fewer people in cars means better air quality, less traffic, and a happier and more connected community,” Gritton said.

More information and updates on the bicycle plan can be found on Lakewood Together’s website, and there is also a page to ask questions about the project.