Increasing RTD frequency just means more empty seats
Re: “Transit advocates push $4.2 billion plan,” March 26 news story
Having been involved in transportation projects most of my architectural career, I have had the opportunity to experience public transportation throughout the world. I believe that makes me qualified to criticize the conclusion that ridership will improve if frequency of service improves.
That is just throwing good money down the drain.
If something does not work, it can’t be solved by doing more of it. Ridership is down because nobody is riding! Ridership doesn’t improve when the length of the trip is so much longer than driving. And because urban sprawl is ubiquitous, it is impossible for bus and rail transit to serve the countless destinations throughout the metro area conveniently.
Transit in Denver worked better when downtown workers were back in the office, but with remote work, there are just not enough employees going downtown. And ridership in the suburbs has never increased because it is impossible to get every trip close to the rider’s final destination.
The other problem is parking costs. Until parking becomes more difficult and more costly, transit will be viewed as the last choice.
Lastly, transit is perceived to be unsafe. Whether this is perception or reality, RTD must improve its reputation as a safe alternative. COVID-19 did not help because the public became adverse to crowded spaces, and transit has not overcome this problem.
The bottom line is that ridership won’t improve simply by increasing frequency. If nobody is riding, having more frequent empty buses is not solving anything.
Richard von Luhrte, Denver
Don’t eliminate developers’ parking requirements
As a citizen advocating for livable streets, I am concerned that Denver is rushing to eliminate minimum parking requirements citywide. The city’s so-called “Modernizing Parking Requirements” plan is framed as a win for affordability and sustainability, but the fine print tells a different story.
The city’s background report relies heavily on selective data and glowing anecdotes from other cities while overlooking the real community impacts, including overflow parking in neighborhoods, reduced accessibility for working families and seniors, and the potential for developer abuse. It assumes that developers will “do the right thing” without parking mandates. But when was the last time that happened without strong community protections?
This change applies even in areas with little or no reliable transit — yet the city dismisses concerns about car-dependent households. Meanwhile, the plan leans on “market-based” solutions, putting profits over people.
I’m not against growth. I support smart, balanced development. But that must include safeguards to ensure residents aren’t left circling the block for parking — or left behind entirely.
Let’s build a Denver that works for everyone. Don’t eliminate minimum parking requirements solely to make life easier for developers.
David Scarbeary, Denver
People who want to leave the U.S. have a reason
Re: “Fleeing politics: The irony of moving abroad,” March 23 letter to the editor
I was gobsmacked at the bizarre assumptions of the letter writer who thought a woman leaving the United States for political reasons was simply intolerant of diverse opinions. Sir, leaving the U.S. at this point isn’t about uncomfortable dinner parties. The Trump administration is flagrantly defying Constitutional order in countless directions, rounding up citizens for protected speech, ignoring court orders, dismantling veterans services, establishing political alignment within the armed forces, pardoning Jan. 6 rioters, politicizing “justice” writ large, and the list goes on.
Many of these moves are reminiscent of those of Hitler, and I do not use that comparison lightly.
For those of us who read widely, it is hard not to ask ourselves how bad it might get here in terms of political violence and war. I’m sorry, sir, but this isn’t about political conversations. It’s about the future of our families and lives. If you’re not worried, you’re not paying attention.
Abby Person, Denver
Restore the Voice of America
Re: “The Voice of America has fallen silent; our enemies are cheering International broadcasts, March 23 commentary
It is absolutely essential that the Voice of America get turned back on as soon as possible. There are 200 million regular listeners. Restore the jobs of the people who make it possible. It is who we are. More than any other changes or cuts President Donald Trump has made, this is absolutely the worst one. I can see why we need to pay off our $36 trillion debt but this is more important than almost any other cuts that have happened. It breaks my heart. Please restore it.
Dea Coschignano, Wheat Ridge
Missing bipartisanship in politics
Re: “Senator embraced a bipartisan spirit we need now,” March 23 commentary
It was so refreshing to read David Hiller’s column on Wyoming Sen. Alan K. Simpson. It reflected on what America used to stand for and how far away from that we have come today.
I think back to when I was growing up, and yes, we had two parties. I didn’t really understand what they stood for, but I do not remember hearing the toxic dialogue I hear now. I might have even been a Republican because my parents were Republicans.
Then came Watergate and I remember fighting with my father about what President Richard Nixon had done while in office. Then there were the tapes we finally got to hear. I became a Democrat but still did not feel the rancor I am seeing and hearing today.
I looked at the picture of Sen. Simpson and his colleagues standing next to President Bill Clinton and that made me feel good. Flash forward to today, and I can’t even imagine a photo like that of Republicans and Democrats standing next to each other. Therein lies the problem, and I long for the good old days. I hope we get there again, but I know it won’t happen as long as Donald Trump and Elon Musk are running the country and the Republican Party.
David Shaw, Highlands Ranch
Native American genocide should be taught in schools
Re: “U.S. government’s genocide against Native Americans should be taught in schools,” March 23 commentary
I wholeheartedly support the correction of the inexplicable oversight that omitted any reference to Native Americans from the Holocaust and Genocide Studies in Public Schools Bill.
As Chief Phillip Whiteman Jr. eloquently explained, our state’s history includes the government’s perpetration of numerous instances of extreme violence, dispossession, and injustice against Native people, most infamously in the Sand Creek Massacre. It is tragic to think that this history may be unknown to or denied by some because they simply have not been exposed to accurate information about it.
I hope that our legislature will help remedy this lack of knowledge by passing Senate Bill 123 on Genocide against Native Americans, an amendment to the earlier law. I applaud Sen. Julie Gonzales for consulting with Indigenous descendants of genocide and tribal representatives and introducing this amendment, particularly as we move into a destructive and self-defeating period of erasure of acknowledgment of any dark or shameful episodes in U.S. history. I hope other Coloradans will support this amendment, too.
Laura Harper, Denver
We should not be afraid to speak the truth about our genocide against Native Americans. We did it. We can all learn from it. Speaking the truth sets us free.
David L Stevenson, Denver
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