Phipps confirms West Colorado Avenue barriers are out

Concrete barriers that lined the crosswalks on West Colorado Avenue in Colorado Springs are gone. City staff dismantled the structures this week after a year of public testing revealed that the walls blocked views for pedestrians and complicated emergency vehicle access.

The removal marks a shift in the city’s one-year trial of street redesigns on the corridor. The project included lane shifts, parking changes, and new pedestrian zones. When protected crosswalks were installed last month, the concrete barriers were a central feature. That design has since been altered based on direct feedback from the public.

Ryan Phipps, the city’s capital improvements manager, explained that the barriers formed a solid wall that blocked sightlines, especially for shorter pedestrians. First responders also reported issues. Drivers attempting to yield to emergency vehicles sometimes created blockages in the center pedestrian refuge areas. Phipps said the city removed those sections to ensure fire and police units could move freely up and down Colorado Avenue.

Phipps characterized the changes as a standard part of the testing process rather than a correction of errors. He stated that the team is constantly tweaking and balancing the design to see what works in practice. The goal is to find the best option for drivers and walkers on the busy route.

Local businesses are monitoring the changes closely. Joe Kliche, manager of Centennial Cuts, a shop selling Colorado beef, noted that the store relies on easy access for customers. Kliche said the store’s cattle are raised on a family ranch in Fowler, Colorado, and the shop is the company’s only brick-and-mortar location. He expressed support for the center lane parking, which aids in loading and unloading, but noted that expectations for additional parking were higher.

Kliche described the stanchions in the middle of the street as a little weird. Reactions from other business owners have been mixed as they adjust to the new layout. The city planners are now treating the latest updates as a reset for the trial period. They are asking for further feedback to determine if the new configuration meets the needs of the community.