Traffic Light Update: 56th Ave. & Dallas St.
In recent weeks there has been growing concern among residents of the North End neighborhood regarding the stoplight at the intersection of Dallas Street and 56th Avenue, for as many of you know all too well, it is very difficult to turn left and head North into the burgeoning community.
Q. What has been done thus far?
My Central Park MCA colleague, Shalise Hudley-Harris, who represents District 10, Beeler Park, and who serves on the MCA’s Executive Board, which solicits feedback from the community’s 11 district representatives, myself included, when making decisions on behalf of all residents, has been working on this spirited issue for months.
Q. What was the result of this effort?
At Shalise’s request, a traffic study was completed a couple months ago, and based on the results of that official inquiry, which looks for a high number of accidents, the timing of the light will not change at this time. This official decision by the City of Denver is due, in part, to the proximity of the traffic light to schools, for there is a desired traffic flow around educational facilities, and the light's timing is favorable to them, if not to the neighborhood’s myriad residents.
Q. What more can be said about the ruling?
As Shalise noted recently in a Facebook thread, this issue is not due to a lack of time or money, but is due to a lack of serious crashes at the intersection, sight distance, and other determining conditions, including but not limited to the number of traffic lanes flowing in each direction.
Q. What was the official response from the City of Denver?
Below is the official response to Shalise’s formal inquiry, wherein she requested a flashing yellow arrow like the one found at the corner of Galena Street and 56th Avenue, located a short distance to the East of the intersection in question:
DOTI-Q-3: “Can the left turn at 56th Ave and Dallas St (in addition to other intersections on 56th Ave) be changed to allow flashing yellow arrows where I can turn while yielding to oncoming traffic?”
A-3: “When determining how a left turn should operate, DOTI staff considers crash history, sight distance, and other site conditions to evaluate the best operation for each intersection. When evaluating an intersection such as 56th and Dallas, where there are 3 lanes of opposing traffic, in addition to a shared use path that is part of a safe route to the nearby school, Denver has determined that it would be safest to only allow left turns when there is a green arrow.”
Q. What more can North End neighbors, such as yourself, do to make a change?
Ultimately, if you are concerned about this traffic signal and the danger is poses to the community, as many people regularly run the red light, imperiling themselves and others in the process, please contact Denver 311.
To speak with a City representative, you can contact 311 by dialing 3-1-1 within Denver, which is to say if you have a 720 area code on your home or cell phone, or if you are outside of Denver, if your area code begins with any other number, call 720-913-1311.
Dallas & 56th
The light in question lies at the intersection of Dallas Street and 56th Avenue.