DENVER ANNOUNCES BICYCLE PLAN FOR DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION AT INVESCO FIELD AT MILE HIGH
August 25, 2008
Mayor Hickenlooper encourages credentialed attendees to ride bicycles to
Barack Obama’s acceptance speech and creates a self-park bicycle depot at City’s Rude Park
As part of the City of Denver’s continued commitment to bicycling and the environment, Bike Denver and Bicycle Colorado in partnership with the City of Denver have created a bicycle access and parking plan for credentialed attendees, vendors, staff, and volunteers attending the 2008 Democratic National Convention at INVESCO Field at Mile High on Thursday, August 28, 2008.
Over the past several weeks, a coalition of bicycle advocacy groups, public agencies and Convention organizers have developed a plan for a self-park/self-lock bicycle depot at Denver’s Rude Park, immediately south of INVESCO Field at Mile High. The bicycle depot will be staffed with local biking enthusiasts who have volunteered to assist riders as they place and lock their bikes in several areas of Rude Park. The facility will be open beginning at 11:00 am MT on Thursday, August 28th.
“For the many avid and recreational bicyclists in the greater Denver area and throughout Colorado, as well the many visitors to Denver during the Democratic National Convention, biking will be one of the best ways to get around while also seeing the City’s amazing sites and experiencing our diverse terrain during this historic event,” said Michael Guiietz, development director of Bicycle Colorado.
Bike riders will be provided with one of the closest points of entry to INVESCO Field at Mile High for the event.
“This is a great addition to our plans for moving people to and from the Convention - both at the Pepsi Center and now, at INVESCO Field at Mile High,” said Mike Dino, executive director of the Denver 2008 Convention Host Committee. “This plan will provide riders with multiple safe and convenient routes in and out of Rude Park.”
Following the conclusion of Barack Obama’s address to the nation and the Convention’s closing gavel, riders are asked to return to claim their bikes immediately. The Rude Park facility will close precisely at 11:00 p.m.
“As it will throughout the entire 2008 Democratic National Convention, bicycling provides an environmentally friendly mode of transportation and one of the most convenient ways to arrive and depart INVESCO Field at Mile High for Senator Obama’s speech,” said Mayor Hickenlooper.
A comprehensive transportation map for Invesco/Mile High for Thursday is posted online at http://www.denvergov.org/Portals/0/documents/comprehensive_invesco_trans_planE6_120dpi.pdf.
While delegates will be bused to Invesco Field at Mile High, City officials encourage the remaining ticket holders to use public transit, walk, bike or carpool to the event. It is important to note that if you choose to park on the neighborhood streets surrounding Invesco Field at Mile High, the standard parking enforcement used during weekday special events will be in effect. Only vehicles with the appropriate residential permits will be able to park on the surrounding neighborhood streets. In addition to bicycling to Rude Park, the following multi-modal options for ticket holders to get to Invesco Field at Mile High are also available:
1) Light Rail
All light rail service will be available on Thursday, August 28, 2008 to the Invesco Field Station. The Pepsi Center Station will remain closed. Routes “C” from the southwest corridor and “E” from the southeast corridor stop at the Invesco Field Station. Individuals parking downtown can take light rail from Denver Union Station to the Invesco Field Station. Individuals wishing to be dropped off are encouraged to do so at a light rail station, enabling them to take light rail to the Invesco Field Station. All light rail vehicles and stations are accessible for the disabled. The Convention Host Committee and the DNCC will have staff and volunteers available to assist attendees.
2) Downtown Route Shuttle
RTD shuttles will operate from 22nd and Blake via Broadway and 8th Avenue to Invesco Field at Mile High from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. providing shuttle service for people parking downtown. Public parking lot locations and rates may be found on the Downtown Denver Partnership website: www.downtowndenver.com The last shuttles will leave from 22nd and Blake at 2 p.m. These shuttles will stop at all existing bus stops along the route and will be available to return attendees to the same downtown stops following the event. All shuttles will be accessible for people with disabilities. RTD will continue providing other normally scheduled weekday bus service throughout Denver during this time. Only individuals displaying DNC credentials for Thursday, August 28th may ride this designated shuttle service. The Convention Host Committee and the DNCC will have staff and volunteers available to assist attendees.
3) Coors Field Shuttle
Parking will be available for $5 per vehicle in Coors Field lots A, B and C, located northeast of Park Avenue and Wazee Street. From 11 a.m. until 2 p.m., a free shuttle service will be available to transport people non-stop from the Coors Field lots to 5th and Walnut, where they can walk across the Broncos Bridge to Invesco Field at Mile High. Shuttles from Coors Field will be available for people with disabilities. Only individuals displaying DNC credentials for Thursday, August 28th may ride this designated shuttle service. The Convention Host Committee and the DNCC will have staff and volunteers available to assist attendees.
4) Pedestrian Route
A pedestrian route – designated with visible signage and staffed with volunteer guides – will be available from the 16th Street Mall and Larimer Street. Signs will be placed along Larimer Street and continue through the Auraria Campus to Invesco Field at Mile High.
5) Auraria High Education Center Campus
For $20, parking spaces will be available on a first-come, first-served basis on the Auraria campus in the vicinity of 7th St. and Walnut. Convention attendees arriving early will be able to park at Auraria lots and walk to Invesco Field at Mile High.
6) Going Home from the Event
The same shuttle and light rail services will be available at the conclusion of the event from the same drop-off points. In addition, those wishing to take a taxi cab home will be able to catch one along Federal Blvd. on the west side of Invesco Field or at a designated taxi queue along 7th Street beginning at Walnut. Pedicabs will also be available on Walnut Street between 5th St. and 7th Street. The pedestrian route back to downtown destinations will also be available. Bike riders using the Rude Park bike parking facility are asked to return to claim their bikes immediately following the conclusion of the Convention’s closing gavel as the Rude Park facility will close precisely at 11:00 p.m.
Helpful Websites:
www.denvergov.com
www.demconvention.com
www.denverconvention2008.com
www.rtd-denver.com
www.bicyclecolorado.com
www.bikedenver.org