November 2016 Partner Spotlight of the Month: Northeast Transportation Connections
The Urban Land Conservancy celebrates the achievements of its partnerships that create and preserve nonprofit facilities and affordable housing for communities in metro Denver. ULC’s Monthly Partner Spotlight is awarded to partners who demonstrate the value of collaboration, furthering our mission to improve the lives of Metro Denver residents through our real estate investments and community assets.
Congratulations to our November 2016 Partner Spotlight of the Month: Northeast Transportation Connections!
Residents of Denver all seem to agree on one thing: traffic throughout the metro area has grown increasingly worse year by year, and seems to be at a perpetual standstill. Reports indicate that traffic congestion has increased significantly in recent years, and this article from the Denver Post states that today’s traffic will be nothing compared to what the city will face 25 years from now. That is why it is critical for the health and sustainability of Denver to be proactive in finding solutions. And thanks to Northeast Transportation Connections, whose mission is to reduce the number of single-occupant cars on the road, progress is being made.
Founded in 2002 with a mission to increase neighborhood sustainability, reduce pollution and encourage healthy living, Northeast Transportation Connections (NETC) has remained dedicated towards the promotion of alternative forms of transportation. In order to decrease the number of single-occupant cars throughout metro Denver, NETC focuses their energy on increasing biking, transit use, walking and carpool alternatives. Angie Rivera-Malpiede is the Director of NETC, and says the organization strives to teach residents about the importance of multi-modalism. This is the idea of combining multiple forms of transportation to reach a destination. Think, biking to the bus stop a mile from home and then taking the bus to work the rest of the way, versus biking the entire nine miles to work.
“We want to teach people how to maneuver their own neighborhoods,” Malpiede explained.
In order to teach residents about using alternate modes of transportation, NETC focuses on helping people change their habits. While this seems simple enough, convincing someone to increase their daily commute by 30 minutes when they are accustomed to a ten minute drive can prove difficult. One key method is by providing group trips via walking, biking or taking transit. These trips are always free, and help residents ease into the notion of using alternative options. Eric Herbst, a member of the NETC team, explained these trips help residents overcome barriers that prevent them from biking, walking or using transit. The trips offer tips for rules of the road when biking, how to use a bus pass and how to navigate transit throughout the metro area.
Today, as NETC continues to promote the benefits of walking, biking and transit use, they are also partnering with ULC and Platte Forum on a new art, heritage and culture trail in Northeast Denver called 303 ArtWay. The proposed nine mile pedestrian and bike friendly loop will be an art-themed urban trail starting at the 40th and Colorado commuter rail stop on the University of Colorado A Line, and will run through the Greater Park Hill neighborhood as well as the adjacent Elyria/Swansea, Clayton, Cole and City Park neighborhoods. The trail will eventually recognize the visionaries, artists, leaders and community activists whose lives made a positive impact and define the multi-cultural legacy of the surrounding neighborhoods.
Tony Pickett, ULC’s VP of Master Site Development and the original visionary behind the ArtWay concept explains, “ULC is incredibly fortunate to have NETC as a partner in the planning of the 303 ArtWay and their work in engaging the community by increasing awareness and promoting excitement around the unique potential of the proposed urban trail, they have been essential in making this concept a reality for the residents of NE Denver and connecting people to a place with events such as the 303 ArtWay Affinity Festival.
While NETC has celebrated progress over the past 15 years, these successes have not come without challenges. Malpiede said that her team is constantly looking at new and innovative ways to help people get outside of their comfort zone. Time presents a major issue for many people, with walking, biking, transit and carpooling viewed as inconvenient. Malpiede recognizes and understands this, but wants to be an example for others to follow. She now undertakes a daily commute filled with 3 separate busses that takes her almost an hour and a half to get to work. She, however, says that it is well worth it!
According to People for Bikes, a collaborative effort that promotes biking as a prominent form of transportation, small changes can make a major impact. According to their website, “Increasing the mode share of all trips made by bicycling and walking from 12% to 15% could lead to fuel savings of 3.8 billion gallons a year and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 33 million tons per year. This is equivalent to replacing 19 million conventional cars with hybrids.”
It is small lifestyle changes like these that NETC believes can help reshape the way metro Denver residents view getting from point A to point B. While the organization hopes to increase infrastructure such as bike lanes, wider sidewalks and additional light rail options, they also recognize the steps that Denver already has taken towards increasing alternative transportation. From expanding Car2Go’s reach throughout the metro area, active community outreach in the planning of 303 ArtWay, and the many opportunities created by the University of Colorado A Line’s grand opening last April, Denver is making progress.
NETC has even been successful in defining walking as a mode of transportation statewide!
“We were the first in the region to go to CDOT and the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG) and ask that walking be considered a viable mode of transportation that could receive funding, and we were successful!,” Malpeide said.
Thank you to Northeast Transportation Connections for your dedication to making Denver a healthier and more sustainable city. With the increase of bike lanes, carpooling and transit opportunities over the past 15 years, you have been behind the scenes each step of the way, and have played a major role in reshaping the way Denver views transportation. ULC looks forward to celebrating our partnership and more victories at future 303 ArtWay community events!