“We’re probably around 40 percent down from where we were a year ago,” says Sudhir Kudva, one of the owners of the Squire Lounge on East Colfax Avenue. “There’s no parking. Foot traffic is down. Our visibility is gone. We’re definitely feeling it.”
The culprit is obvious to anyone who’s been on East Colfax lately: Bus Rapid Transit. The construction project, which broke ground last fall, is in the midst of transforming the street; it will ultimately add a dedicated center lane that runs from downtown Denver to Aurora, the entire length of RTD’s 15 route. But BRT comes at a cost far beyond the $150 million in federal money that’s being poured into it. Small, independent, locally-owned businesses — which comprise the vast majority of the East Colfax economic corridor — are being sent into an economic tailspin by ripped-up roads, blocked sidewalks, heavy machinery and mazes of barricades that restrict parking and access
This week, Denver Economic Development & Opportunity started accepting applications for grants from the Business Impact Opportunity Fund. But in their comments on the Westword Facebook post of Jason Heller’s story about businesses suffering through the BRT, readers suggest that the help will be too little, too late. Says Peter:…