The 2900 block of Larimer Street reopened to vehicle traffic on Sunday, after being closed to cars during the COVID-19 pandemic. Both this block and the 2700 block of Larimer were transformed into miniature pedestrian malls in 2020, allowing the area's bars and restaurants to add outdoor seating in the street as indoor dining was restricted.
The 2700 block reopened to traffic in late 2022, but the 2900 block remained closed until February 2. Some businesses on Larimer said the pedestrian-only block disrupted traffic and limited their customer base — while others insisted the program had been beneficial. Dozens of bicycle riders and pedestrians protested the reopening at a rally at 2900 Larimer on February 2, but the next day, cars were flowing through the street.
And one crashed into the Meadowlark Bar at 2701 Larimer — two blocks away from the former pedestrian-only area, and on the corner of the other block that had been closed off during the pandemic.
"Someone tried taking a shortcut through our building today," the bar said in an Instagram post. "There was a lot of damage, but thankfully no one was hurt. That's not stopping us either! That means it's still business as usual and there will still be jazz on the patio tonight!"
Photos shared by the bar show a silver Subaru Outback crashed into the building's entrance, destroying the wall and a fence on the property.
A different photo of the collision shared on Reddit shows a second vehicle involved, stopped on the sidewalk and seemingly having run over an e-scooter.
Both vehicles were traveling north on Larimer just after 5 p.m. on February 3 when one driver attempted to pass the other in the intersection, according to the Denver police crash report. The vehicles collided, pushing one into the side of the Meadowlark.
The driver whose vehicle hit the Meadowlark was cited for careless driving, according to the report.
The RiNo Art District announced the surprise reopening of the 2900 block of Larimer Street in an email sent the evening of January 31, explaining that because "no entity is pursuing the Pilot Street Closure permit, the temporary permit the street closure currently operates under will expire."
Following news of the crash, social media users were quick to make the connection with the reopened street.
"Hey good news! Now cars are parked immediately in front of businesses!" one Reddit user commented. "That’s what they wanted right?"
