Most Dangerous Streets in Denver

The City of Denver recently released its 2020 report on Vision Zero, a five-year action plan launched in 2017 with the self-described goal of "eliminating traffic deaths and serious injuries by making our roadways safer for everyone." But 57 people still died in Denver crashes last year, despite lower traffic volume owing to temporary shutdowns and the rise in remote work prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic — and the information compiled on the Vision Zero data dashboard reveals that fatalities and serious injuries continue to happen on far too many major routes in the Mile High City.

The Denver streets with the most traffic deaths and injuries historically all experienced increases over the past year-plus. And the top two arterials, Colfax Avenue and Federal Boulevard, have racked up in excess of 300 significant episodes over an eight-year span.

Westword's previous look at Denver's most dangerous streets was published on February 10, 2020, and at that time, the total number of serious injury-or-death accidents between then and 2013, the start of Vision Zero's data set, stood at 4,465. The total is now 5,103, an increase of 638 in just over fifteen months — with 190 in 2021 so far. That averages out to more than one incident per day.

The casualty figure is 464, up from 397 in February 2020. Of this total, 121 people died in passenger car or van crashes, 47 in SUVs. Additionally, 92 pedestrians, 81 motorcyclists and 21 bicyclists were killed on Denver streets from 2013 until now.

Of the 5,103 incidents that caused serious injuries or deaths, 2,234 of them — or more than 43 percent — took place on just twenty major Denver streets.

Of course, some of these routes cover more territory than others, meaning that crashes on Colfax, known as the longest Main Street in America, are less concentrated than they might seem at first. But the figures still speak to the risks to commuters, as well as the vulnerability of pedestrians, motorcyclists and bicyclists, who pop up regularly in another stat: the mode of transportation with the most fatalities.

Getting to zero won't be easy. Here's the countdown of Denver's twenty most dangerous streets, complete with comparisons to February 2020 stats.

20. Bruce Randolph Boulevard (20th in February 2020)
Killed or seriously injured, 2013-2020: 13 (up from 12 in February 2020)
Mode of transportation with the most fatalities: Passenger car/van (2)

19. Ellsworth Avenue (tied for 19th in February 2020)
Killed or seriously injured, 2013-2020: 19 (up from 17 in February 2020)
Mode of transportation with the most fatalities: Pickup truck/utility van (1)

18. Wadsworth Boulevard (17th in February 2020)
Killed or seriously injured, 2013-2020: 21 (20 in February 2020)
Mode of transportation with the most fatalities: Passenger car/van (3)

17. Montview Boulevard (tied for 19th in February 2020)
Killed or seriously injured, 2013-2020: 22 (17 in February 2020)
Mode of transportation with the most fatalities: Motorcycle (1)

16. Morrison Road (16th in February 2020)
Killed or seriously injured, 2013-2020: 27 (25 in February 2020)
Mode of transportation with the most fatalities: Bicycle (1)

15. Brighton Boulevard (tied for 15th in February 2020)
Killed or seriously injured, 2013-2020: 37 (33 in February 2020)
Mode of transportation with the most fatalities: Bicycle (2)

14. Lowell Boulevard(tied for 15th in February 2020)
Killed or seriously injured, 2013-2020: 42 (33 in February 2020)
Mode of transportation with the most fatalities: Bicycle, Pedestrian, Pickup truck/utility van and under investigation (1 each)

13. Logan Street (13th in February 2020)
Killed or seriously injured, 2013-2020: 51 (43 in February 2020)
Mode of transportation with the most fatalities: Motorcycle, Passenger car/van, SUV and under investigation (1 each)

12. University Boulevard (12th in February 2020)
Killed or seriously injured, 2013-2020: 55 (47 in February 2020)
Mode of transportation with the most fatalities: Pedestrian, Pickup truck/utility van and under investigation (1 each)

11. Lincoln Street (11th in February 2020)
Killed or seriously injured, 2013-2020: 68 (59 in February 2020)
Mode of transportation with the most fatalities: Pedestrian, Motorcycle and SUV (1 each)

10. Santa Fe Drive (10th in February 2020)
Killed or seriously injured, 2013-2020: 81 (68 in February 2020)
Mode of transportation with the most fatalities: Passenger car/van (3)

9. Hampden Avenue (9th in February 2020)
Killed or seriously injured, 2013-2020: 101 (86 in February 2020)
Mode of transportation with the most fatalities: Pedestrian (2)

8. Speer Boulevard (8th in February 2020)
Killed or seriously injured, 2013-2020: 118 (104 in February 2020)
Mode of transportation with the most fatalities: Motorcycle, Passenger car/van and under investigation (2 each)

7. Evans Avenue (6th in February 2020)
Killed or seriously injured, 2013-2020: 140 (129 in February 2020)
Mode of transportation with the most fatalities: Pedestrian (6)

6. Broadway (7th in February 2020)
Killed or seriously injured, 2013-2020: 151 (127 in February 2020)
Mode of transportation with the most fatalities: Motorcycle (4)

5. Sheridan Boulevard (5th in February 2020)
Killed or seriously injured, 2013-2020: 181 (153 in February 2020)
Mode of transportation with the most fatalities: Motorcycle (7)

4. Alameda Avenue (4th in February 2020)
Killed or seriously injured, 2013-2020: 174 (156 in February 2020)
Mode of transportation with the most fatalities: Motorcycle (7)

3. Colorado Boulevard (3rd in February 2020)
Killed or seriously injured, 2013-2020: 195 (170 in February 2020)
Mode of transportation with the most fatalities: Passenger car/van (10)

2. Colfax Avenue (2nd in February 2020)
Killed or seriously injured, 2013-2020: 353 (298 in February 2020)
Mode of transportation with the most fatalities: Motorcycle (10)

1. Federal Boulevard (1st in February 2020)
Killed or seriously injured, 2013-2020: 385 (342 in February 2020)
Mode of transportation with the most fatalities: Pedestrian (18)