CU Denver students to conduct the Denver Neighborhood Connections Survey in June and July

Resident feedback about quality of life on arterial streets may improve conditions 

Denver (June 10, 2014) – Students and researchers at the University of Colorado Denver will be hitting the streets this summer to learn how arterial streets – those with fast and heavy traffic – impact residents of local Denver neighborhoods through the Denver Neighborhood Connections Survey. Beginning today, students will place door hangers on the doors of eligible survey participants. The survey is part of the Livable Arterials project, a research endeavor that aims to improve quality of life in Denver’s neighborhoods.

CU Denver students and faculty in the College of Architecture and Planning will survey 10 pre-selected neighborhoods – located near arterial streets with some existing commercial development – to determine how street design features affect residents’ perceived safety and comfort. Using the city as their classroom, students’ findings could help create streets that better reflect the needs of various neighborhoods in Denver.

Members of the CU Denver team will go door-to-door conducting the survey throughout June and July. Residents will be asked to answer a few short questions about their neighborhood, their travel patterns, their transportation choices, their local street, and about an arterial street located near their residence. The survey also asks questions about how residents use their streets and about their opinions and perceptions of their neighborhood.  Survey participants will receive at $5.00 gift card to either Illegal Pete’s or Amazon.com.

Study areas include:

• South University Blvd. between Exposition Ave. and Ohio Ave.
• East 23^rd Ave. between Cherry St. and Dexter St.
• South Broadway St. between 1st Ave. and Bayaud Ave.
• 44^th Ave. between Meade St. and King St.
• South Holly St. between Ivanhoe Way and Gunnison Pl.
• East Colfax Ave. between Elm St. and Forest St.
• South Colorado Blvd. between Louisiana Ave. and Mexico Ave.
• Broadway St. between 8th Ave. and 12^th Ave.
• Santa Fe Dr. between 12^th Ave. and 7^th Ave.
• East Colfax Ave. between York St. and Cook St.

After the survey, the CU Denver team will analyze the data and determine if there is a connection between street characteristics and how residents reported feeling about their local streets. Survey findings will help determine how street design impacts quality of life for neighbors.

The survey will take about 10-15 minutes to complete and participation is completely voluntary and confidential. One adult, age 18 or older, per household is eligible to participate.