City officials are exploring whether Wynkoop should ditch cars

The future of a historic corridor in downtown Denver may feature fewer cars.

The big picture: The city's Department of Transportation and Infrastructure wants to determine whether there are different ways to use a strip of Wynkoop Street roughly between 14th Avenue and 19th Street in LoDo.

• That area typically draws high foot traffic. Dotted with restaurants, bars and storefronts, the corridor includes landmarks like Denver Union Station, McGregor Square and Wynkoop Brewing Company.

Why it matters: The shift could discourage vehicular use and reimagine a city built for cars as a more walkable urban environment.

State of play: The study, first reported by Denverite , will explore four alternatives for the strip, which now includes sidewalks, car travel lanes, protected and unprotected bike lanes and parking.

• The four alternatives include keeping it as is, making it a "shared street" with fewer cars and slower speeds, allowing it to fully close to cars on festival days, or an option that leaves things open-ended.
• That fourth route could include an idea Councilmember Chris Hinds, who represents the area, told Denverite he supports: Limiting car access to just car-sharing drop-offs, taxis and deliveries in certain parts of the corridor.

What to watch: The city is reviewing applications following a July 8 deadline for requests for proposals, principal city planner Jay Decker told us.

• The study will cost between $250,000 and $300,000, Decker says.
• The city expects to pick a company to complete the study in the coming weeks, with work expected to start in mid-August.