Is Denver Growing Too Fast?
Colorado has been steadily growing in popularity and population in the past few years, and Denver is right at the center of this expansion and increase. As the size in the city expands, many changes within the busy streets are underway. For many Denver residents, this is a positive change, one that brings in opportunity and the potential for more success. However, not all of these side effects of a growing community have been positive.
When you live in Denver, it’s hard to really notice the significance of the changes being made within the city limits. It’s a gradual process, one that adjusts and changes just slightly daily, and can easily go by unnoticed by those caught in the thick of the action. Acknowledging Colorado’s growth and major changes as well as the potential for increased risk and beneficial opportunity is essential for your success in the city.
The Effect Rapid Growth Has Had On Denver
So many changes have been delivered right to Denver’s doorstep as more people flock to the city and alterations have been made to accommodate the growing demand from the population. The biggest change we have had to face as a community is the road and highway expansions, which can be a beautiful thing… but equally as hassling, and at times, dangerous.
Let’s take a closer look at the unique effect this rapid growth has had on Denver and it’s residents, especially in the areas of traffic and job opportunity. These two areas have had the biggest impact in the past decade with the growing population and boosted economy and job market.
Highway Expansions
Denver has seen major changes to the biggest highway and interstates nearby. More people are finding reasons to go to and from the city of Denver to the rest of Colorado, so all of the roads have been given expansions. This has been a difficult adjustment for many, as they deal with the construction crews and detours, but it’s also become a positive change.
It’s now easier to drive to Denver and navigate your way around, creating better access to parts of the city that used to be considered hard to reach, and the increase in drivers on the road has created a demand for better upkeep and maintenance for these very highways.
Road Additions & Repairs
Construction. No one enjoys driving in it, no one enjoys having to do it, but we all appreciate the end result. As Denver expands and the roads become more traveled, the need for construction in the city on the roads is necessary. Denver residents deal with a lot more detours, traffic diversions, delays, and alternate routes when traveling through the city now.
The beneficial part of this is that the need for good roads is stronger than ever. With the constant repairs and new additions, the quality of Denver streets is better now than ever!
Increased Vehicle Accidents
As Colorado grows, so does the amount of car accident fatalities. Construction, road changes, traffic, and more people out on the road all lend a hand in creating a less safe traveling environment for those operating vehicles, and it’s been obvious in the statistics related to roadway accidents.
In only 2 years, fatalities from traffic incidents increased by a staggering 24%. With nearly 4 million registers drivers out on the road daily in the whole state, it shows that 1 in every 33 drivers will be involved with a dangerous accidents on the roads. Since Denver is the most populated city in the state, most of the accidents come from this city.
The Colorado Department of Transportation states that most of these accidents are due to reckless behavior, such as distracted driving, impaired driving, or speeding, but many of this increase is also due to the sheer amount of growth and change that has affected our roadways. $100 million was devoted to improving the safety of the roads and highways in Colorado, especially in Denver, and while it’s a positive use of funding… it takes away from other important needs within the city that need financing as well. A necessary expense for our safety.
Being a little extra careful on the roads of Denver is just one small price to pay for the other positive changes the city has seen affect the economy and job pool.
Growing Job Pool
As business increases as Denver grows, the need for more employees opens up, creating more jobs and improving the unemployment rates throughout the city. This has also been a pretty beneficial time for personal injury lawyers in Denver, who have seen a major increase in revenue as a higher population leads to more chance for wrongful injury. Of course, the hope is to eliminate unnecessary risk for all Denver residents, but it’s just one example of how a growing population has directly helped the job market for just one small industry among hundreds.
More Business Start-Ups
Think about it – if you’re starting a business, what environment do you want for it to flourish in? Ideally, a growing one, full of the promise of success and advancement and great profit. Denver has the promise of that on every corner, and everyone is taking advantage of this wealthy market to open up their new restaurants, services, and retail shops.
Better Economy
More jobs, more businesses, more people? This is the perfect formula for an improved economy. Money is being put back into the city of Denver, one way or another, and everyone is spending more as businesses open and jobs become readily available.
The growth in Denver has led to some unsatisfactory changes, like construction detours and increased accident rates, but there has been a lot of positive outcomes as well. For longterm Denver residents to newcomers in the city, there have been changes and there will be more to come, but above all… it’s a time to celebrate the growth of the Mile High city!
