Surveys and transit ridership both show some signs, with significant caveats, of the limits of the appetite for gasoline in Colorado.

While high gas prices have historically shown just how stubborn drivers can be, there is usually some reduction of driving when gas prices spike. With many people emerging back into their normal day-to-day routines and making up for lost time with road trips and vacations after two long years of pandemic restrictions, the current high gas prices are less likely to produce outcomes in line with precedent.
With the uncertainty of mobility in 2022 in mind, Matt Bloom recently dug into the mood and trends of drivers in Colorado, where the average gas price recently hit $4.62 per gallon—the highest ever recorded in the state and a 40 percent increase over last year.
“As a result, roughly 67 percent of drivers have started to drive less, according to a AAA survey of Colorado residents,” reports Bloom. “Pain at the pump has forced some people to readjust their vacation plans, rethink their work commutes and cut back on the amount they’re saving each month.”
For another key metric, albeit one that does not necessarily reflect a direct connection to gas prices, transit ridership is on the rise in the Denver area, although still well below pre-pandemic levels. “Public transit ridership in the Denver area has seen a slight increase in ridership over recent months, but it remains below pre-pandemic levels. Metro area residents took 4.8 million trips via bus or train in March — a 42 percent jump over the same time in 2021, according to RTD’s latest ridership figures,” reports Bloom.
Still, “the Colorado Department of Transportation and Denver International Airport both reported near pre-pandemic passenger numbers on roads and airplanes over the recent Memorial Day holiday,” according to Bloom, so drivers aren’t exactly abandoning their vehicles.
FULL STORY: Record gas prices force Coloradans to reevaluate commutes and summer travel plans

What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.

‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.

The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.

Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.

San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.

Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research