Denver Regional Council of Governments – Metro Vision Regional Transportation Plan
The Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG) created the Metro Vision Regional Transportation Plan (MVRTP) to establish the region’s vision for a multimodal transportation system needed to respond to future growth and demographic trends in the Denver region. The plan was adopted in April of 2017 and addresses transportation challenges in Denver with strategies meant to improve the region’s multimodal transportation system in the future.
The MVRTP covers roadways, public transportation, bicycle and pedestrian travel, aviation, and new transportation technologies (like autonomous vehicles). Part of the challenges identified include environmental concerns related to air and water quality. The plan includes strategies to mitigate potentially negative effects from transportation. Their mitigation strategy includes three main tenets: avoidance of negative environmental effects, minimization of negative effects, and mitigation to alleviate negative effects.
The MVRTP includes strategies meant to sustain the region until 2040. The strategies will be implemented by DRCOG and key community partners, including the Colorado Department of Transportation, the Regional Transportation District, and local governments.
The Denver Metro saw a pressing need and made significant investments in transportation over the past decade. The resulting transit systems have been regularly hailed as a mobility success story. The MVRTP shows their commitment to continuing to build their network, serve all residents, and protect the natural environment.
SilverRide - Mobility for Seniors
In 2007, SilverRide was founded in San Francisco to provide mobility options for seniors –enabling them to continue living fulfilling and enriching lives as they age. SilverRide was created to provide seniors with safe, easy-to-access transportation options that would allow them to not only complete everyday tasks like go to the grocery store or attend medical appointments, but also attend family events, cultural activities, and recreate.
SilverRide allows seniors to reserve a car with a SilverRide Travel Concierge. A driver in a branded car will arrive to pick up and drive the senior to his or her location. While reserving a ride, seniors are able to specify their needs, so the drivers can assist them despite any physical or cognitive limitations the rider might have. Riders can request one-way, roundtrip, or multi-stop trips.
All of SilverRide’s drivers are background checked, fingerprinted, and drug tested. Riders are charged based on the distance, time of day, and assistance preferences of their ride, and SilverRide offers half-price rides if the driver is more than 15 minutes late.
SilveRide also makes it fun. According to them, their “driver companions are singers, songwriters, inventors, photographers, students, and interesting people who love engaging with seniors.”
SilverRide helps seniors remain mobile even if they no longer have access to a car, are too far away from their destination to walk, or cannot use public transportation. SilverRide ensures that all of its customers are safe and comfortable throughout their ride and, more importantly, helps seniors in San Francisco regain their independence through mobility.