Viva Streets

Aug 17

Bogota Columbia, Amsterdam, and Paris are all known for their pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure. Yet, they were not always that way. They all had an addiction to cars just like our cities. Even Amsterdam. Check out this excellent episode of 99% Invisible to hear more about the transition away from cars. One thing they do have in common is Viva Streets. At some point in their history, they all experimented in small ways by closing roads to cars and letting people take over the space.

Viva Streets Denver - A man rides his bicycle. he is wearing a backpack and Denver Broncos hat, khaki shorts.

Viva Streets Denver - Two folks ride their bikes headed left. They are having a conversation. In the foreground is a blurry bicycle rider going in the opposite direction.

It is a very foreign concept for folks in the US. The car is built into our DNA. The baby boomer generation made the car a symbol of our freedom. American Graffiti and all that jazz.

Viva Streets Denver - A person rides their bicycle past an orange barrel barricade. They are wearing jeans and a backpack and have a wonderful head of currly hair sticking out from under their white helmet.

Viva Streets Denver - a person rides their linus bicycle with a yoga mat in a backpack. They are reading something as they ride.

Viva Streets Denver - Two folks ride past an orange barrel barrier. One is dressed as if they are headed to race, on is in your everyday shorts and t-shirt.

Viva Streets Denver - A cop rides his motorcycle down the street while being surrounded by bicycles. Shout out to the cops that worked to stop traffic.

Viva Streets - A group of ten or so folks on bicycles wait for the light to change. A blur of cars is present in the foreground.

Viva Streets Denver - Someone on a longboard blurs past on an empty street.

Viva Streets Denver - A dude that very much looks like the typical dad of a college kid, rides a lime scooter down the street. A blur of another bicyclist is seen in the foreground.

Viva Streets Denver - A blue tandem bike is focused in the center of the frame. The woman on the back of the tandem is zipping up her hoodie. In the foreground the blur of a kiddo on a bike goes by. Mostly you see a yellow helmet blur.

Viva Streets Denver - Your average looking dad rides his bicycle one handed, with a slight smile on their face. A blur of pedestrians in the background.

Viva Streets Denver - A blurry car takes up most of the image. Framed in the window of the car is a woman waiting on her bicycle for the light to change. Over the hood of the car is another person waiting, looking directly at the camera.

Viva Streets Denver - A man rides a long-tail bicycle with a basket on the front. He is standing as he rides and the basket is full of snacks.

Viva Streets Denver - A man rides a long-tail bicycle with a basket on the front. He is standing as he rides. In the foreground is a couple of blurry pedestrians. The background is a motion blur.

The Downtown Denver Partnership helped make Viva Streets happen. Along with a number of partners and sponsors. Big shout out to all the folks that advocated for this event, volunteered, and helped make it happen. I volunteered for the rainy event and spent hours getting soaked! I am an amateur photographer with a cracked lens. I have been playing with shutter speed to capture the motion and focus attention on the folks riding. In the final of four Viva Streets events the weather was perfect and the streets were packed. I can’t wait for the event to return.

Viva Streets Denver - A street full of bicycles and pedestrians. Some on Lyft bicycles, some on beach cruisers, some on fast bikes, some on e-bikes, some on cargo bikes.

Viva Streets Denver - The winner for best sweater rides her bike and breaths a deep breath out.

Viva Streets Denver - The winer of best sweater is focused at the center of the frame.

Viva Streets Denver - A woman is focused at the center of the frame as she rides her grey bicycle. She has an peach button up shirt on. Blurry bicyclist can be seen in the foreground and background.

Viva Streets Denver - A dude with a really wonderful white beard rides his probably gravel bike along side another cyclist that probably works in the tech industry. A person in a wheelchair crosses the street ahead of them.

Viva Streets Denver - A woman on a Lime bicycle rides down an empty street.

Viva Streets Denver - A man on an ebike rides with a trailer that has a kiddo in it. The e-bike is bright orange.

Viva Streets Denver - a woman on a beach cruiser rides down an empty street. She is wearing a white sun hat and jeans jacket.

Viva Streets Denver - A person that probably lives in Cap Hill rides a Bianchi bicycle.

Viva Streets Denver - This guy might be headed to play soccer. A blur of pedestrians is in the foreground.

Viva Streets Denver - A guy that probably lives in cap hill rides in front of the Mayan theater.

Viva Streets Denver - A woman on an Urban Arrow Shorty rides in front of the Mayan theater in Denver.

Viva Streets Denver - A person rides some form of a recumbent bicycle in front of the Mayan theater Denver.

Viva Streets Denver - A group dressed to ride the tour on fancy bikes ride in front of the Mayan Theater Denver. A blur of another bicyclist is in the foreground.

Viva Streets Denver - Another favorite of mine. The majority of the image is a mass of motion blur. The street was packed with pedestrians and folks on bikes. The only thing in focus is sections of a bicycle. The person riding is obscured by a blurry

Andrew Alger andrewalger.com

Viva Streets

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