September 2025. After Oscar came to London in June 2024 and I joined him there for a day, I’m now going to his hometown of Denver in Colorado. My second trip to the United States in 2025, after visiting my uncle and aunt in Wilmington, North Carolina. No, Denver is is not on foreign tourists’ mind when travelling to the US. But that doesn’t bother me. Quite the contrary.
Oscar wanted to show me 16th Street, the retail heart of Denver. So we walked all the way from to Forney Transportation Museum to Denver Union Station to experience 16th Street.
16th Street (Mall)
Denver’s 16th Street runs for four-fifths of a mile through the city centre, stretching from Union Station at one end to Civic Center Station and the Colorado State Capitol at the other.
For decades it was known as the 16th Street Mall, a name that stuck after its opening in 1982. It was designed by I. M. Pei & Partners with the landscape architecture firm OLIN and built at a cost of $75 million, financed largely through federal transit and highway funds. At its launch on 4 October 1982, more than 200,000 people turned out for the opening ceremony, drawn by curiosity about the city’s newest urban experiment.
The design was striking for its time: granite blocks, each 19 inches square, were set in light grey, charcoal, and Colorado red to form a diamond pattern inspired by Navajo weaving and rattlesnake skin.
Distinctive lighting, tree plantings in engineered root boxes, and street furniture gave the corridor its own identity. The point was not only to create a pedestrian-friendly space but also to unclog downtown traffic. By consolidating services at new transfer stations and funnelling local and commuter buses onto the free shuttle, more than 800 daily bus trips were removed from surrounding streets.
Over the years, the corridor has expanded its role. Light rail connections were added in 1994, bringing new hubs at California and Stout Streets.
In 2001, Regional Transport District Denver or RTD purchased Union Station and extended the shuttle route westward to connect with new rail lines and an underground bus concourse, which opened in 2014. With that, the older Market Street Station was closed and redeveloped.
By the 2010s, however, the granite paving was showing its age, with uneven surfaces and visible wear. Plans were drawn up for reconstruction, and in April 2022 work began on a $149 million rebuild.
The redesign removed the underused median strip between Arapahoe and Tremont streets, replacing it with a central transitway and flanking pedestrian zones with patios, play areas, and wider walkways. The project is due for completion in autumn 2025.
“Mall” or no “Mall”? That is the question
The free shuttle service has been central to the street’s success since 1982. Known for many years as the MallRide, it was renamed the 16th Street FreeRide in 2025, when the city also dropped ‘Mall’ from the corridor’s official name. Yet on the buses, there’s still Free MallRide visible. Also, signs still say 16th Street Mall.
If you plan to change a household name, do it properly!
Right-hand drive buses
The buses are unusual in being right-hand drive, giving drivers a better view of passengers boarding from the curb. The first generation were diesel-powered; the second generation, used from 1999 to 2006, ran on compressed natural gas with battery support; and since 2016 the fleet has been made up of fully electric BYD K10MR buses from the People’s Republic of China.
The service is the busiest in Denver, with weekday ridership of nearly 44,000 recorded in 2018.
Today the corridor is not just about transit. More than 300 shops and 50 restaurants line its length, many with patios that spill into the pedestrian space.
In summer, events like Meet in the Street have temporarily rerouted shuttle buses to open the promenade fully to walkers and cyclists. Horse-drawn carriages and pedicabs often appear in the evenings, while 200 trees along the street are lit after dark, shifting the mood from daytime bustle to night-time ambience.
The recent redesign aims to strengthen this role. Alongside shaded seating and tree plantings, there are play structures for children, public art installations, and spaces designed for gathering and performance. The idea is that 16th Street should feel not just like a route through downtown but a destination in itself.
At its northern end, Union Station remains a focal point, alive with cafés, bars, and transit connections.
At the southern end, the Civic Center anchors the route with views towards the Capitol. Just off the street are cultural venues such as the Denver Performing Arts Complex and the Museum of Contemporary Art, while the more posh Larimer Square and McGregor Square offer restaurants, shopping, and plazas that extend the pedestrian experience.
On 20 May 2024, city leaders announced that 90% of the renovation had been completed. With the formal name change to simply 16th Street, the corridor is also being promoted as The Denver Way, described as the main artery through the city’s downtown. After more than forty years, it remains both a transportation link and a gathering space—an evolving example of how Denver continues to rethink its centre.
In search for a memento and briefs
We were on a mission: to find a Denver or Colorado themed souvenir and briefs. As you may know, I like to buy local branded briefs. So we went to the Denver Pavilions, which also have a big ‘Denver’ sign.
We had a veery late lunch at Giordano’s, we passed Larimer Square with many Colorado flags and a Cotopaxi store. Oscar showed me the Clock Tower, officially the Daniels & Fisher Tower.
We went at a Target and a Ross Dress of Less for briefs. And yes, I bought some for a great price. Oh and I did by a souvenir: a Colorado flag cushion.
So?
16th Street Mall – I feel ‘Mall’ is still relevant, is clearly the beating heart of Denver for shopping and related activities. I past through it a couple of times.