Heart Improvement Plan (HIP Streets)

Hello, thank you for an opportunity to address your questions and comments. Since the launch of the Heart Improvement Plan — first outlined in the 2009 HIP Streets Master Plan and expanded in the 2017 Modernization Plan — our goal has been to create a downtown environment that supports events, simplifies street closures, expands patio spaces, and enhances sidewalks and public amenities.

Among some of the most talked about topics during our community outreach in 2023 and 2024 was the shift from diagonal to parallel parking. The focus of these improvements, along with addressing the major infrastructure improvements underground, was to reallocate the public space to prioritize people. By creating wider sidewalks, it becomes a more welcoming, walkable downtown for pedestrians, and it allow business owners an option of utilizing that space for outdoor seating, racks for merchandise or using it as another way to market their businesses.  

In addition to making this switch from diagonal to parallel parking provides important traffic-calming benefits. It naturally slows down vehicles, improves pedestrian safety, and creates a buffer between moving traffic and sidewalks. Additionally, it enhances visibility at crosswalks, reduces blind spots, and eliminates the need for drivers to back out into traffic, leading to smoother, more predictable vehicle movements. All of these benefits contribute to a safer, more vibrant downtown that supports both local businesses and visitors. In order to make these changes, 4th Street will lose approximately 33 parking spaces, but will overall gain approximately 70 parking spaces by the end of 2026. 

Lastly, we know the loss of the trees on 4th Street was a big change for our community; however, we will be adding 54 new trees along 4th Street with other landscaping to bring back the greenery. When we encounter large trees within tight urban conditions, it is difficult to design around the trees given all the other constraints; accessibility, business access, vehicular movements, etc. During the design process, we discussed and walked the project with City staff several times to discuss existing conditions and inventoried all of the existing trees along the corridor. During conversations with the City Forester, they performed a health assessment of the trees and the majority of the trees were determined to be declining and would need to be removed sooner rather than later. Also, some of the trees along the corridor are not appropriate in these conditions – a lot of issues with dropping acorns or other debris caused a safety concerns for pedestrians. Additionally, accessibility was extremely critical to fix along the five blocks and due to the proposed grading conditions, the trees would be heavily impacted. 

While we removed the trees, they all have been recycled and repurposed into mulch at the Loveland Recycling Center. We have saved a base from one of the larger trees at 4th and Jefferson in hopes to partner with a local mill to repurpose the wood into table slabs. We'll wait for the wood to dry out to begin this process. 

If you have questions about parking, construction, or the future streetscape of this project, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at HIPStreets@cityofloveland.org or 970-962-2524. We appreciate the conversation. Thank you!

Hello, thank you for your question. With the improvements to 4th Street, we'll be installing designated bays to allow for drop-offs or deliveries. The Rialto Theater Center is among the areas that will have one of these designated bays. Thank you! 

Hello, thank you for your question. Much consideration has been given to the overall design for this project that even included entirely removing vehicular traffic and turning 4th Street into primarily a pedestrian roadway. However, after the review of the 2009 HIP Streets Masterplan and 2017 HIP Streets Modernization Plan, the feedback and studies we received was to keep the roadway open to vehicles most of the time. Each block has been designed to accommodate events, simplified closures, expanded patios, enhanced sidewalks and amenities spaces. Short-term loading zone and ADA accessible spaces will also be added to each block to accommodate deliveries and people with all mobility needs. After the completion of this project, we will have removed 33 parking spaces, but will be planning to add about 70 once completed in 2026. A map of the areas we have already completed in 2024 and future added spaces can be viewed here: https://www.letstalkloveland.org/.../69389/documents/64568. The decision to switch from diagonal to parallel was decided on many factors: to reallocate our public space to prioritize people, create wider sidewalks for a more welcoming and walkable downtown while maintaining the same number of parking spaces nearby. Parallel parking provides traffic calming benefits by narrowing the roadway, encouraging slower vehicle speeds, and improving pedestrian safety. It creates a buffer between moving traffic and sidewalks while also enhancing sightlines at crosswalks, reducing blind spots. Unlike diagonal parking, it eliminates the need for drivers to back into traffic, leading to smoother, more predictable vehicle movements. These benefits contribute to a safer, more vibrant downtown, supporting both businesses and pedestrians. With this in mind, as well as the ongoing conversations directly with downtown business owners the past two years, this decision was not made lightly.  

Hello! Thank you for your question. Since this project will include stormwater, water and power utilities, a portion of the utility work will be completed by Connell Resources, but majority of the work will be completed by Zak Dirt. Thank you!

Hi Kimberley, we will add you to the project newsletter. May you please send us your email to HIPStreets@cityofloveland.org? Our next newsletter should be scheduled out sometime this month or early February. Thank you!  

Thanks for reaching out and taking an interest in this project. 

We currently have three companies coming together to work on various aspects of the project:

• Ditesco is our project management consulting firm.  
• Russell + Mills is the landscape designer. 
• CCG is the Civil Engineer.

We are working on details for the next open house but we anticipate there will likely be a city-wide transportation projects fair that happens late spring / early summer. Details are yet to be determined so stay tuned!

Thanks for providing project feedback.

Thank you for providing feedback on the project.  

The width of the corridor, between buildings, is not wide enough to accommodate a dedicated bike lane. Bikes are intended to merge with traffic through sharrows along 4th Street. A sharrow is an area of road where bikes merge with vehicular traffic and share the road. In Colorado, motorists and bicyclists share the road and both have equal rights. CDOT has more information about bike and vehicle laws on its website (External link).

Good question. We will try to get an answer for you.