atlas
28 denverlifemagazine.com | APRIL 2019
BIKE,^ DAVIDPULSIPHER;^ HEADSHOT,^DENVERPUBLIC^WORKSby the numbers
COLORADO
RESTAURANTS75
Percent of Colorado
restaurants that are
independently owned285,000
Number of Coloradans
employed in restaurant
jobs9
Number of food halls in
Denver, including the new
Broadway Market, in the
Golden Triangle13
Expected dollars of
Colorado restaurant sales,
in billions, in 2019348
Millions of dollars of state
tax revenue generated by
Colorado restaurants11,800
Approximate number
of eating and drinking
locations throughout
the state2
Denver’s national ranking
for ease of starting a
food truck, according to
a 2018 report by the U.S.
Chamber of Commerce
Foundation. (First place:
Portland, Ore.)10
Percent of the state’s
labor force working in/
with the restaurant
industry in some capacityWhat do you do? I oversee all efforts related to bicycle and pedestrian planning
in Denver. Essentially, I try to make the city a better place for walking and bik-
ing. That means sidewalks and crossings, bike facilities, bike lanes, neighbor-
hood bikeways. We identify opportunities, assess their impact, and then other city de-
partments design and build the infrastructure. With the mayor’s Mobility Action Plan,
the big goal is to have zero traffic fatalities by 2030, and a reduction in single-occu-
pancy-vehicle trips down to 50 percent. The mayor also committed us to building 125
miles of bikeways in five years. Denver is going to see a rapid increase in the amount of
pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure.Are you out walking all the time? Definitely. My staff and I are always out in
the community. Many of us are bicycle commuters, take public transit, and
walk. It’s part of our day. The job also involves a lot of
meeting with people, hearing feedback, going out into the field.
It’s a lot of problem solving, creative thinking, and dreaming.Any tips for transitioning to a daily bicycle commute?A
good place to start is your local bike shop, because they
can give you recommendations on equipment. There
are lots of different saddle bags—or panniers—everything from
simple canvas bags to high-tech, waterproof options. My personal
motto is: Don’t carry on your back what you can carry on your
bike. Also, you don’t have to wear head-to-toe spandex to be a bike
commuter; you can wear what’s comfortable. I recommend people
do some basic research online. Or, if you want, talk to me. I love
solving mobility questions. —Andrew Weaverthree questions with
David Pulsipher
PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE PLANNING SUPERVISOR FOR THE CITY OF DENVER
In 2017, Mayor Michael Hancock introduced a 12-year, $2 billion Mobility Action Plan
to transform Denver into a more walkable, bike-able city. David Pulsipher is here to
make sure it gets done.THE CHALLENGE
Try a spoonful (or just a drop)
of one of Colorado’s most dev-
astating hot sauces: Eve’s First
Kiss, from Broomfield’s OVERKILL
HOT SAUCE.CHANCE YOU’LL SURVIVE
“Some people can handle it and
some can’t,” says Overkill’s own-
er, Leslie Howard. “It all comes
down to how badly you want to
abuse yourself.” You’re definitely
going to wake up tomorrow, but
if you eat too much of the sauce,
you might have a few unpleas-
ant hours ahead of you.HOW TO DO IT
In addition to its base of Caro-
lina Reaper peppers—the hot-
test pepper in the world—the
sauce incorporates Strawberry
Reapers, meaning it pairs well
(oddly) with sweeter dishes.
“Drizzle it over a New York-style
cheesecake with strawberries,”
says Howard. “The flavors will
complement each other, and
the dairy in the cheesecake will
help cut some of the spice.”
If you’re up for the challenge,
grab a bottle at
overkillhotsauce.com.Follow David on Twitter
@davidpulsipherSELF-PORTRAIT OF DAVID’S FIRST DAY BIKING
TO WORK AS AN EMPLOYEE OF DENVER