Saying that Denver is a little crowded might be a huge understatement, but saying it's more crowded than ever is actually an overstatement.
The city of Denver is technically not at its peak, based on the latest data we have.
"We're less dense today than we were in 1950," David Gasper said.
He would know. He's the principle city planner in Denver.
"The Denver region has grown, especially the suburbs has taken on a lot of that population," he says.
Just look at the maps comparing the population density in 1950 and 2014.
Back in 1950 in Denver, there were nearly 10 people per acre, in what "Denver" was then. In 2014, that number was more like 9. The city limits have grown by almost 100 square miles in between those dates.
So why does it seem so jam packed? Maybe the answer lies in your search for a parking space.
"There were about 3 people for every car in Denver back in 1950 and today its closer to a one-to-one ratio," Gasper said.
And 1950 was the end of the street car era in Denver. You didn't need a car to get from point A to point B in the city, which brings us to the reason for all these maps in the first place.
The city is trying to plan for the future.
"If we are going to continue to see growth within Denver, and central city Denver in particular, we're going to need to think about transit options," Gasper said.
