Barnes Dance

The free-for-all crossing system promptly became known as the Barnes Dance.

No More Dancing in Denver's Streets Stephanie Simon 2011

We're talking about the Barnes Dance, aka the "pedestrian scramble," the ability to cross diagonally across 45 of the intersections downtown, since traffic stops in all directions to allow walkers free reign across the blacktop.

The Denver Diatribe: The Last Waltz for Denver's Celebrated "Barnes Dance"? The Denver Diatribe 2011

But an $800,000 overhaul of downtown Denver's traffic lights has touched off a bout of nostalgia here, as the city does away with a quirky street-crossing tradition known as the Barnes Dance.

No More Dancing in Denver's Streets Stephanie Simon 2011

We're talking about the Barnes Dance, aka the "pedestrian scramble," the ability to cross diagonally across 45 of the intersections downtown, since traffic stops in all directions to allow walkers free reign across the blacktop.

The Denver Diatribe: The Last Waltz for Denver's Celebrated "Barnes Dance"? The Denver Diatribe 2011

It's called a Barnes Dance, for Henry Barnes, the traffic engineer who championed the technique, which others know as the pedestrian scramble.

Modified Barnes Dance crossing gets a spin in the District 2010

This style of crossing is called a Barnes Dance, after Henry A. Barnes, the traffic commissioner who made it popular back in the middle of the 20th century by using it in Denver.

Barnes Dance starts Wednesday 2010

It's called a Barnes Dance, for Henry Barnes, the traffic engineer who championed the technique, which others know as the pedestrian scramble.

New way to walk in D.C. 2010

Barnes Dance, aka the "pedestrian scramble," the ability to cross diagonally across 45 of the intersections downtown, since traffic stops in all directions to allow walkers free reign across the blacktop.

The Full Feed from HuffingtonPost.com The Denver Diatribe 2011

The resurrection of the "Barnes Dance" method of pedestrian crossing at 7th and H streets NW after a decades-long hiatus was a throwback, but now a group of people is mobilizing on Facebook to wind back the wacky time machine even further: They're planning to turn the Barnes Dance into a barn dance tonight at 7p.m. -- replete with cowboy boots, "overalls, plaid and straw hats."

Hoedown at Barnes Dance tonight? 2010

With all the turns at Wisconsin and M, the kind of Barnes Dance at Seventh and H wouldn't work, and the traditional kind might not be improve conditions for pedestrians.

Don't start dancing yet, Georgetown 2010