Buses to zip up and down center lanes of East Colfax in $281 million project for Denver, Aurora

This is a concept drawing of a bus stop planned for the center lanes of East Colfax Avenue.Photo byCity of Denver

It is hard to imagine the amount of work it will take to tear up East Colfax Avenue and install bus lanes running up and down the center lanes from Civic Center Station to Yosemite. But that’s the plan for the $281 million project.

Bus stops will be in the center of the road and will be elevated, city staff explained. Riders will pay their fares before boarding, which makes it easier to get on with travel after a stop. Beyond Yosemite, the East Colfax Bus Rapid Transit, or BRT will continue into Aurora to Wheeling Way and the VA Medical Center, according to city staff, but with the buses running on side lanes.

It’s all part of a way to make it easier and faster to travel along the Colfax corridor. Buses will come and go from stops every four minutes and 20 seconds, city staff said. It is unknown whether that interval is a nod to Denver’s cannabis culture.

The East Colfax BRT also is intended to make getting around Denver safer. The center lanes allow pedestrians and motorists to see each other when making right turns, according to city staff.

Council approves $198 million contract

City staffers gave council members an update Tuesday on the Colfax BRT project. Construction is expected to begin in October, staff said. The Land Use, Transportation and Infrastructure Committee approved a contract Tuesday for almost $200 million with Kraemer North America Inc. for construction of the roadway, bus stops and infrastructure improvements. Construction is expected to be complete by the end of 2027, staff said.

Concerns about traffic on 14th

Several council members said they are concerned about how the BRT will divert traffic onto 13^th and 14^th. The roads already are dangerous, council member Amanda Sawyer said, and it would not be a good idea to exacerbate the situation. Jonathan Stewart said traffic studies have shown about two or three cars per minute will be added to those streets. He said that is not enough to make a noticeable difference on traffic congestion.

But Sawyer said 14^th is already dangerous, with cars careening into yards, houses, and garages. She said there are not any traffic calming measures in place and the road is built like a freeway with plenty of room to wander. She said speed is not the problem. Sawyer said water lines are being moved on Colfax in preparation of the BRT construction, and that has caused traffic to spur onto 14^th, she said. “We know what’s coming,” she said, adding a small child could be run down while playing in their front yard.

Hinds has wheelchair accessibility concerns

Council member Chris Hinds said it appeared the bus stops could be difficult for wheelchairs to navigate. Brian McLaren said the project meets ADA requirements, but Hinds said that does not mean it was done in a way accessible to all people in wheelchairs.

Millions needed to help businesses

Sawyer, council member Flor Alvidrez and Hinds all said more money needs to be made available to small businesses that will suffer traffic losses during construction. Staff said only about $1 million has been set aside for assistance, and Sawyer said more like $5 million is needed.