Brenden Morgan, Director, Treasury
Regional Transportation District
Regional Transportation District
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Colfax Avenue, one of the area’s most historic streets, is a key east-west transportation route and the backbone of a thriving and diverse community. With significant population and business growth expected in the coming years, now is the time to reimagine the Colfax experience with a focus on moving people more efficiently, safely and sustainably along the corridor.
In 2008, the City and County of Denver’s Strategic Transportation Plan identified the need to move people more efficiently within the City to improve traffic flow and rider and pedestrian safety. Because demand for RTD’s 15/15L bus service along Colfax is higher than all other RTD routes, the City selected the East Colfax Corridor to explore new transit approaches.
A Streetcar Feasibility Study was conducted in 2010, followed by a more detailed 2012 analysis of current and future needs along the Colfax corridor. In 2018, following six years of outreach and community input, 75% of the public recommended center-running bus rapid transit (BRT) as the preferred design alternative. The design process and environmental review began in late 2020 and was completed in 2024. Construction on the project began in October 2024.
After years of studying East Colfax Avenue and gathering significant community input, the City and County of Denver advanced a center-running bus rapid transit (BRT) service from Broadway to Yosemite with a dedicated transit lane in each direction. The project includes new and enhanced transit stations, service amenities, improved pedestrian and bike connections, and placemaking opportunities. West of Civic Center Station to Denver Union Station, BRT will operate in the side-running transit lanes along 15th and 17th Streets. East of Yosemite to I-225, BRT will be side-running in mixed flow traffic with potential enhanced stations that will be coordinated with the City of Aurora.
Upon implementation, the project will provide more reliable and frequent bus service, arriving every 4.3 minutes during the day, reduce transit travel time by 15 to 30 minutes, provide more affordable and reliable access to over 250,000 jobs and community services along the corridor, enhance comfort and safety, and create exciting streetscape, placemaking and economic development opportunities.
On July 29, 2024, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced it apportioned an additional $23M in Fixed Guideway Capital Investment Grants for East Colfax BRT, bringing the total federal allocation to $150M. This exciting news represents a significant milestone toward construction and helps to secure the project schedule.
Denver secured $55M in funds for the East Colfax Avenue BRT through the Elevate Denver Bond Program, which voters passed in 2017. The project leveraged Elevate Denver Bond funding, along with funds from DRCOG and other local sources, to secure federal grant funds to achieve the full vision for the East Colfax Avenue BRT.
Voters also approved $20M for pedestrian improvements on Colfax Avenue in the Elevate Denver Bond program. These funds will provide new streetscape enhancements such as furniture, trees and lighting in certain business improvement districts (BID).
Denver also applied CIP dollars to make near-term safety improvements at 12 intersections along East Colfax, including Grant, Logan, Pearl, Washington, Clarkson, Lafayette, High, Adams, Hudson, Krameria, Monaco and Uinta. Improvements included the addition of paint, bollards and signage to enhance vehicle visibility and pedestrian safety.
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