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Welcome!
The City and County of Denver’s Department of Transportation & Infrastructure is ready to advance the Buchtel Complete Street and Evans Intersection Improvements project forward into the final design phase.
This is a self-guided online meeting for you to learn about the final design refinements.
We’re developing transportation safety and mobility projects to improve streets and the quality of life for residents, visitors, and businesses to ensure everyone is safe no matter how you get around.
If you participated in the spring 2022 virtual public meeting, welcome back! If you’re new, welcome aboard! We’re excited to share the progress we’ve made and to check in with you to ensure we’re on the right track.
As you navigate through the online meeting, you're invited to provide input on the final design refinements for the project area.
First, tell us about you!
The following information will help us make sure we are reaching people most impacted by the project.
History
Citywide Planning
- Denver Moves Plans, Complete Streets Guidelines and Blueprint Denver (2012 – 2019)
- Identified Buchtel as priority bicycle corridor and other corridors as mixed-use arterials or main streets
Area Planning
- Multi-Station Plan and Mobility & Next Steps Study (2017)
- Established concepts to improve safety along Buchtel and at major intersections
Elevate Denver Bond Package
- Voter approved funding for transportation improvements citywide (2017)
- Provides $8.4 million toward the improvements identified in the Multi-Station Plan
What We Heard
Denver has heard from community members during past studies, including Denver Moves and the 2017 University/Colorado Multi-Station Plan and Mobility Study, that you want better connections to the University Station and Colorado Station Areas, and that we should prioritize improving safety.
The Buchtel & Colorado Boulevard Intersection Improvements were approved by Denver voters as part of the Elevate Denver Bond. This safety and mobility project will follow the recommendations from these earlier studies to improve streets and the quality of life for residents, visitors, and businesses to ensure everyone is safe no matter how you get around.
Initial Studies
Multi-Station Plan & Mobility Study: University and Colorado Light Rail Stations
The purpose of the Multi-Station Plan & Mobility Study was to identify a cohesive strategy and key implementable actions to increase local connectivity, access and mobility to the University and Colorado light rail stations, resulting in more vibrant people-friendly stations integral to the surrounding communities.
Project Overview
The following map highlights the suite of projects included in the University Neighborhoods Safer Streets Program. The Buchtel Complete Street and Evans Intersection project is part of a larger transportation planning and design effort under the University Neighborhoods Safer Streets Program.
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Project Improvements
Building upon previous planning efforts and initial design concepts, the following project improvements are included in the final design refinements as part of the Elevate Bond project.
Intersection Improvements
Improvements at major intersections are focused on making pedestrian and bicycle travel more safe, comfortable, and convenient while also exploring ways to make auto travel safer and more efficient.
Bicycle Facility Improvements
On a street like Buchtel, cyclists need protection from the higher volume and higher speed auto traffic. Concrete curbs will be installed as added protection in the buffer area between the bike lane and auto lane.
Street Signage and Lane Markings
Updated traffic signing, way finding, and pavement markings throughout based on the Denver’s latest guidelines for pedestrian and bicycling facilities.
Bicycle and Pedestrian Crossing Improvements
Crossing Buchtel can prove challenging with the higher levels of traffic and speeds. Providing safer crossings through the installation of crosswalks at Cook and Fillmore and Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFBs) will be used to supplement warning signs at mid-block crosswalks at Columbine and Monroe. The RRFBs alert motorists that pedestrians are using the crosswalk. Studies have shown that RRFBs significantly increase driver yielding behavior.
Pedestrian Facility Improvements
Pedestrian facilities will be improved along the corridor, including new detached sidewalks consistent with Denver's Complete Streets Guidelines. A proposed detached sidewalk will be installed between University Boulevard and St. Paul and a pedestrian refuge island will be installed at Colorado Boulevard and Evans Avenue.
Traffic Signal Improvements
Improvements are proposed at signalized intersections: Buchtel & University, Buchtel & St. Paul, and Buchtel & Colorado, Evans & University, and Evans & Colorado.
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Buchtel Complete Street (University Blvd to Colorado Blvd)
Complete Streets are streets for everyone. They are designed and operated to prioritize safety, comfort, and access to destinations for all people who use the street. Complete Streets make it easy to cross the street, walk to shops, jobs, and schools, bicycle to work, and move actively with assistive devices. They allow buses to run on time and make it safe for people to walk or move actively to and from train stations.
This makes the street network better and safer for people walking, biking, driving, riding transit, and moving actively — making your neighborhood connectivity a better place to live.
Final Design Refinements
How did we get here?
We’ve used community and stakeholder sentiment from 2017 to 2023 to identify bicycle facility improvements, safer intersections, safer crossing treatments, and improved signage, and lane markings for the Buchtel Complete Street and Evans Intersection Improvement project locations. The final design refinements you will be reviewing today have been drafted for the community to provide input to the final design.
Click on each tab below to view the design refinements and submit your thoughts.
Buchtel and University Intersection
Changes coming to the intersection include:
- Reconfigured right turn lanes with raised pedestrian crossings to slow traffic
- Updated bike lane conflict markings to warn drivers to look for bicyclists
- Concrete curb protected bike lane to separate bicycles and motorized vehicles
- Buchtel Blvd will be reduced from two lanes to one lane to provide space for bike lane protection
- Sidewalk curb extensions at the northeast and southwest corners to shorten pedestrian crossing distances for safe crossing
- Double left turn lanes reduced to one turn lane off Buchtel Blvd to provide concrete median refuges at crosswalks on Buchtel Blvd
- Traffic signal replacement with added bike specific signals
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Buchtel and St.Paul
Changes coming to the intersection include:
- Improved ADA compliant pedestrian ramps provided at all four corners
- Crosswalk added to east leg of the intersection
- Bike conflict markings through the intersection to warn drivers to look for bicyclists
- Concrete curb protected bike lane on Buchtel Blvd.
- Intersection bike lane approach and receiving lanes on St Paul
- Traffic signal replacement
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Buchtel and Monroe Intersection
Changes coming to the intersection include:
- Monroe Street south leg is narrowed to shorten pedestrian crossing distance for safe crossing
- Crosswalks added to all four legs of the intersection
- Bike conflict markings through the intersection to warn drivers to look for bicyclists
- Concrete curb protected bike lane on Buchtel Blvd.
- Concrete median refuge with pedestrian push button operated flashing beacon added to east leg of the intersection
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Buchtel and Colorado Intersection
Changes coming to the intersection include:
- Buchtel Blvd to Colorado Center Dr will be reduced from two lanes to one lane to provide space for bike lane protection
- Double left turn lanes reduced to one turn lane to provide bike lane protection from westbound Colorado Center Dr to Colorado Blvd
- Double left turn lanes reduced to one turn lane to provide bike lane protection from southbound Colorado Blvd to Colorado Center Dr
- Updated bike lane conflict markings to warn drivers to look for bicyclists
- Concrete curb protected bike lane to separate bicycles and motorized vehicles on Buchtel Blvd and Colorado Center Dr
- Sidewalk curb extension at the northeast corner to shorten pedestrian crossing distance for safer crossings
- South leg crosswalk realigned with added concrete median pedestrian refuge
- Traffic signal replacement with added bike specific signals
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Colorado Center Drive at Colorado Light Rail Station
Changes coming to the intersection include:
- Two through lanes reduced to one lane to add bike lanes
- Concrete curb protected bike lane and lane buffers added to bike lanes where possible
- Bike lane conflict markings added through driveways and along bus station bays
- Concrete median pedestrian refuge added to crosswalk
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Colorado Center Drive and Birch Street at Colorado Station
Changes coming to the intersection include:
- Intersection converted to a 3-way stop (currently, only northbound Birch Street has a stop sign)
- Eastbound bike lane added with bike protection due to high vehicle volumes
- Westbound bike treatment is a shared facility due to lack of space and lower vehicle volumes
- Removal of dedicated right turn lane on south leg and added sidewalk curb extension to shorten crossing distance
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Evans and Colorado Intersection
Changes coming to the intersection include:
- Concrete median pedestrian refuges added on all four legs
- Concrete sidewalk curb extensions added to the northwest and northeast corners to shorten crossing distances
- ADA compliant pedestrian ramps provided at all corners
- Traffic signal replacement
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Evans and University Intersection
Changes coming to the intersection include:
- On street parking removed with lane shifts on University Blvd to provide a dedicated signal controlled southbound right turn lane. This eliminates pedestrian crossing conflicts on the west leg as vehicles will only be allowed to turn on a green arrow.
- Concrete sidewalk curb extensions added to the northwest, southwest and southeast corners to shorten crossing distances
- Sidewalk curb extension at the northwest corner provides space for a larger transit stop and increased sidewalk width
- ADA compliant pedestrian ramps provided at all corners
- Traffic signal replacement
Are We on the Right Track?
Please let us know your thoughts on the design refinements.
Environmental
NEPA
As part of the NEPA process, the project team will be evaluating the following resources as part of the Programmatic Categorical Exclusion:
- Air Quality
- Noise
- Hazardous Materials
- Biological Resource and Threatened and Endangered Species
- Wetlands
- Historic Resources
- Recreational Resources
What is NEPA?
The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires federal agencies to assess the environmental effects of their proposed actions prior to making decisions.
What is a Categorical Exclusion?
A Categorical Exclusion (CE) is the most common NEPA class of action and are federal actions that do not individually or cumulatively have a significant environmental impact.
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Historic Resources
Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 requires federal agencies to evaluate the effects of their undertakings on historic properties. The Project Team will complete Section 106 consultation for historic properties within the Area of Potential Effects (APE). The APE is the geographic area or areas within which an undertaking may directly or indirectly cause alterations in the character or use of historic properties.
Recreational Resources
The Project Team will be looking at the following recreational resources to evaluate impacts:
- Prairie Park
- Historic Buchtel Boulevard Trail
- Bicycle Facilities
Recreational resource may be eligible for protection under Section 4(f).
What is Section 4(f)?
Section 4(f) of the US DOT Act of 1966 declares that it is the policy of the United States Government that special effort should be made to preserve the natural beauty of the countryside and public park and recreation lands, and historic sites.
What’s next?
The City will be moving forward with this project over the next couple years in the following ways:
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2023
Final Design
Among other items, final design will address:
- Refinements to the preliminary design to improve the overall function and safety of the improvements
- Additional detail on proposed green infrastructure elements including stormwater management and enhanced landscaping and tree canopy
- Selection of materials
Stakeholder and public engagement will continue during this phase of the project.
Late 2023 - 2025
Advancing to construction
- The most important aspects of the project as determined through technical analysis and through stakeholder and public feedback will likely be constructed first.
- We have funding for improvements with substantial pedestrian and bicycle facility enhancements.
- Stakeholder and public engagement will continue during this phase to minimize construction impacts to the traveling public and local residents and businesses.
Analyzing feedback
The City and County of Denver will analyze the feedback collected from this online meeting to improve the final design refinements.
Stay Involved
Learn More
Visit the project website
Learn more about the University Neighborhood Projects
University Neighborhoods Safer Streets
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