This weekend Denver Water launches a massive project, replacing old pipes on a five-mile stretch of East Colfax Avenue, to get ready for the installation of the Bus Rapid Transit lanes.
That's the transit project that will bring fast bus service up and down Colfax led by the Denver Department of Transportation and Infrastructure, with RTD, the Colorado Department of Transportation, the Federal Transit Authority and the City of Aurora.
The pipe-replacement project starts at Colfax Avenue, between Broadway and Sherman Street this Saturday. By 2024, the pipe should be replaced all the way to Yosemite Street.
"On Monday, June 5, crews will begin work on East Colfax Avenue between Broadway and Yosemite Street, working in two- to three-block segments at a time," according to a statement from Denver Water. "The entire project should be complete by the end of 2024."
While the first step of the work's slated to be finished between early Saturday morning and 7 p.m. that night, there's a chance it could continue into Sunday, coinciding with another big Broadway shutdown.
That's ¡Viva! Streets Denver, the event where a stretch of Welton Street and Broadway will be closed to car traffic, so bikers, pedestrians, skaters, scooter riders and more can enjoy what Denver could be like without automobiles.
Joshua Schneider, a spokesperson for the Downtown Denver Partnership, assured Denverite that the organizers are aware of the pipework and construction shouldn't cause a headache for people enjoying the Sunday event.
"They're fixing a problem, which is great, but it should not affect ¡Viva! Streets at all," he said.
Denver Water spokesperson Jimmy Luthye said there will be barriers, signage and traffic control to keep people away from equipment and the work area.
"While we are hopeful work in the intersection will be complete by the end of the day Saturday, we have been working closely with Denver's Department of Transportation and Infrastructure and RTD to ensure our work can co-exist with Viva Streets safely while maintaining access for event participants," Luthye said in a written statement.
The Denverite crew will also be posted near the intersection of Broadway and Colfax at ¡Viva! Streets during the day, so come by, check out how the pipe replacement is going, and say hi.
While the work takes place, Colfax will be a mess.
After this weekend, the pipe project will take place Mondays through Fridays.
The work is going to disrupt bus schedules and traffic throughout the year. For more information, go to RTD's Service Alerts page.
Though traffic might be re-routed, Denver Water noted that access to homes and businesses should not be disrupted.
