Day to day, Colfax Avenue might look the same as it has always looked: fast lanes of traffic, long-time dive bars and motels, a mix of abandoned buildings and trendy new spots.
But over the next few years, the iconic Denver street will undergo a massive transformation. One lane of car traffic in each direction will become a dedicated bus rapid transit lane — a new and improved bus corridor with flashy new stations running from downtown to Aurora.
Funded through a mix of federal and local money, the nearly $300 million construction project finally has a start date: October of this year.
The city was hoping to speed up the timeline and complete the project in 2026, but a new timeline from contractor Kraemer, N.A., Inc. puts the completion date in late 2027. On Tuesday, City Council's Land Use, Transportation and Infrastructure committee heard initial contract plans for the more-than $197 million construction contract with the company.
That means Denverites can expect construction disruptions along segments of Colfax Ave. for years starting this fall. Here’s the current timeline:
- Broadway to Williams St. from late 2024 to late 2025
- Williams St. to Monroe St. from early 2025 to early 2026
- Monroe St. to Niagara St. from late 2025 to late 2026
- Yosemite St. to I-225 from late 2025 to late 2026
- Niagara St. to Yosemite St. from early 2026 to mid-2027
City Councilmembers said they've heard from residents worried about diverted traffic onto the nearby 13th, 14th, 16th and 17th Avenues. They're also worried about how construction will affect small businesses. There are dedicated funds to support impacted businesses, but some worry it's not enough.
“I am really concerned … $1 million is not enough,” said City Councilmember Amanda Sawyer. “If I have to move a budget amendment to get that done then I will.”
The full City Council will vote on the construction contract in the next few weeks.
