Construction on Denver’s first bus rapid transit line will begin on Colfax Avenue next month, after Denver City Council approved an approximately $197 million construction contract Monday with Kraemer North America LLC to build the project.
The first construction phase will stretch from the intersection of Broadway and Colfax, near Civic Center Park, for just more than a mile eastward to Williams Street.
Once finished, around 2027, Colfax Avenue between downtown Denver and Aurora will be transformed from a car-centric commercial corridor to a street betting big on public transit, with the hope that increased ridership will follow.
The project will drop a lane of car traffic to build bus rapid transit—a bus only lane running in the center of the street, with dedicated bus stations throughout the route. The project will also bring widened sidewalks, new trees and improved pedestrian crossings and lighting.
Funding comes from a mix of federal and local money.
The plan has been in the works for over a decade.
Now that the groundbreaking is nearing, some city council members worry about the potential effects of the construction on businesses.
The city has $2.8 million set aside in the 2025 budget for businesses struggling due to construction projects, mostly along the 16th Street Mall and Colfax Avenue.
But council member Amanda Sawyer said it’s not enough—she wants an additional $1.1 million.
Sawyer emphasized that the money isn’t just important for supporting local business owners. Thriving local businesses bring in sales tax, which Denver relies on to help run the city more broadly—and which has been softening in the past year.
“This is the one request I am making,” she said Monday. “We are in a tight budget next year, we have to fund these businesses appropriately.”
Sawyer said she has asked the mayor’s office to increase funding for Colfax businesses in the 2025 budget. If that doesn’t happen, she said she plans to bring a budget amendment through city council.
“This is a hill I’m going to die on,” she said. “Stay tuned for more.”
In a statement, Mayor Mike Johnston's office reiterated that the budget already included millions for business support, and said conversations could continue as the council considers the budget in coming months.
“Mayor Johnston is committed to supporting the local businesses that make Denver so vibrant," wrote spokesperson Jordan Fuja. "As we continue the budget process, we will work closely with Council and city agencies to ensure these businesses have the support they need to thrive in our city.”
Construction will wrap up in late 2027.
Here’s the timeline for the project:
- Broadway to Williams Street from late 2024 to late 2025
- Williams Street to Monroe Street from early 2025 to early 2026
- Monroe Street to Niagara Street from late 2025 to late 2026
- Yosemite Street to I-225 from late 2025 to late 2026
- Niagara Street to Yosemite St. from early 2026 to mid-2027
Plans for BRT on Colorado Boulevard and Federal Boulevard are also in the works.
