Colorado Boulevard Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) is a high-capacity, efficient bus service that incorporates elements of light rail. These include enhanced stations with ramps and platforms, all-door boarding, purchasing tickets before riding and, in some locations, dedicated bus lanes. BRT achieves high-quality service because it minimizes delays, such as making frequent stops and getting stuck in traffic at intersections. It combines the capacity and efficiency of a light rail with the flexibility, cost and simplicity of a bus system.

To meet the Colorado Department of Transportation’s commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, CDOT is building BRT on major arterials in the Denver metro area, including plans to improve travel along Colorado Boulevard with attractive and reliable BRT service. New BRT routes in Denver will enhance transportation options on state highways and improve connections to the region's passenger rail system. BRT will improve transit for existing riders and add high-quality service for new ones.

CDOT, in collaboration with the Regional Transportation District (RTD), the City and County of Denver, Arapahoe County and the City of Glendale, is working on a planning study (also known as an Alternatives Analysis) to improve travel on parts of Colorado Boulevard through BRT service in the area between I-70 and the Southmoor transit station south of Hampden Avenue. The project is a part of CDOT’s 2045 Statewide Transportation Plan and will also ensure that there is an ADA-compliant network of contiguous sidewalks to optimize connectivity and accessibility for all modes of travel and eventual integration with RTD.

• 2023 to 2024 - Initial corridor plan
• 2024 to 2026 - Alternatives Analysis and environmental evaluation
• 2026 to 2028 - Final design
• 2028 to 2030 - Construction and testing
• 2030 - Service begins

The Colorado BRT project is anticipated to be funded by a mix of federal, state and local dollars. The project has a significant commitment from the State of Colorado, through CDOT’s 10-year plan, which intends for $170 million to be invested on Federal and Colorado boulevards. The funding plan will be more detailed once project team has determined the project costs.

Colorado Boulevard is a major roadway and state highway in the Denver metropolitan area, acting as a central arterial for connecting various modes of travel at the local and regional levels. It is a nexus for connectivity, linking trails, transit lines, interstates, and other key routes. However, Colorado Boulevard can be a difficult street to travel on and across for all modes of travel.

Colorado Boulevard is one of RTD’s highest ridership bus routes, with approximately 3,000 riders per day. Buses on the corridor currently experience significant delays, resulting in long travel times.

Colorado Boulevard is also part of Denver’s high-injury network. Between 2018 and 2022, 117 crashes resulted in a death or serious injury along this corridor. Colorado Boulevard has limited infrastructure for pedestrians, including 1 mile of missing sidewalks, 4 miles of non-ADA compliant sidewalks, and many bus stops that lack passenger amenities. Additional existing challenges include:

• Active transportation infrastructure on Colorado Boulevard is discontinuous and inconsistent.
• Being a pedestrian on Colorado Boulevard, such as traveling on sidewalks and crossing the street, can be a high-stress experience.
• While Colorado Boulevard is an auto-dominated environment, the corridor is traveled by people using various modes, not only motor vehicles.

The Colorado Boulevard BRT Project aims to deliver reliable, convenient, and attractive bus rapid transit service. Project priorities include improved safety, air quality, transit reliability, faster travel times, enhanced rider experience, and connectivity to other routes and services.

With the implementation of the Colorado Boulevard BRT Project, CDOT is anticipating significant growth in transit ridership in the corridor. Providing a high-quality and affordable service for people who rely on and/or choose to use transit will improve travel options for Coloradoans, support CDOT in reaching greenhouse gas reduction targets, result in economic returns for the local jurisdictions along the corridor and improve safety in this high-injury corridor.

As the owner of the project, CDOT will work to minimize impacts to businesses during construction. Regular communication will be maintained with the contractor and construction team to ensure access to businesses remains open during operating hours. Any necessary changes to access will be communicated in advance to individual business owners and to the public.

Depending on the location within the corridor, the lane configuration could be a mixture of center, side or mixed-use lanes. Due to the differences across the north and southern ends of the corridors, a combination approach for the lane configuration would be considered, while also weighing the impacts and benefits for each option, and factoring in public input throughout the course of the project. CDOT and the project team are currently assessing different BRT configurations, also known as alternatives.

During the creation of project alternatives, each BRT option that is developed will have design features such as improved sidewalks, lane configurations, crosswalks and traffic signal timing to increase the safety and comfort of people traveling on Colorado Boulevard. Existing roadway conditions and ridership projections are also considered with each alternatives analysis. In addition, bike and pedestrian facilities along and connecting to Colorado Boulevard will be considered to enhance access to the BRT for transit riders.

The Colorado Boulevard BRT project is first and foremost a transit project, however multimodal connections are critical to the success of the project. Bike facilities— including above the curb bike lanes, multi-use paths, improved and/or new sidewalks, and connections to existing bike facilities off Colorado Boulevard— are under consideration.

Connections to the existing transit network is a key driver for this BRT project. Currently, both project termini connect directly to RTD stations that serve existing bus routes and rail to the rest of the RTD service area. Additionally, connecting to future BRT routes, such as the East Colfax BRT, is a priority for this new service. Another key aspect to improving transit connections is the amount of time is takes to make the connection. This new BRT service is planned to operate with high frequencies during the peak periods. This high-frequency service will allow for faster, more reliable connections to the rest of the RTD transit network.