DENVER — If you live, work, or take the bus on Federal Boulevard, you’ll soon see big changes designed to make your daily trip safer and quicker.
The Colorado Department of Transportation has initiated an environmental review and design work for a bus rapid transit (BRT) system along an 18-mile stretch of Federal Boulevard, from Westminster to south Denver.
“Federal Boulevard is one of the busiest transit corridors in the Denver metro area. There is a lot of congestion, both with vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists,” said Tamara Rollison with CDOT.
CDOT says delays for bus riders on Federal can be as long as 90 minutes round-trip. The agency also reports that the corridor experiences a disproportionate number of pedestrian crashes.
BRT will add a dedicated curbside lane for buses, except between 20th and 50th avenues, where BRT buses would share lanes with other vehicles. Drivers would still use the curbside lane to enter and exit driveways and turn right at intersections.
The BRT will also introduce bus stations instead of stops to improve safety and shorten travel times.
“There's level boarding and multiple doors, so passengers can get in and leave the bus quicker. The buses will run more efficiently,” Rollison said.
A similar construction project is underway for East Colfax BRT. Dedicated bus lanes will run down the street center in parts of the project.
Denver7 has heard from struggling businesses on East Colfax who have seen customer traffic dry up due to BRT construction, which began in October 2024 and will finish in 2027.
Asked if CDOT learned from that project to help Federal businesses, Rollison said they are still years from starting construction.
“We certainly will do everything that we possibly can to mitigate the impacts of construction, and we will work very closely with the residents, with the businesses, with everyone along that corridor to get their input,” Rollison said.
Between now and 2027, CDOT will finalize the design for the Federal Boulevard BRT system.
Construction, testing, and commissioning will take place between 2027 and 2029.
CDOT is aiming to start Federal BRT service in 2030.
There is another opportunity to have your voice heard at an open house event CDOT is hosting Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Westwood Community Center, located at 1000 S. Lowell Boulevard.
