DENVER — Brendan from Denver writes, “Any chance you can help with contacting someone regarding the condition of Alameda Ave between Federal and Lipan? I’ve tried for years to get the city to look into fixing the road and I get told, oh it’s a Colorado Highway then they say no that’s City of Denver. All I’m asking is someone drive down the right east bound lane and convince me it doesn’t need to be repaired. The school zone is probably the worst area. Any help would be amazing.”
I did just that, Brendan. I drove that section of Alameda, and I was surprised about how bad it really is. That right lane on the eastbound side is in terrible shape, and that is putting it mildly. I wouldn't doubt that you and other drivers have experienced damage to your wheels or tires from this stretch of roadway. What I think is the culprit is the constant water erosion and freeze-thaw cycle that happens near the school zone. The shade from the trees and buildings create nearly constant ice and snow during the winter, leading to road degradation and damage. The constant pounding of traffic makes the situation worse.
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Alameda Avenue right here is in a unique shared jurisdiction between the City of Denver and the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT). Denver oversees the maintenance of that section of Alameda including patching and filling potholes, street sweeping and other emergency repairs. Beyond these emergency repairs or general maintenance, repaving work and major rebuilding falls under CDOT’s purview because this part of Alameda doubles as State Highway 26. This portion of Highway 26 only runs for about 3 miles between Sheridan Boulevard and Kalamath Street. It used to be much longer, going to Morrison and beyond but the highway has been cut up with operational control going back to the local municipalities.
As for the long term plans to rebuild this section of Alameda, CDOT told me it will happen, eventually. CDOT wants to replace the concrete panels as well as add enhancements for safety and access including ADA ramps, install new medians and addressing some of the sidewalk gaps where they don’t exist.
Public engagement and outreach for the coming project is planned for later this year with construction starting in 2027 if all goes as planned.
In the meantime, the city said residents are encouraged to call Denver’s 311 number to report potholes and they will address those the best they can with their maintenance and repair crews. In fact, Brendan did just that and the city responded, saying crews came out and filled holes eastbound between Clay and Raritan. The city added to the response, saying that permanent repairs need to be made and will be next year.
The City of Denver told me given the terrible condition of this stretch of Alameda, the patching work is more of a temporary fix than a real solution. The city hopes the upcoming CDOT project will address the underlying roadway conditions and Alameda will be a much smoother ride for a long time.
Denver7 Traffic Expert Jayson Luber says he has been covering Denver-metro traffic since Ben-Hur was driving a chariot. (We believe the actual number is over 25 years.) He's obsessed with letting viewers know what's happening on their drive and the best way to avoid the problems that spring up. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram or listen to his award winning Driving You Crazy podcast on any podcast app including iTunes, iHeartRadio, Spotify, Podbean, or YouTube.
WHAT'S DRIVING YOU CRAZY? DENVER7'S JAYSON LUBER ANSWERS YOUR QUESTIONS.
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When it snows, should you put your wipers up or leave them down?
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What happens to all of that salt when the snow melts and runs off the roads?
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Could you please explain the difference between speed bumps and speed humps?
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What value does the traction law have if it is never enforced?
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What are the rules for oversized vehicles that can sometimes take up two lanes?
