Transportion and Transit « Federal Boulevard Partnership

Transportion and Transit

Partnership Takes Position on Interchange Report

Friday, January 11th, 2013

Half Cloverleaf - one of the design alternatives in the Report

In fall of 2012 Denver Planning released a draft of the Colfax Federal Interchange Alternatives report (Report). The report provides four interchange alternatives (design approaches) to replace the existing cloverleaf. The Partnership has long advocated for the removal of the cloverleaf. It does not provide safe pedestrian access along Federal and is wasteful of property utilizing 29 acres, which could be better utilized as developable land and contributing open space. Plus, there is a big uncomfortable gorilla sitting on top of the cloverleaf – a brand new gleaming Federal bridge recently completed by the Colorado Department of Highways. This multi-million dollar investment is probably not going anywhere soon – though it is hard to stomach that the bridge could mandate the future of our community for the next 30 years. Any future interchange redesign/reconstruction must contend with this reality.

At the fall public membership meeting of the Partnership November 15, Denver Planning and the consultant team on the project presented the Report. After the meeting, the Partnership board met and discussed the Report during two board meetings. From the meetings a position letter was drafted and provided to Denver Planning, City Council representatives and surrounding community organizations. As reflected in the position letter the Partnership supports several of the recommendations of the Report. There are two primary concerns. (more…)

Dollars for Federal Boulevard Reconstruction?

Friday, October 28th, 2011

At an October 26 public meeting about engineering design improvements planned for Federal Boulevard between W. 5th Avenue and Howard Place (14th Avenue), Denver Public Works announced plans to apply for grant funds from the Department of Transportation TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) program. If awarded, the funds provide the dollars to construct significant improvements as presented in draft form at the public meeting. It is believed the total project cost is approximately $20 million.

Improvements presented at the meeting include widening Federal allowing the construction of a third northbound lane, adding 16′ raised center medians, reconfiguration of certain key intersections, new curb and gutter, drainage improvements and wider sidewalks. The project requires the purchase of additional right-of-way along most of the east side of Federal, which depending on the property may involve the purchase several feet of property or the entire property.

Probably the biggest design concerned involved the lack of pedestrian separation from the roadway, as well as the lack of landscaping along both the east and west sides of Federal..

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One Year of Federal Route 31 as a Crosstown Bus

Tuesday, August 23rd, 2011

Hand painted tiles by children of Cheltenham Elementary for a windscreen at the Colfax/Federal transfer station.

In late August 2010, a major change was implemented by the Regional Transportation District (RTD) changing the Federal Bus Route 31 to a crosstown route. This was a change the Partnership began advocating for a year before. After living with the change for over a year, the Partnership is questioning whether the new configuration works for the north Federal corridor and Northwest Denver residents.

As a crosstown route, the Federal 31 bus now traverses Federal north and south, without a downtown destination. If a Route 31 passenger desires to go downtown, there are two options including a transfer to a bus that crosses the 31 route (examples include 9, 16, 28, 32, 38, 44 and can also include use of the Colfax/Federal transfer station) or originating the trip by catching one of the downtown buses.

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