April 11, 2023 Update:

Denver’s Department of Transportation and Infrastructure presented updates on the I-25/Broadway project to their Advisory Board at their April meeting.

February 14, 2023 Update:

Project Recap (updated February 2023)

In early September 2022, Lincoln/Broadway Corridor RNO (LBCRNO) and West Washington Park Neighborhood Association (WWPNA) submitted position letters to the Denver Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI) summarizing the connectivity and housing issues residents were concerned about with the I-25/Broadway Interchange Project. The efforts of gained support throughout the city – other organizations (including, Baker Historic Neighborhood Association, Greater Denver Transit, Mayor's Pedestrian Advisory Committee) also sent letters to DOTI supporting the position of LBCRNO and WWPNA. 

In mid December 2022 we released a Petition to Pause and Redesign the I-25/Broadway Interchange Project. In just 70 days, 848 people signed the petition!

At the end of December, DOTI invited community leaders to discuss the project. This week, after nearly two years of advocacy, LBCRNO and WWPNA received some good news regarding the I-25/Broadway Interchange project: The department released a statement addressing the concerns and listed the ways they will be improving the project for people on foot and/or using a mobility device.

“We are thankful to DOTI for reaching out to us to work together with the neighborhoods on this project that will affect the city for decades to come. While we still have questions about the specifics, the DOTI project team is actively listening, collaborating, and working with us to improve the project,” said Amy Kenreich (WWPNA President) and Brittany Spinner (LBCRNO Vice President).

One of the biggest revelations in the press release issued by DOTI is that they are exploring the possibility of abandoning the rebuild of the I-25 Northbound onramp at the 800 block of S. Lincoln Street. The surrounding neighborhoods are still working with DOTI to refine the designs to create a safer, better connected and more environmentally sustainable future for our city. Later this spring DOTI will develop more detailed drawings of the project and we’ll be sure to post those for you to review.

I-25/Broadway Interchange Project History

Neighbors of West Washington Park were upset because the design from 2008 would:

Displace households: Nine homes will be demolished to make way for a new northbound highway ramp. The reason for the new highway ramp is so that drivers can travel 3 miles per hour faster.

Induce traffic and create more pollution: The planning for this car-centric highway project began 20 years ago. We now know that “If you build it, the cars (and pollution) will come.”

Cut off neighbors from a transit station: Neighbors in West Washington Park will need to cross 4 highway ramps and 19 lanes of fast-moving traffic to reach the transit station just 0.3 miles away.

Cost taxpayers a lot of money: The City of Denver sold this as a “multi-modal" and “first/last mile connection” project and received federal money for this project. Denver is spending $19 million (1) to design and construct this project. That includes $3.5 million (2) in 2023 — more than double the amount they are spending on Safe Routes to School for the entire city during the same time period.

(1) Financial Commitment for the I-25 /Broadway project in the 2020-2030 TIP
(2) See pg 752 of Denver’s Budget

Neighbors asked for basic dignity for those walking or rolling to Broadway Station.

In April 2022 at our Annual Meeting, representatives from Denver presented this project to members. After 1.5+ hours of presentation and questions, there was no positive feedback about this project. Neighbors questioned why highway drivers are being prioritized and why they have to walk a zig-zag route to reach the transit station.

In the Spring and Summer of 2022, WWPNA conducted walking tours of the area and continued to collect more feedback from neighbors via a survey sent to members. We also published project updates in each of our print newsletters in 2022.

Letters from 3 neighborhoods, 2 community groups and a Denver City Councilperson.

On September 1, 2022, based on extensive outreach, WWPNA sent a letter to the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), Denver Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).

Position Letter: Lincoln/Broadway Corridor RNO

Position Letter: West Wash Park Neighborhood Organization

Position Letter: Baker Neighborhood Association

Addendum: Signed by Lincoln/Broadway Corridor RNO and West Wash Park Neighborhood Association

Greater Denver Transit sent this letter to DOTI.

In December 2022, Denver City Councilwoman Debbie Ortega sent this letter to DOTI.

The Mayor’s Pedestrian Advisory Committee sent a letter to DOTI in January 2023. Email president@wwpna.org for the link to this letter.

Media

January 2023 Univision: Residents concerned about project on I-25 // Residentes preocupados por proyecto en la I-25

January 2023 Denverite: Denver wants to speed up traffic at I-25 and Broadway. Neighbors say it’ll come at the cost of safety

January 2023 Channel 7: Neighbors want DOTI to address concerns with I-25, South Broadway improvement project

December 2022 Westword: When the Rubber Meets the Road, Will Community Voices Matter? By Ean Tafoya

April 2022 Denverite: Six Homes on a Tiny Wash Park West Block May be Demolished for the Sake of… .

I-25 / Broadway / Lincoln Interchange Project Background

Plans for this highway project began almost 20 years ago when a Transit Oriented Development at the old Gates Rubber Factory at Mississippi and Broadway triggered an Environmental Assessment, or EA. This assessment is required by the EPA to determine how agencies are going to mitigate the effects of new development bringing more people to the area. 

The EA outlines a Preferred Alternative that was finalized in 2008. The project is broken into multiple phases and construction on Phase 2 will begin in early 2023. The plan includes adding traffic signals, sidewalks, a new southbound highway ramp, a reconstruction of the northbound ramp and widening Broadway and Ohio to accommodate vehicles traveling to the area. It also proposes removing 9 homes on the 800 block of Lincoln to enable drivers to travel faster.

During the tour, neighbors asked some great questions. We have compiled those, along with the questions asked during our April Annual Meeting on our website to help neighbors understand how we got here. The web page also has links to the documents mentioned in this article and some other helpful resources for those who wish to voice their opinion to decision makers at the city, state and regional level.

In addition, WWPNA has developed a survey to find out what neighbors value and if their needs are being met with the design of the project. Please let us know what you'd like to see so that we may advocate for solutions that meet your travel needs and your expectations for environmental pollution mitigation.

On May 21, 2022 more than 40 neighbors from West Washington Park, Baker and Lincoln Street Community gathered for a tour of the I-25/Broadway/Lincoln Interchange Project. 

Check out Lincoln Street Community’s recap of the event.