The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) is studying an 18-mile Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridor on Federal Boulevard “between Dartmouth and 100 And Twentieth Avenues,” with the goal of reducing long bus travel times and improving pedestrian safety, a CDOT staff member said.

CDOT staff told the meeting the corridor now produces some of the Denver metro area's busiest transit service and that buses along Federal Boulevard can experience as much as 90 minutes of delay round trip — about 45 minutes each direction — under current conditions. The study-phase proposal would add BRT features such as dedicated or side-running bus lanes, transit signal priority and station-style stops intended to speed boarding and improve on-time performance.

Why it matters: CDOT said the corridor has higher-than-expected crashes, including a disproportionate number involving pedestrians. The agency's recommended elements for the BRT study include side-running lanes that would act as a buffer between pedestrians and general traffic, improved pedestrian crossings, better lighting and visibility, and measures to reduce vehicle speeds. CDOT staff said those elements aim to reduce conflicts between buses, cars and trucks and to improve pedestrian experience.

CDOT also said BRT could give faster, more reliable trips for workers and customers, strengthen connections between activity centers and cultural hubs, improve transit accessibility and air quality, and support economic development along the corridor.

Staff emphasized the study phase is evaluating design elements and potential benefits; no final alignment, funding decisions or construction timeline were presented in the meeting record. For questions or to sign up for project updates, CDOT provided a project webpage (bit.ly/federalbrt), an email (federalblvdbrt@gmail.com) and a project phone number ((303) 335-9587).

Additional technical details discussed in the presentation included the BRT characteristics the study team is considering: dedicated lanes (side-running in the recommended concepts), transit signal priority, station-style stops rather than curbside bus stops, and pedestrian-safety improvements alongside the roadway. The presentation did not include a vote or formal action; it was described as a study-phase briefing to inform the public and stakeholders of the project's goals and preliminary design elements.

Next steps discussed in the presentation include continued study and public outreach; the presentation directed interested parties to the project website for updates and contact information.