CDOT Region 1 staff on a December outreach call recommended using Construction Manager/General Contractor (CMGC) delivery for the Federal Boulevard Bus Rapid Transit project, an 18-mile corridor planned from North Westminster to South Denver. Ryan Knowles, CDOT Region 1 Bus Rapid Transit program manager, said the team’s recommendation is driven primarily by a delivery schedule that must meet a January 2030 revenue-service goal and by corridor complexity.

Why it matters: the project is estimated at $318,000,000 and includes 74 BRT stations, elevated platforms and extensive sidewalk, ramp and signal work across diverse urban environments. CDOT said phasing and contractor collaboration are essential to start service early on portions of the corridor and to manage construction impacts on businesses and neighborhoods.

What CDOT reported: Knowles said the project is at 30% design and that CDOT expects to release an RFP for final design in the first quarter of next year, with an owner’s representative and a CMGC procurement expected in spring. He said the team anticipates beginning construction in late 2027 and remains focused on having BRT revenue operations in January 2030. “So, what we’re recommending is to move forward with CMGC,” Knowles said, summarizing the team’s selection.

Staff explained the CMGC choice as follows: CMGC supports a collaborative preconstruction phase that can inform constructability and value-engineering decisions, helps package the 18 miles into severable construction contracts tied to available funding, and allows CDOT to prioritize elements that enable early transit operations while other work continues. The team also cited traffic-management complexity across the corridor — including higher traffic volumes in central Denver and major destinations such as Mile High Stadium — as a factor favoring CMGC.

Funding and approvals: CDOT said it has $150 million committed in its 10-year plan for fiscal years 2027–2030 and is pursuing a $150 million Federal Transit Administration Small Starts capital investment grant; CDOT has received a medium–high rating so far in the FTA evaluation. Casey Valentinelli, CDOT’s alternative delivery program manager, reminded attendees that state statute (referenced in the meeting as Senate Bill 21-260) requires outreach for projects above $75,000,000 and that the PDSM (project delivery selection matrix) and recommendation will proceed to the chief engineer and the Transportation Commission for approval.

Public and industry input: During Q&A, Jim Moody of the Colorado Contractors Association asked how far design would be when the CMGC contractor is selected. Knowles said the CMGC is expected to be procured while the project is closer to 30% design and that the contractor would provide input by the 60% design milestone. Staff encouraged feedback through the posted Google form and said the Q&A responses will be nonconfidential and published on the project website through Dec. 23.

Next steps: CDOT said it will update the PDSM using feedback from the outreach period, seek chief engineer and Transportation Commission review next month, post the presentation and Q&A on the project website, and proceed with RFPs for final design and CMGC procurement in spring. Construction packaging and sequencing will be tied to available funding and the team’s risk and right-of-way mitigation work.

The outreach session closed with staff contact information and an invitation for stakeholders to submit written questions and comments before the public comment window closed.