CDOT outlines Federal Boulevard Bus Rapid Transit plan to improve safety, speed and access

Alex Burns, the bus rapid transit project coordinator at the Colorado Department of Transportation, presented a high-level overview of the Federal Boulevard Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project and said the effort is intended to address safety, transit speed and reliability, accessibility, and travel demand along the corridor.

Burns said the corridor has a higher crash rate than comparable busy Colorado streets, including incidents resulting in serious injuries and some deaths, and described design factors that have contributed to those safety problems. "This project aims to address 4 major categories of identified needs on Federal Boulevard," Burns said, adding that planned improvements include upgraded intersections, better sidewalks and security features at stations to enhance safety for all users.

The presentation emphasized slow and unreliable bus service on Federal Boulevard. Burns said buses are often slower than driving, taking "nearly 50% longer even in light traffic," with the longest delays occurring between Evans and Alameda and between Colfax and 20th avenues. To address that, CDOT plans dedicated bus lanes along most of the corridor and bus bypass lanes at constrained intersections; Burns said the package of improvements would provide "more than 15% faster transit travel times."

Burns also presented demographic and access data to frame the equity case for BRT: about 12% of corridor residents are low income, 9% live in households without access to a vehicle and 9% report a disability. "BRT will make it possible for thousands of people to quickly and comfortably access employment and their daily needs without a car," he said, arguing that design features will improve accessibility and convenience for riders.

On demand and economic impacts, Burns said Federal Boulevard carries up to 46,000 vehicles per day and more than 5,600 daily bus riders, and that population, jobs and retail space along the corridor are expected to grow significantly by 2045. He cited studies indicating that each dollar invested in public transportation infrastructure yields roughly $3 in increased business sales.

The presentation concluded by directing viewers to the project website (bit.ly/federalblvdbrt) for project materials and providing the project email (federalblvdbrt@gmail.com) for questions. No formal votes, motions or funding decisions were recorded in the video.