Proposal Would Bring Bus Center Lane Down East Colfax
DENVER (CBS4)- A proposal to bring bus service down the center lanes of Colfax Avenue could make the commute faster for some, ease congestion with buses for other drivers.
Michael Groves lives in downtown Denver and only uses public transportation. He says Denver Public Works' proposal for rapid bus service lanes along the center of East Colfax Avenue would make his commute more convenient.
"I feel like it's better not to have a car here than it is to have a vehicle," Groves told CBS4's Andrea Flores. "I feel like there's a lot of traffic already on Colfax, so a trolley would really help that, or a bus system that ran more consistently, instead of having so many vehicles out here."
The plan promises better travel times for a 10-mile stretch of Colfax between Broadway and Yosemite.
"Our goal is to really move more people along that corridor," said Heather Burke with Denver Public Works. "It'll be faster, more efficient, there will be kiosks similar to what you'll see at a light rail station, so folks can pay their fare right there. The buses will come through every three to five minutes, maybe more frequently depending on the demand."
The rapid bus route would carry 50,000 people per day, compared to the 22,000 people currently riding RTD buses along Colfax, according to Burke.
The plan also dedicated a lane to 24-hour service on the Bus Rapid Transit.
"There's a lot of pedestrians, people on bikes, restaurants businesses, so by having this center [bus] running [through] Colfax it'll help give more of that main street feel," Burke said.
Groves says the only downfall is the inevitable delays, "That would be the worst part about it, construction you have to wait for to be completed."
Local and federal funding opportunities for BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) on Colfax are being identified. The Denver bond package expected to be on the November ballot includes $55 million for additional design and initial implementation.
Denver Public Works says a more detailed design for BRT on Colfax and project implementation schedule will be developed in 2018. They anticipate construction to begin in 2020.
Andrea Flores is a reporter for CBS4. Follow her on Facebook and Twitter @AndreaFloresTV.
