Washington Street Corridor

The Washington Street Corridor improvements are made up of two major projects, The Washington Street (47th to 52nd avenue) project and 51st Avenue (Washington to Logan streets) project.

About the Project (47th Ave to 52nd Avenue Safety Improvements)

The City and County of Denver and its contractor started the Washington Street 47th to 52nd Improvements Project in February 2026. The project will enhance this section of the Washington Street corridor by creating a mixed-use riverfront destination with connections to the South Platte River and the National Western Center. Improvements include full-depth street reconstruction and widening; new travel lanes and on-street parking; multi-use sidewalks; upgraded sewer and storm drainage systems; and new traffic signals, lighting and landscaping. The project is funded by the 2021 Denver bond.

About the Project (51st Avenue)

The City and its contractor are currently working on the 51st Avenue Safety Improvements project between Washington Street and Logan Street to enhance safety, mobility and roadway conditions. Work includes roadway reconstruction, intersection upgrades and utility coordination, with construction occurring in phases to minimize disruptions. Traffic impacts such as lane shifts, lane closures and occasional full closures are expected during construction. Once complete, the project will provide a safer and more reliable corridor for drivers, pedestrians and cyclists while improving overall neighborhood connectivity.

Frequently Asked Questions

Construction Impacts

Washington Street Impacts May through July

Starting Monday, May 11, there will be a traffic switch on Washington Street between 50th and 52nd avenues. Details of this impact are provided below. Please follow all construction signage to keep drivers and workers safe. Reduce speeds are advised.

51st Avenue is closed from Washington Street to Emerson Street through mid-June.
The west lane on Washington Street will close, and traffic will shift to one lane in each direction in the east lanes.
Sidewalk closures: follow detour signs, avoid construction areas and use caution near work zones.

Clarkson Street Impacts

Starting Saturday, June 13, Clarkson Street will undergo construction to build new infrastructure. Details of phasing and impacts are listed below.

What to Expect

Phase I: Manhole and storm drain installation

Saturday, June 13 and Sunday, June 14: closure of 52nd Avenue and Clarkson Street to install a manhole and storm drain - no through traffic
Detour to access Clarkson Street: Emerson Street or Washington Street at 51st Avenue, using the south entrance of Clarkson Street

Phase II: Storm drain installation in the middle of Clarkson Street

Monday, June 15 through Friday, July 10: Clarkson Street limited to local traffic guided by flaggers
Street access and parking will be open on both sides of the street

Phase III: Earthwork, curbs, gutters, driveways and sidewalks

Week of June 22, start of current infrastructure removals and earthwork Clarkson Street Impacts •
Week of July 8 through the end of July, concrete replacement (some Saturday work expected)
Clarkson Street limited to local traffic guided by flaggers
Access to parking will be coordinated with residents and businesses

Phase IV: Paving operations

Week of July 20, start of paving operations
Clarkson Street limited to local traffic guided by flaggers

Business Access

Access to all businesses will be maintained.
Signage and wayfinding will be used to manage vehicle and pedestrian traffic.
Material delivery and haul routes will be identified to keep construction traffic off of neighborhood streets.

Parking

Construction parking will be in designated areas or within work zones and not on residential streets.

RTD Rider Access

Due to construction activities, some stops will be temporarily relocated. Signage will be used to support new stop locations and RTD will support changes through their website, app and other communication channels.
RTD customers are encouraged to sign up for Service Alerts for information on detours, delays, stop closures and other issues that may affect their route or station

Work Hours

Construction will generally occur Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., with some work taking place on weekends.

Communication

Keeping residents and businesses informed is a key priority of the construction team. Information will be shared during construction through:

Email Newsletter — Sign-up for updates on denvergov.org/DOTI/GES
Flyers and Construction Notices — Updates on specific impacts.
Telephone Hotline — (720) 865-2806
Signage — Detour, closure, lane configuration, access and wayfinding.
Community Meetings — Ongoing meetings with a variety of project topics. GES Construction updates are now being streamlined with National Western CAC meetings to limit the amount of meetings for the community.

Timeline

Washington Street: February 2026 - Fall 2027

Study Archive

Vision: The area is transformed into a mixed-use riverfront destination area that capitalizes on its adjacency to the South Platte River, a revitalized Washington Street, reinvented greenspace, and direct connections across the river to the National Western Center.

Goal Statement: Make Washington Street an attractive corridor that creates a positive sense of place, attracts private reinvestment, and better accommodates all transportation modes.

Washington Street Study, 2018(PDF, 6MB)

Study Goals

Washington Street was identified in the Globeville Neighborhood Plan as “an attractive corridor that creates a positive sense of place, attracts private reinvestment, and better accommodates all transportation modes.” The Washington Street Study will refine and progress this vision of Washington Street into an implementable conceptual design.

Challenges along Washington Street include the existing right of way width of 60 feet and the inconsistency and poor condition of the curb, gutter and sidewalk to provide definition and separation between vehicular travel and pedestrian space. Intersection capacity, multi-modal connectivity and water quality infrastructure needs are additional challenges along the street.

Multimodal connections for the Washington Street corridor as well as the adjacent corridors will also be considered to integrate the street into a larger surrounding context.

Study Map & Limits

The study limits start at the South Platte River and extend north to the City and County of Denver municipal boundary limits near 52nd Avenue. The analysis, planning and conceptual design will address the changing land uses and the future vision for the corridor as a mixed use street, as previously identified in the Globeville neighborhood Plan.

Public Meeting Archive

Public Meeting #1 — May 3, 2017

Public Meeting #2 — August 15, 2017

Public Meeting #3 — October 24, 2017

Community Working Group Materials

October 2017 Community Working Group Meeting #5

Meeting Notes(PDF, 215KB)

August 2017 Community Working Group Meeting #4

Meeting Notes(PDF, 160KB)

June 2017 Community Working Group Meeting #3

March 2017 Community Working Group Meeting #2

February 2017 Community Working Group Meeting #1

October 27, 2016

Presentation to National Western Center Executive Oversight Committee, National Western Center Citizens Advisory Committee

Presentation(PDF, 2MB)

Info Sheets

Study information - English(PDF, 340KB)

Estudio information - español(PDF, 344KB)

Archive Plans

Globeville Neighborhood Plan(PDF, 19MB)

National Western Center(PDF, 33MB)

Project Status

Construction will begin in February 2026.

Community Meetings

Community Meeting #2
February 23, 2023
Project Angel Heart

Community Meeting #1
October 20, 2022
Project Angel Heart

Contacts

Project Manager

Mark Gonzales, Department of Transportation and Infrastructure

Mark.Gonzales@denvergov.org

Get Email Updates

The Globeville, Elyria and Swansea (GES) Program of Projects (PoP) Coordination team provides clear, coordinated communication about construction activity in the area.

To learn more about upcoming community meetings and stay informed on construction progress and local impacts, sign up for the GES PoP newsletter below.