Community Voices: A crucial corridor is missing from Denver’s near-term BRT build-out

We’re excited to share the efforts of local advocates and community members who want to make Denver’s streets better for people. This is a guest post from urban planner and local advocate, Jason Schaefer, on why BRT on the Speer/Leetsdale/Parker corridor is not only key to connecting Denver’s rapid transit network, but also an opportunity to advance equity, address the housing crisis, and reduce Denver’s climate pollution.

Although Denver’s current short-term BRT plan fails to include the Speer/Leetsdale/Parker corridor, there is an opportunity for change through Arapahoe County’s study of the Parker Road segment of the corridor. We encourage community members to call for BRT on the corridor sooner rather than later, by e-mailing comments to the project team at jkatzer@arapahoegov.com.

By Jason Schaefer

The Denver region is gearing up for transformative Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) investments. By 2050, at least eight corridors will evolve into BRT corridors, featuring faster and more frequent service, modern stations, level boarding, and more—offering the benefits of light rail at a fraction of the cost.

In its current stage of construction (2020–2029), DRCOG’s Regional Transportation Plan prioritizes BRT on three corridors: East Colfax, Colorado Blvd, and Federal Blvd. These corridors have high ridership on their existing buses and serve people who rely on transit. They are great candidates for being upgraded to BRT. However, one crucial corridor that could tie the entire network together is missing from the plan’s current stage.

That corridor is the Speer/Leetsdale/Parker corridor extending from Nine Mile Station at I-225 west to Federal Blvd. BRT on the corridor is currently slated for the 2030–2039 stage in DRCOG’s 2050 Regional Transportation Plan. A closer look at the corridor reveals that it should be prioritized and moved into the current stage.

Connecting Denver’s Rapid Transit Network

HDR_UrbanFootprint_JasonSchaefer_SpeerLeetsdaleParker_Corridor

Source: Jason Schaefer, HDR, UrbanFootprint

The corridor seamlessly links most of the metro’s existing and planned rapid transit network. It connects nearly all planned urban arterial BRT corridors and most rail lines. Upgrading Speer/Leetsdale/Parker with BRT would create a rapid transit artery running from Aurora, through Glendale, into the heart of Denver.

Extending BRT to Federal Blvd, as proposed by the Denver Streets Partnership, would maximize its connectivity. This extension would integrate the Speer/Leetsdale/Parker corridor with the current Federal BRT plan, while serving downtown and key destinations such as Ball Arena, Elitch Gardens/River Mile, the Convention Center, the Denver Performing Arts Complex, and the Auraria Higher Education Center.

Map shows how extending the Speer/Leetsdale/Parker and Colfax BRT lines would create a connected network (Source: the Denver Streets Partnership)

Not only does it connect most of Metro Denver’s current and planned rapid transit corridors, but Speer/Leetsdale/Parker has also been studied for BRT, meaning planning would not have to start from scratch. RTD’s existing 83D/L bus routes along this corridor boast high ridership, and the corridor ranked first for potential ridership (over 15,000 daily boardings) among those analyzed in RTD’s BRT Feasibility Study. Furthermore, implementing BRT here would slash vehicle miles traveled by an astounding 35,000 miles daily, effectively removing nearly 1,000 vehicles from the road.

Opportunity to Advance Equity

The Speer/Leetsdale/Parker corridor serves marginalized communities like Kennedy, Windsor, and La Alma/Lincoln Park. DRCOG’s Equity Index finds:

29% of corridor census tracts are in the top quartile of marginalized communities in the region
31% of the corridor’s population is in the top quartile
Mean equity index score: 26.2 on the corridor compared to 25.7 for the region

Source: DRCOG’s Equity Index

The index measures the percentage of people with low income, disabilities, limited English proficiency, foreign-born status, single-parent households, no vehicle access, housing cost burdens, seniors (60+), and youth under 18. These groups typically have a higher reliance on transit. A higher index score indicates a greater presence of marginalized communities. While the entire corridor is on par with the region, the eastern section along Leetsdale and Parker has a higher concentration of marginalized communities. Implementing BRT here would enhance access to educational institutions, major employment centers, and healthcare providers.

The corridor also boasts a nationally recognized array of culturally rich and diverse restaurants, particularly around Parker Rd and Havana St. A proactive plan to prevent displacement is crucial, especially for small businesses and cultural institutions.

Addressing the Housing Crisis

I had the opportunity to study this corridor extensively while completing my Master of Urban and Regional Planning capstone at CU Denver. Working with HDR, an international engineering and architecture firm, I used a scenario planning software called UrbanFootprint to model the potential for developing housing on underutilized commercial parcels along the corridor. It was inspired by the Grand Boulevard concept advanced by the legendary urbanist, Peter Calthorpe. This approach focuses development on strip commercial, vacant lots and other underutilized parcels along main roads while preserving existing residential neighborhoods.

Within a quarter mile of the corridor and half a mile around major transit stations, there is potential for over 80,000 additional housing units, or over 40,000 units if only including the most readily developable parcels (those with an improvement-to-land value ratio of <1.0). Rapid transit service along the corridor with easy access to the rest of the network would make it a great place to live.

HDR_UrbanFootprint_JasonSchaefer_SpeerLeetsdaleParker_Housing

Source: Jason Schaefer, HDR, UrbanFootprint

A Climate Solution

Transportation is the largest source of emissions in our region, responsible for 34% of greenhouse gas emissions. By developing compact housing near transit stations and BRT corridors, we can significantly reduce climate pollution. According to modeling by DRCOG, concentrating housing and jobs around key centers and corridors, combined with transit investments, was the only scenario that met all three Metro Vision 2050 Regional Transportation Plan targets: minimizing travel delay, reducing vehicle miles traveled, and decreasing single occupancy vehicle use.

In contrast, if we continue our current development pattern, it will consume 60,426 acres—the size of a medium-sized city, according to RMI.

RMI_UrbanLandUseReformReport_business-as-usual

The business-as-usual scenario (Source: RMI Urban Land Use Reform report)

In Conclusion…

Given its strategic significance, the Speer/Leetsdale/Parker BRT project should be expedited and moved up to the 2020–2029 staging period of DRCOG’s Regional Transportation Plan. This corridor intersects with existing and planned rapid transit lines, serves marginalized communities, and provides vital access to educational institutions and major employment centers. Accelerating this project would significantly enhance mobility for residents and support economic opportunities.