Denver International Airport requests feedback from public to improve Peña Boulevard

Denver International Airport is asking for feedback from the public on how to improve Peña Boulevard, the major roadway with access to the airport east of the Denver metro area. 

Airport officials said since launching the survey on Monday, they have received 3,000 comments. Most of the comments focus on congestion on Peña Boulevard.

More than 139,000 drivers take Peña Boulevard daily. Airport officials say, along with congestion, there are higher crash rates, unreliable travel time, and escalating maintenance needs. Experts also say much of Peña Boulevard does not meet their current design standards.

Airport officials conducted a Peña Boulevard Master Plan from April 2022 to April 2024. At least 1,000 comments suggest an extension of lanes on Peña Boulevard to ease congestion during peak travel times. Officials say this is why feedback is essential.

"Peña has grown more and more critical," Adam O'Brien, Project Manager for Design Study for Peña Boulevard, said. "The airport originally opened more than 30 years ago, and since then, volumes on Peña have increased by almost 80%. There's also been a lot of developments surrounding Peña Boulevard. It continues to provide access to and from the Denver airport and surrounding communities. It is really important for the project."

The online survey will be open to comments until Dec. 31.

Through the survey, the airport seeks to gather a variety of feedback that will help identify a preferred alternative. The survey includes:

• Travelers' primary purpose for using the corridor
• How people travel on the corridor
• How often do respondents use the corridor
• Travelers' concerns
• How DEN can best communicate public updates moving forward

Airport officials say the survey is a critical part of the public scoping phase of the Peña Design & National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) project and will allow the diverse perspectives and experiences of Peña Boulevard users to inform the foundation of the project. NEPA is a federally required obligation that DEN must complete before any improvements can be made to Peña Boulevard between I-70 and E-470.

The Peña Design & NEPA project will take about two years, and construction could begin as soon as 2028, dependent on NEPA approval and the selection of a locally preferred alternative. The improvement project will build upon recently completed studies, including the Peña Master Plan and Transportation Demand Management Plan.