Glendale rejects Colorado Boulevard Bus Rapid Transit plan; CDOT data shows some commute times could double

Glendale city leaders are forcefully opposing Colorado's proposed Bus Rapid Transit project on Colorado Boulevard, warning the plan could dramatically worsen traffic for drivers while delivering only modest transit gains.

Last week, Glendale City Council voted unanimously in favor of a resolution recommending "no build" for the Colorado Department of Transportation's proposed Bus Rapid Transit, or BRT, project along a seven-mile stretch of Colorado Boulevard.

"Hell no," Glendale City Manager Chuck Line said in an interview with CBS Colorado.

"The juice is not worth the squeeze, not by a little, but by a long shot," Line said.

The resolution cites concerns about increased congestion and what Glendale leaders described as negative impacts that outweigh the project's forecasted increases in bus ridership and reductions in transit travel times.

And some of CDOT's own projections appear to support at least part of Glendale's concerns.

According to agency data reviewed by CBS Colorado, one proposed configuration featuring center- and side-running bus lanes would double southbound commute times for drivers traveling the full 7-mile corridor -- from about 25 minutes to roughly 50 minutes.

Another option using side-running lanes would increase travel times by about 40%, according to CDOT projections.

 Drivers traveling shorter distances would likely experience smaller delays.

CDOT spokesperson Tamara Rollison suggested for people not wanting to spend more time stuck in Colorado Boulevard traffic, "Busses could be a viable option to take instead of your vehicle."

"The plans they are offering," said Line, "are so extreme and have such a big impact on millions of residents of this area that I don't think they should be considering any of these three plans and should go back to the drawing board."

CDOT is studying the BRT project as a way to improve transit service and safety along Colorado Boulevard between 40th Avenue and Hampden Avenue. About 1 mile of the corridor runs through Glendale.

The agency is considering several alternatives, including side-running bus lanes, center-running bus lanes, and mixed-flow traffic. No final decision has been made, and the project does not yet have a finalized cost estimate. CDOT hopes the eventual design will reduce crashes, improve traffic flow, and speed up bus service.

"A critical goal of this project is to improve safety as Colorado Boulevard is on the High Injury Network and has one of the highest crash rates and road-related fatalities in the region," said Rollison.

CDOT data shows all of the proposed options would increase bus speeds along the corridor by roughly 20% to 30%.

Part of that improvement would come from simply reducing the number of bus stops. There are currently about 50 stops along the 7-mile corridor. Under the proposed BRT plans, that number would be cut to approximately 20.

State data also shows roughly 2,800 people currently ride buses along the Colorado Boulevard corridor each day. CDOT forecasts that number could rise to about 6,000 daily riders under a BRT system.

But Line argues the tradeoff could create ripple effects far beyond Colorado Boulevard itself.

He said prioritizing north-south traffic flow would likely require longer green lights on Colorado Boulevard, leading to longer red lights -- and backups -- on east-west streets.

"If that convenience is disrupted," said Line, "it could have a significant impact on our business community."

Glendale is not alone in its concerns. The Hilltop Neighborhood Association recently met with CDOT representatives to discuss the proposed changes.

"The success of this project should not be measured only by bus ridership," said association president Courtney Mamuscia. "It should also be measured by whether nearby neighborhoods remain safe, livable, and protected from cut-through traffic."

Residents worry that reducing lanes on Colorado Boulevard could divert more traffic onto neighborhood streets.

"Most residents," said Mamuscia, "are skeptical of the current direction."

She said many Hilltop residents share Glendale's concerns that increasing bus ridership may not justify disruptions for tens of thousands of daily drivers.

CDOT has scheduled an open house on the Colorado Boulevard BRT project for Wednesday, May 13, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Clayton Early Learning Center, 3801 M.L.K. Jr. Blvd. in Denver. People who are interested but can't attend can take an online survey on a special section of CDOT's website.

"We are still in the planning process, figuring out what is the best solution for Colorado Boulevard," said Rollison, "and we haven't gotten there yet."