Improvements coming to busy intersection in the Denver metro area, paving way for new development
One of the most congested and busy intersections in the Denver metro area will soon see improvements, making it a lot safer and quicker to get through.
The City of Littleton broke ground this week on a quadrant roadway in the southwest corner of Santa Fe Drive and Mineral Avenue. To put it simply, it's a quadrant road that eliminates left turns at the main intersection. The city says the project is also crucial for the hundreds of new residents and businesses that will be calling this area home soon.
The development is also a turning point for the City of Littleton. It's the last big open space left in the city, and the new quad roadway will help when all the land is developed.
"There will absolutely be people getting through the intersection quicker, and it will help in the near term," said Matthew Duff, a Littleton resident.
Duff said he's in the area often. He commutes and rides his bike regularly near Santa Fe Drive and Mineral Avenue, an intersection that sees up to 90,000 drivers each day and sees major backups.
"Santa Fe is one of the busiest roads in all the Denver Metro area. When my son gets out of work near Aspen Grove, the traffic is probably backed up a quarter of a mile some nights," said Duff. "So, it does need a solution."
With future development and more drivers, traffic volumes are expected to grow to 115,000 vehicles per day by 2040. The quad road will remove left turns from the intersection and re-route them onto a separate road, improving safety and minimizing delays.
"More traffic tries to go through this intersection than it was actually built for, so we're trying to build some improvements to ease that congestion and get more vehicles through quickly and safely," said Mayor Kyle Schlachter.
The new Riverpark development surrounding the quad road will be a mixed-use development that will feature restaurants and shops, a 250-unit multifamily community, and a senior apartment community. Having a quad roadway will make it easier to access and improve safety and efficiency for drivers passing through.
"It will completely transform transportation mobility at this site, as we are developing here, to have some new residential development and some commercial and retail. It's going to be an innovative design," said Schlachter.
The quad road project also includes new traffic signals, lane configurations, and timing adjustments, along with mobility upgrades.
Duff, however, did share concerns about the quad road being a temporary fix to a larger problem. He added that with growing communities surrounding Littleton, he believes infrastructure changes will be needed again in the future. While he's in favor of development and growth, he said he's also optimistic about the connectivity the projects will bring.
"It's going to connect the region much better in terms of bicycle infrastructure, to connect to our green spaces and things like that, with some mixed-use development in here as well, and some more retail. So, I'm optimistic that we get some great spots in here, and it just makes this area more connected," said Duff.
Construction is already underway for the RiverPark development, with the first openings expected in September 2026. Construction on the quadrant roadway is expected to be completed in 2027.
For more information about the quad road, click here.
