Denver's rail replacement project to close Kalamath Street and North Speer Boulevard for months

Starting in September, there will be some road closures that will impact your day-to-day commute in Denver.

The second phase of the Downtown Rail Reconstruction Project is set to begin on Sept. 2. This will close down the intersection of Kalamath Street and North Speer Boulevard for 86 days, ending on Nov. 27 -- Thanksgiving. The rails in place are 30 years old and need to be replaced.

Officials with the Regional Transportation District are speaking about the project one week early so commuters can plan around the closure. Road crews will be tearing up the old railing system and putting in a new one. This rail has been in place since October 1994. Crews will also replace the concrete and tiles. This will make it more ADA accessible.

Officials say the project will take time, but the upgrades need to happen to make it safer for everyone.

"We have to think about our infrastructure like if you lived in a house for 30 years," Debra Johnson, general manager and CEO for RTD. "You are going to make some modifications and you will have a slight inconvenience. It will lead to more habitable dwellings and in this case, a more state-of-the-art operational efficiency to a better role network."

The first phase of the Downtown Rail Reconstruction Project was completed in summer 2024. The entire project costs $152 million. Phase two of the project is expected to cost $3 million.

During the planned maintenance work, RTD will focus on maintaining customers' connections to and from their destinations with as little disruption as possible.

The following options are available to support rail customers who may be temporarily impacted by the planned reconstruction work:

• All D Line trains will be rerouted to Denver Union Station, and customers can easily connect to the Downtown Loop using the 16th Street FreeRide or Free MetroRide. The FreeRide runs approximately every five minutes, seven days a week, and the MetroRide runs every 10 minutes during peak service times, Mondays through Fridays. D Line trains will maintain their current, 15-minute frequencies between Littleton•Mineral Station and Denver Union Station.
• The H Line will operate between Florida and Southmoor stations, and customers traveling downtown will need to transfer to an E Line train. The E and H lines will both maintain 15-minute frequencies to support transfers at Southmoor Station.
• The L Line will be suspended during the project, and Route 43 will provide customers with continued connections along the downtown corridor.
• Bus Route 16 and Route ART also provide alternate service to the Colfax at Auraria Station. Bus stops near the project will remain open and operational during the reconstruction work.

RTD is sharing projects they plan to complete in 2026. These include:

• Colfax Avenue alignment reconstruction
• Downtown Loop midblock sections
• Welton Street corridor improvements