Pressure builds on Gun Club Road
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Gun Club Road has been a source of frustration in fast-growing east Aurora. Photo: Robert Sanchez/Axios
Eastern Aurora is rapidly adding homes, but residents still drive miles — and often pay tolls — to reach grocery stores, child care centers, restaurants and other basic services.
The latest: Aurora City Council members Amy Wiles and Françoise Bergan are launching a working group next month aimed at advancing long-discussed improvements to Gun Club Road, a corridor they say is increasingly critical as growth spreads around E-470.
Why it matters: Fast-moving developments like the 4,000-acre Aurora Highlands are putting pressure on eastern Aurora's transportation network, especially Gun Club Road, one of the area's major north-south routes.
Aurora Highlands alone is expected to bring roughly 12,500 homes and about 50,000 residents over the next 15-20 years.
Zoom in: Improving Gun Club Road isn't straightforward. Aurora, Arapahoe County, CDOT and private developers control different sections, creating a patchwork of funding and construction responsibilities.
- Some stretches have been widened while others remain two lanes.
A 2022 council resolution eventually allowed Aurora to get a DRCOG grant for design work south of Quincy Avenue.
- And this fall's Build Up Aurora ballot measure includes roughly $34 million for Gun Club Road improvements, if it's approved.
Yes, but: The proposal tackles only part of the roadway.
- Gun Club expansion between Quincy Avenue and East Stephen D. Hogan Parkway would cost about $304 million, Wiles says.
- Work would require coordination among multiple agencies and funding sources.
Surprising stat: Wiles says her Ward II district still lacks a grocery store, a recreation center, a library and a major child care center.
- Some residents travel about 8.5 miles to reach the nearest grocery store, she says.
- "For the most part, [people] have to pay a toll to get somewhere to get food, because Gun Club is terrible," Wiles told Axios.
Traffic regularly backs up at intersections and other choke points, creating safety concerns for drivers as growth accelerates, Wiles says.
What's next: The first Gun Club working group meeting is tentatively scheduled for July 21 at the Aurora Municipal Building and will include Aurora, Arapahoe County, CDOT, RTD and others.
- Bergan says the group could meet roughly three times over the next four to six months as officials work toward a unified plan.
The bottom line: The debate over Gun Club Road has become a larger development question for eastern Aurora. How quickly officials can improve the thoroughfare may determine when the area finally attracts amenities residents say they want.