DIA's $15M plan for Peña Boulevard
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Afternoon traffic on Peña Boulevard in 2024. Photo: Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post via Getty Images
The public's gateway to Denver International Airport faces an existential crisis.
The big picture: DIA officials are seeking a $15 million contract to study potential redevelopment of Peña Boulevard, a roughly 11-mile roadway connecting Colorado's biggest economic driver to the city, state and region.
Driving the news: A Denver City Council committee on Wednesday will consider sending the contract to the full council after postponing a decision earlier this month.
Why it matters: Pushback from council and the public on the contract could force DIA officials to reconsider their strategy for how to safely and efficiently get people to and from a travel hub that expects its annual passenger traffic to reach 100 million by 2027.
By the numbers: Daily traffic on Peña Boulevard increased 80% between 1995 and 2023, city documents show.
- Traffic isn't solely travelers: More than 40,000 airport employees commute to and from DIA, while residents in Aurora and Denver use the boulevard daily.
Context: The proposed five-year contract with Lakewood-based Peak Consulting Group would lead a National Environmental Policy Act study to evaluate next steps for Peña Boulevard.
- Creating a carpool or toll lane, adding a bus-only lane or building a frontage road for local traffic are among potential options in a master plan released last year, per Denverite.
Yes, but: Some council members and transit advocates say the airport isn't adequately considering alternatives, including improving public transit to reduce car use and lower emissions.
- An open letter signed by five advocacy organizations this month urged city council to vote no on the contract. At least one council members said they'd received hundreds of resident messages opposing the $15 million study plan.
What they're saying: "This is not the place to wage a war on cars," Councilmember Kevin Flynn said in support of the contract during the March 5 committee meeting.
- DIA CEO Phil Washington told council members during the same meeting the study is not starting with a "predetermined" outcome, adding it could reveal alternatives.
Between the lines: DIA chose Peak Consulting Group through a bidding process that started last year, and it intends to pay for the $15 million contract from its own enterprise fund and federal transportation grants, according to city documents.
What's next: Denver City Council, which doesn't "kill" bills at committee, could forward the contract this week to the full city council, which will have final say on the agreement.