DOTI Improves Safety for Pedestrians Crossing North Federal Boulevard

Published on November 14, 2024

Mayor Mike Johnston and DOTI Executive Director Amy Ford using the crosswalk at Federal Blvd. and West 25th Avenue

Today Mayor Mike Johnston, representatives of the City and County of Denver and Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) joined advocates for safer streets and local business leaders to celebrate the completion of a project that improves safety for pedestrians crossing North Federal Boulevard and makes it easier to access and enjoy local business destinations.

The project, funded by the voter-approved Elevate Denver Bond and Colorado Department of Transportation’s Safer Main Streets Program made pedestrian safety improvements on Federal Boulevard between West 23rd and West 27th avenues and on West 25th Avenue between Federal Boulevard and Eliot Street, including:

  • Installing a new HAWK signal on Federal Blvd. at West 25th Avenue. People on foot and on bikes can activate the signal to stop vehicles and cross Federal more safely and easily.
  • Transforming West 25th Avenue between Federal Blvd and Eliot Street into a more pedestrian-friendly street with a narrowed and curved design to slow vehicle speeds; installing green infrastructure on the block to provide water quality and natural plantings to beautify and cool the environment
  • Upgrading pedestrian ramps
  • Adding concrete bulb-outs at multiple corners in the area to shorten pedestrian crossing distances and slow vehicle turns

The project is a $9 million dollar investment in improving safety for Federal Boulevard and W. 25th Avenue, where a variety of local businesses operate and are often accessed on foot.

Denver is focused on improving safety along the entirety of Federal Boulevard within city limits. In June, Mayor Johnston announced a targeted effort to implement changes on the corridor to improve safety and reduce speeds to reduce fatalities. Work completed so far includes saturating the Federal Blvd corridor with speed limit signs, placing one approximately every ¼ mile – a proven countermeasure to speeding – and installing electronic driver feedback signs, as well as implementing signal timing on Federal Blvd south of Colfax Avenue that reinforces posted speed limits (hint: follow the speed limit to get more green lights).