March 2023: Crews are on site at various locations along the Mall. Businesses are open. The intersection at Arapahoe and 16th streets is closed starting March 20, and will remain closed for approximately one month. Catch the RTD Free Mall Ride on 15th Street or 17th Street between Wazee Street and Civic Center Station. Find more information on the current project activities or download the 16th Street Mall Project app.
Great cities never stand still. We think to the future. The 16th Street Mall Project is our past, present and future. It is the backbone of our City, our version of a Main Street and the catalyst for a great future ahead. The 16th Street Mall Project will revitalize the Mall from Market Street to Broadway. Our goal is improving safety and mobility, addressing deteriorating infrastructure and creating more opportunities for the people who live, work and visit the Mile High City to enjoy the Mall for years to come.
Current and Recommended Mall Alignment
Text description of this infographic(PDF, 65KB)
Travel Information
All businesses are open and accessible.
The RTD Free MallRide is rerouted to bus lanes on 15th and 17th streets while blocks are under construction. More information
Reconstruction
- Market to Larimer (Block 1)
- Larimer to Lawrence (Block 2)
- Intermittent, single-lane closure for deliveries, lasting through early June
- Lawrence to Arapahoe (Block 3)
- Arapahoe to Curtis (Block 4)
- Full closure at the intersection of Arapahoe and 16th streets as soon as March 20, lasting for several weeks. See detour map.
- Business and residential access, including access to parking structures, loading docks and surface lots will be maintained.
- Curtis to Champa (Block 5)
- Reconstruction beginning March 27
- Fencing will enclose work from curb to curb for the entire block
- Fencing will adjust outward as construction activities change
Preconstruction utility work
- Market to Larimer (Block 1)
- Double-lane closure on Market Street starting March 22 for water and sewer work for several weeks
- Lawrence to Arapahoe (Block 3)
- Single-lane closure on Lawrence Street for water and storm sewer work through early April
- Curtis to Champa (Block 5)
- Lane closure on Champa Street begins as soon as April 3 for utility work for several weeks, parking lane will also be closed. One travel lane will be maintained.
- California to Welton (Block 8)
- Utility work underway
- Work for water and sewer lines began March 9 lasting for several months
- Fencing will enclose work from curb to curb for the entire block
- Fencing may adjust outward based on current activity in the block
- Welton to Glenarm (Block 9)
- Utility work underway
- Gas line work began March 22 lasting for approximately one month
- Fencing will enclose work from curb to curb between Welton and the alleyway
- Fence will expand to north sidewalk in early April
- Double-lane closure on Welton Street for gas line work through early April
- Northbound traffic will be maintained at all times. No southbound traffic between 17th and 16th streets; limited southbound traffic between 16th and 15th streets
Potholing activities in various locations will require occasional lane and sidewalk closures on the 16th Street Mall and on cross-streets between Market Street and Broadway. By potholing, which includes drilling holes into the pavement in multiple locations, the team will be able to confirm existing data about conditions on, around, and under the Mall, including the location of existing underground utilities. By identifying existing utilities, such as water/sewer pipes and electrical conduit lines, the team will be able to reduce the chance of unexpectedly encountering one of these lines during construction. Signage will clearly identify how pedestrians and motorists can navigate any expected closures.
Work may require intermittent lane closures at intersections between Wazee and Broadway throughout construction as well as occasional sidewalk closures. Pedestrian and business access will be maintained.
Work Hours
Construction workdays and hours are anticipated to be Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Weekend work will occur between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Material deliveries and staging may occur over night. All construction activities are weather and site condition dependent, and schedules are subject to change.
Work Phasing Plan
Construction on the 16th Street Mall Project is beginning on the block between Market and Larimer streets, starting in the center/transitway area, with a new adjacent block entering construction approximately four to eight weeks later. Each block will be under construction for approximately 18 months:
- Phase 1: Work in the center of the Mall on each block for 13–14 months
- Phase 2: Work adjacent to the buildings, lasting 3–4 months
- Phase 3: Completing the final finishes in the center of the Mall for about the last month
Text description of these infographics(PDF, 519KB)
Pedestrian walkways and access to storefronts will be maintained on both sides of the Mall, but walkways may be narrower. The work site will have gates at both intersections and intermittent flaggers to help direct construction and pedestrian traffic as needed. Signage and construction fencing will have signs to help visitors access transit and businesses.
The new 16th St. Mall will feature elements designed to help make the Mall a desirable, engaging destination for all. Site furnishings, play features and moments of joy will be distributed up and down the Mall in relationship to activity areas and adjacent land uses.
- Site Furnishings include items like tables, chairs, benches, planters and other things that create a space for people to spend time.
- Play Features are structures designed specifically for engaging kids on the Mall.
- Moments of Joy are elements designed to bring a bit of delight to the Mall; they make you smile, pause for a moment or snap a photo to share.
The ensemble of these features will work together to create attractions and moments of relaxation and fun for families, residents, visitors and workers to enjoy in the core of downtown.
The site furnishings will be organized into three basic room types — feast, lounge and arrow — to create places for a multitude of uses.
- Feast rooms are designed with food in mind. They create space to share lunch with a friend or eat solo and catch up on your emails on a beautiful day.
- Lounge rooms create space to slow down and stay for a bit. Visitors can take a moment to plan their next stop, downtown employees can pause in the shade for a moment between meetings and residents can enjoy the people watching for a while.
- Arrow rooms activate an area while also creating a clear delineation of space.
These site furnishing room types will be paired with planter pots for visual color and interest and all furnishing groupings will be flexible, changeable and phased as a new evolution of place making and sensory experiences along the Mall evolve for everyone’s enjoyment.
The 16th Street Mall project team is hosting a preview of the new granite paver system and curbless configuration that is part of the Mall’s renovation. The preview can be experienced at The Outer Space at 16th and Welton Street starting Wednesday, August 17, through the project’s duration. The sample installation allows visitors to experience the new granite walk- and transitways that have been designed to increase safety and improve mobility along this iconic pedestrian destination.
In December 2022, the project team installed an updated section of the paver preview with a more detectable edge delineation that features a smaller, cobbled paver to better define the boundary between the transit and amenity zones. The more detectable edge delineation is displayed next to the original design to easily compare the original and updated finishes side by side. This updated section was designed following a thorough technical evaluation which took place in result of the feedback collected during our August outreach.
What can I expect to see?
- A design that honors the original Navajo rug and diamondback rattlesnake pattern that has been a feature of the Mall for 40 years.
- New granite paver system with better surface friction to prevent slipping.
- A new curbless configuration that facilitates the movement of people across the Mall and enables a variety of Mall uses, including events and festivals. Approximately 40 feet of curb will be provided at each shuttle stop location (not shown in preview).
The 16th Street Mall Project builds on nearly a decade of planning and community input to inform how we reconstruct and revitalize the Mall from Market Street to Broadway. The feedback and input from hundreds of community members resulted in today’s effort to rebuild the Mall to be not just more structurally sound, but also a welcoming space where all people can gather.
Environmental Assessment
The project’s environmental phase concluded in December 2019. FTA found the project to have no significant impact on environmental resources and officially issued a “Finding of No Significant Impact” (FONSI) on Nov. 26, 2019. This marked completion of the Environmental Assessment (EA). The EA identified a Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) to reconstruct the 16th Street Mall between Market Street and Broadway to address infrastructure, mobility, safety, and public use needs.
Finding of No Significant Impact
May 2019 EA Public Meeting
Members of the public were invited to attend public meetings to provide input on the project and EA conclusions. The same information was presented at two meetings on May 1, 2019.
FTA and the project partners reviewed and considered all comments. All comments received during the comment period will be part of the project record. Responses to all substantive comments (those that raise specific issues or concerns regarding the project or EA process, suggest new alternatives, or question or raise concerns over new impacts not addressed in the EA) will be included in the final decision document.
Environmental Clearance and Funding: Because the Mall was built in 1982 with federal funds, any potential modifications must undergo a National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review and a cultural resources evaluation pursuant to Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (NHPA). Initial project funding for the Alternatives Analysis and Environmental Clearance came from Tax Increment Financing (TIF) via Denver Urban Renewal Authority (DURA) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). TIF requires that a design project be identified by 2020 and spent by 2022. As approved by voters, 2017 General Obligation Bonds might also be applied.
Public Engagement Archive
2022: 90 Percent Design
In March 2022 a round of outreach was completed to accompany 90% Design and to inform stakeholders about what to expect once construction begins.
Watch the 90% design video
2021: 60 Percent Design
In late 2021, the 16th Street Mall Project team completed another round of outreach to accompany the submittal of 60% design. This round focused on providing design updates for various amenities along the Mall — shade structures, play elements and more. This video was recorded at one of the focus group meetings and focuses on how design of the mall amenities has evolved over the years, and the current design for elements along the 16th Street Mall.
Watch the 60% design video
The City of Denver and the Downtown Denver Partnership have developed a variety of tactics to help remove some common roadblocks that businesses face during large construction projects.
Business Support Information
The 16th Street Mall Project is positioned to create a workforce ecosystem that promotes broader inclusion of a diverse workforce, systemically addresses barriers to entry, and provides supportive service to promote successful worker performance and ongoing development.
Jobs and Workforce Programs Information