High Line Canal Trail Underpass - Yale Roadway Improvements at Holly
E. Yale Avenue is a critical east-west arterial in southeast Denver, crossing through and serving City and County of Denver (CCD) and Arapahoe County residents. Yale Avenue near the E. Yale Avenue/S. Holly Street intersection experiences significant congestion and the traffic signal infrastructure is dated. The High Line Canal Trail is a major regional trail facility used for both recreation and commuting that crosses Yale Avenue just west of the E. Yale Avenue/S. Holly Street intersection without a safe connection. Improvements are needed to provide safe and convenient travel for all types of travelers.
Upcoming Utility Relocation Work: March-Summer 2025
Xcel Energy and their contractor, Mears Group, Inc. will relocate approximately 1,200 feet of natural gas line along Yale Avenue, between Hudson Street/Service Road and Kearney Street. This work is to accommodate the upcoming High Line Canal Trail Underpass project and ensure natural gas system safely.
Xcel Energy expects to begin boring the 20" natural gas line starting in mid-March. The work is expected to be complete by early summer. The work zone will be in the southern eastbound lanes of Yale Avenue.
Please stay alert and aware of the closed lanes marked by barrels and signs. At a minimum, one lane in each direction will remain open along Yale Avenue through the work zone. The High Line Canal Trail will stay open during construction and will be detoured around the work if needed.
Project Overview
Since 2014, the City and County of Denver (CCD) and Arapahoe County have worked to collaboratively study the area around the intersection to determine which roadway and multimodal improvements are needed. Studies completed in 2014, followed by a preliminary design effort and subsequent study in 2021, determined necessary improvements.
In mid-2022, CCD began efforts to fully design improvements, in close partnership with Arapahoe County. The planned improvements consist of:
- A new underpass for the High Line Canal Trail that will pass under E. Yale Avenue
- Reconstruction of the intersection and signal at E. Yale Avenue and S. Holly Street/S. Holly Place
- Reducing roadway congestion and improving pedestrian crossing safety at the intersection of Yale Avenue and S. Holly Street/S. Holly Place
- Multimodal improvements and enhanced connections throughout the project area
This project will complete design and construction of the trail underpass and roadway improvements. Supporting tasks will include a mobility and safety analysis, land surveying, geotechnical soil testing, subsurface utility investigation, and coordination with utility companies for extensive utility line relocations. Planning, design and pre-construction activities will run from 2022 through 2025. Construction is anticipated to begin in 2025.
This project is being funded by the Elevate Denver Bond program, Arapahoe County, and the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG). The total budget for design and construction is estimated at $23.9 million, which includes $17.3 million for the High Line Canal Underpass and $6.6 million for Yale Avenue improvements.
Project Area Map
Frequently Asked Questions
Why isn’t this project widening Yale Avenue to two through lanes in each direction east of Holly Place/Street?
Widening this stretch of Yale Avenue would require much more funding than currently available and would also require substantial amounts of private (mostly residential) property be acquired. To avoid these major impacts, other changes are being made as part of this project to improve safety and reduce congestion, while still adding connections and improving safety for pedestrians and bicyclists.
For example, extending the second westbound through/turn lane on Yale Avenue is expected to reduce wait time at the signal and reduce congestion. Adding a through/merge lane for eastbound Yale Avenue traffic just east of Holly Place will decrease wait time at the signal, reduce congestion, and allow northbound Holly traffic to merge safely onto Yale Avenue.
Will traffic going south on Holly Street that is turning right to head westbound on Yale Avenue have to stop at the traffic light instead of making a free right turn? Will those drivers be able to turn right when their traffic signal is red?
Yes, southbound Holly Street to westbound Yale Avenue will be a controlled turning movement. The design team is reviewing options to control the turning movement, but utilizing the traffic signal to control turning vehicle movements once improvements are constructed is the leading option being considered. In a controlled situation, right turn on red would not be allowed to provide the greatest protection and safety for bicyclists and pedestrians crossing the intersection.
Will Arapahoe County construct the missing sidewalk on the west side of S. Holly Street north of Yale Avenue to S. Holly Place?
Although this project doesn’t have enough funding to construct this missing sidewalk, Arapahoe County agrees this sidewalk link is a priority and is working to determine when it can be implemented through a separate project. Opportunities to dovetail construction with this project to limit impacts to the traveling public will be explored.
How will bicyclists and pedestrians traveling along Yale Avenue or Holly Street/Holly Place access the High Line Canal Trail and new underpass?
Similar to today’s condition, there will be a connection of the trail to the at-grade sidewalk on both the north and south sides of Yale Avenue. This connection will run alongside the trail’s underpass alignment and intersect with the trail approximately 500 feet north and south of the underpass. A bicyclist or pedestrian wishing to use the underpass to cross Yale Avenue would access the trail connection using the at-grade sidewalk just west of the High Line Canal and travel those 500 feet until they reach the intersection with the trail, then start the approach to the underpass on the main trail.
Can another connection to the High Line Canal Trail be made from the neighborhood streets south of Yale Avenue near Holly Hills Elementary? Could a bridge or elevated boardwalk of some type be constructed from the bend in the High Line Canal Trail across the Arapahoe County stormwater property to meet Jersey Place?
This connection concept is included in unfunded plans of the High Line Canal Conservancy. Arapahoe County has considered this connection and believes the connection is unlikely to be funded in the foreseeable future for multiple reasons. The close proximity (less than a quarter of a mile) to the planned trail underpass makes it less of a priority than other trail connections/improvements. Additionally, it would likely create drainage, water quality, and other environmental impacts that may require costly mitigation.
Will the new trail underpass tunnel have lighting?
How will vehicular traffic and trail traffic be detoured during construction?
The details of construction phasing and detour routes will be determined during final design, which is expected to be complete in Spring 2024.