Brady PieperColorado lawmakers are exploring methods to improve connections to and from Denver International Airport.
The Denver City Council has approved Resolution 25-0256, which will allocate $15 million to study the efficiency of Peña Boulevard and evaluate the environmental impacts of a highway expansion project. The study, conducted in partnership with Peak Consulting Group, LLC, will assess environmental clearance and preliminary design while representing the first step in improving multimodal connectivity for visitors to the airport.
The funding for the study will be sourced from a combination of municipalities, including $10 million in county-dedicated airport funds and $5 million in regional transportation authority contributions.
Peña Boulevard runs more than 11 miles along the northeast portion of Denver County, connecting suburban communities in Montbello, Green Valley Ranch and north Aurora to the massive international airport complex.
As the corridor is one of only a few routes providing transportation to the airport, officials indicate Peña Boulevard is in dire need of revitalization. Some proposed options for reducing congestion include widening the roadway, developing bus-only lanes and installing toll lanes.
The study will evaluate the corridor according to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), identifying and comparing project costs while noting climate change. The act, signed into law in the 1970s, is designed to assess the environmental, social and economic effects of a project or initiative prior to development.
While the partners will explore the feasibility and environmental effects of an efficiency project, the city council and airport officials anticipate further legislative action will necessitate any expansion efforts.
Despite this, several city council members voiced concerns over the proposed study, citing the inability to reach climate goals and the lack of consideration for the Regional Transportation District’s A-line train and additional multimodal transportation options.
Notably, the study under NEPA requirements can only be slated for a project sponsored and, in part, funded by an independent entity, such as Denver International Airport. Any additional research and evaluation related to public transportation on Peña Boulevard would not be eligible under this study, according to Councilman Kevin Flynn.
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