South Federal Green Boulevard

This green infrastructure project will improve water quality for areas on and around South Federal Boulevard between Alameda and Mississippi.

The City and County of Denver Department of Public Works and the Colorado Department of Transportation will implement several improvement projects along South Federal Boulevard, many of which were recommended in the 2017 Federal Corridor Report. These improvements are intended to create safer environments for pedestrians and transit users, improve water quality flowing to the South Platte River, improve air quality, enhance streetscapes, and create a sense of place that will benefit local businesses, residents and visitors.

OBJECTIVES & BENEFITS

The project will design and construct vegetated streetside stormwater facilities to improve the quality of stormwater runoff before it enters the stormwater system, ultimately making its way to the South Platte River. The improvements will primarily be constructed in the tree lawns between the curb and gutter.

Additional enhancements will include:

  • Intersection and signal improvements from Virginia to Jewell Avenues, with signal reconstructions at Exposition, Kentucky and Mississippi.
  • Center median construction from Alameda Avenue to Vassar Avenue.
  • Street repaving from Alameda Avenue to Louisiana Avenue.

Little Saigon Business District – Placemaking Initiative

This is a community-driven effort to identify key placemaking elements for the Little Saigon Business District and explore the formal creation of a Business Improvement District.

NEED

The South Federal Green Boulevard Project is located in one of Denver’s highest priority basins in most need of stormwater quality treatment. It has also been identified as a Community of Concern by the 2017 Vision Zero Action Plan due to the high concentration of traffic injuries and fatalities.

OPPORTUNITY

The project aims to address multiple city goals including:

  • Improving water quality flowing to the South Platte River.
  • Creating safer environments for pedestrians and transit users.
  • Reducing urban heat Island effects.
  • Providing tree canopy coverage.
  • Improving air quality.
  • Establishing a “sense of place” that will benefit local businesses, residents and visitors.
  • Project Location & Schedule

    The project is located within the public right-of-way of South Federal Boulevard between West Alameda Avenue and West Mississippi Avenue. The businesses along this corridor are within an area officially designated as the “Little Saigon Business District” with support from Councilman Lo’pez in 2014.

    The design phase of the project is scheduled to be completed by Fall 2019 and construction is tentatively scheduled to begin Spring 2020 in coordination with CDOT led transportation projects.

  • Urban Green Infrastructure

    According to the Environmental Protection Agency, green infrastructure is a cost-effective way of managing stormwater while also providing numerous community benefits. A major cause of poor water quality in urban areas is polluted stormwater runoff. Rainwater from roofs, streets and parking lots is unable to soak into the ground as it would in a natural setting. Stormwater runoff carries trash, garbage, bacteria, and other pollutants from the urban landscape and can cause unhealthy environments, erosion, and flooding from higher flows which damage property and infrastructure.

    While the conventional stormwater infrastructure system moves urban stormwater away from built environments, green infrastructure reduces and treats stormwater at its source.

    In a natural setting rainfall is absorbed and filtered by soil and plants. Green infrastructure tries to mimic the natural setting by using vegetation, soils, and other elements to restore some of the natural processes.

    The City and County of Denver is making green infrastructure a fundamental part of the city’s long-term stormwater management strategy by looking at ways to incorporate large scale green infrastructure and site-scale green infrastructure. This green infrastructure approach will target multiple pollutants while increasing open space, improving air quality, and facilitating connectivity.

    Large Scale

    Network of parks, open space, floodplains, and constructed facilities that mimic natural systems by using vegetation, soils, and roots to filter stormwater runoff.

    Site Scale

    Stormwater planters, green gutters, and green alleys that slow and treat stormwater runoff before it reaches creeks and rivers.

    Benefits of Green Infrastructure

    Cities across the nation, as well as the City and County of Denver are using green infrastructure to meet water quality goals and provide more livable communities. While the water quality benefits can be easily estimated there are a number of social, economic, and environmental benefits that are not measurable in a short period of time.

    Short Term Benefits

    • Improves water quality
    • Reduces flood risks
    • Improves air quality
    • Absorbs local carbon emissions
    • Lower traffic speeds

    Long Term Benefits

    • Reduces energy demands
    • Reduces injury crashes
    • Enhance community livability
    • Reduces urban heat island effect
    • Increases social cohesion
    • Creates a sense of place/destination
  • Vision Zero

    Vision Zero is a transportation safety philosophy that was developed in Sweden in the late 1990s to eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries in the transportation system. Sweden has reduced traffic fatalities by half, making it one of the safest places in the world.

    The City and County of Denver and Mayor Michael Hancock are committed to reducing traffic related deaths and serious injuries by 2030. The city began laying the groundwork for its Vision Zero initiative in 2015. The Action Plan, developed in coordination with dozens of city agencies and partners, is a five-year plan that sets Denver on a clear path to achieve safe streets for pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users, motorcyclists and automobile drivers in Denver.

    Green infrastructure is a tool that can help create safer streets by acting as a physical buffer between pedestrians and automobiles, being strategically located to encourage safer crossings, and lowering traffic speeds.

    As part of the Vision Zero program, the City and County of Denver created the “One Federal Boulevard” task force to expedite and coordinate improvements with Denver Public Works, the Colorado Department of Transportation and the Denver Police Department. This task force is entrusted to expedite and coordinate safety improvement projects on Federal Boulevard, including the South Federal Green Boulevard Project. Learn more at denvergov.org/visionzero

PUBLIC OUTREACH

Our goal is to create a transparent, inclusive and accessible process that provides a forum for engaging potentially interested parties, including the diverse communities and business organizations along the corridor.

Community leaders and key grassroots organizations will be involved through interviews and Advisory Group participation. We will engage businesses, residents, and other interested public through open houses and targeted meetings. Materials from those meetings will be posted online for review.

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