Prioritizing Safety on Alameda Ave

After a decade of being asked for safety improvements, and 6 years of planning with the West Washington Park Neighborhood, the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI) has rolled back a project that would have brought life-saving improvements to Alameda Ave. This is a High Injury Network street (5% of roads that account for 50% of crashes in Denver) running through West Washington Park. 

What Happened to the Original Design?

The Timeline

2014 - West Washington Park Neighborhood Association began asking the city to address the horrible crashes on Alameda, including crashes into homes and students being hit by drivers.

2014-2024 - After overwhelming positive feedback from West Wash Park over 4 years of outreach, a 4-to-3 lane safety improvement was finalized for construction in Summer 2025.

2025 - An opposing petition was created, but only 12% of signatures came from West Wash Park neighborhood.

Nov 2025 - After construction notice was delivered, and WITHOUT ANY PUBLIC PROCESS, the city drastically altered the design, abandoning many safety improvements neighbors had been asking for.

Learn More

2/18/2026 - 9News - Denver to run 6-month test to address debate over Alameda safety issues

2/18/2026 - Denverite - Denver makes another U-turn on controversial Alameda Avenue plan, agrees to test original road diet

2/19/2026 - ALR Working Group Meeting

1/23/2026 - City Cast Denver - Mayor Johnston’s ‘Biggest Fears,’ Rents Keep Dropping, and a Massive Medicaid Fraud

2/11/2026 - WWPNA + WPENA - Letter to Mayor Johnston

2/09/2026 - City Cast Denver - Lisa Calderón on Why She’s Running for Mayor for the Third Time

1/22/2026 - Denver Post - Denver officials say controversial Alameda Avenue changes will get demonstration before design finalized

1/22/2026 - Denverite - Denver could test both versions of Alameda Avenue road diet

1/21/2026 - 9News - Denver will test competing safety plans for Alameda safety project after continued backlash

1/21/2026 - Axios - Council chides controversial Alameda redesign

1/21/2026 - CBS Denver - Partial redesign for the city of Denver's Alameda Avenue project draws concerns

1/21/2026 - Denver7 - As Alameda debate intensifies, Denver faces pressure over traffic deaths and Vision Zero goals

1/13/2026 - 9News- Another group opposed Alameda project change

1/19/2026 - Denver Post - How Denver’s shifting plans for Alameda Avenue created a PR nightmare for Mayor Mike Johnston

1/13/2026 - WPENA Letter for Mayor Johnston in Support of Original Plan

12/30/2025 - Denver City Council - Letter to Mayor Johnston and Director Ford

1/2/2026 - Denverite - Safety ‘threatened’ by controversial Alameda Avenue plan, Denver council members warn

1/6/2026 - 9News - Denver City Council members demand full road safety project be restored; cite concerns of Anschutz family influence in decision

1/12/2026 - WWPNA - Letter to Major Johnston Request a LOSS (Level of Service of Safety) Analysis on partial plan

12/17/2025 - Sunday Denver Post - Mayor Johnston, bowing to business interests, is setting Denver’s road safety back

12/17/2025 - City Cast Denver - Is Mayor Johnston Making Denver Streets Less Safe? Alameda, Bike Lanes, Waymo, and More

12/20/2025 - Westword - Sacrificing Convenience for Safety Is the Right Thing to Do

12/11/2025 - The Mayor’s Pedestrian Advisory Committee Letter to Mayor Johnston and DOTI Director Ford

12/11/2025 - WWPNA Letter to Mayor Johnston and DOTI Director Ford on Petition in Support of the Original Alameda Lane Repurposing Project Design

12/12/2025 - Westword - Wash Park West Residents Call for City to Reverse Course on Road Diet

12/11/2025 - Denver 7 - Whatever happens with Alameda Avenue, advocates argue public trust with DOTI needs repairs

12/11/2025 - NEXT WITH KYLE CLARK- 'Like a C-': Engineering professor says Anschutz-backed Alameda plan not as safe as original

12/11/2025 - FOX 31 - Neighbors continue protesting Denver’s change to Alameda safety project

12/9/2025 - City Cast Denver Podcast -
Hickenlooper’s New Challenger, RTD’s Rocky Road Ahead, and Secret Influence Over Alameda Ave.?

WPENA Community Input: Shared Streets on S. Gaylord & Alameda Project

12/11/2025 - Denver 7 - Neighbors continue to push back against DOTI's recent changes to Alameda Lane Repurposing Project

12/4/2025 - Denverite - City met with a lobbyist before scaling back Alameda road narrowing project, public records show

12/5/2025 - 9News - Internal docs: 'High-level' community concerns behind city's plan to scale back Alameda construction

12/3/2025 - 9News - Denver neighbors say city scrapped a finalized road project after opposition from the state's wealthiest family

11/10/2025 - President Jonathan Edwards’ remarks during City Council Open Comments

11/11/2025 - City Cast Denver Podcast - Will Your Flight Get Canceled? Plus, No ‘Road Diet’ For Alameda and Green Chile Authenticity

12/3/2025 - Denver 7 - 'Personal betrayal': Denver's changing Alameda Avenue safety plan angers Wash Park neighbors

West Washington Park Neighborhood Assoc. (WWPNA) Petition to Prioritize Safety on Alameda Ave.

11/10/2025 - Denverite Article - City changes Alameda road diet plans after backlash (including from an Anschutz)

11/2025 - Advisory Board question DOTI Executive Director Amy Ford about the last minute change

09/2025 - WWPNA Letter to Amy Ford, DOTI Director, in support of the ORIGINAL 4 to 3 lane conversion

10/28/2025 - DOTI Advisory Board Letter of Support for the ORIGINAL Plan

Learn how a 4 to 3 lane conversion improves safety, and creates efficiency.