Denver Moves - Cherry Creek

2024 Update:
DENVER MOVES CHERRY CREEK (DMCC) was a City-engaged process that was a subset of the transportation planning efforts by Denver’s Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI) in the broader program entitled Denver Moves Everyone. DMCC was focused on looking at options for the core of the Cherry Creek residential and business corridors. This approximate two (2)-year effort involved key stakeholders and community leaders in analyzing traffic and mobility problems, identifying opportunities for traffic management and improvements and engaging residents and businesses in the area for input and reflection on these important issues. The goal of DMCC was to identify key priority projects and recommendations for the Cherry Creek area. DMCC conducted comprehensive outreach throughout the project timeline. Through meetings with the general public, stakeholder committees, focus groups, and City Council, DMCC heard a significant amount of feedback and made changes to the DMCC final plan that reflect the community’s wants and needs.

 

DMCC wrapped up its findings and recommendations in February 2024. The DMCC final plan, its appendices, and a one-pager that describes how community feedback was incorporated into the plan are now available on the project website (links below).

 

Link to Appendices (B-D): Click here to view the document

Link to One-Pager: Click here to view the document

 

• The travel model developed for DMCC found that anticipated growth in Cherry Creek will result in increased demand for transit, walking, and biking. Given that Cherry Creek is one of the fastest growing areas of Denver, developers represent a key partner to implement public infrastructure recommendations and advance programs and strategies to provide additional travel options. 
• Cherry Creek is rapidly growing. How can we keep people moving and manage more traffic, given all the changes we’re seeing in the community? Analysis shows Denver can’t “build our way” out of congestion in Cherry Creek by widening roadways. Growth scenarios were modeled to identify the ideal mix of transportation investments and policies needed to best manage growth. Community feedback was combined with modeling results to develop the full list of recommended projects that are both supported by the community and conducive to all potential futures.
• DMCC developed a list of projects to deliver in the shorter term and strategies to achieve these projects in the final plan, and has preserved project dollars to advance high-priority projects towards implementation. DOTI is leveraging in-house delivery, maintenance work, and working with developers and the Cherry Creek North BID to implement projects recommended in the Plan. 
• In the long-term, increasing the number and service hours of buses servicing the area, along with implementing Bus Rapid Transit, is the recommended solution. Density in the area supports increased transit options, such as BRT.  
• Given the costs and barriers to implementing these changes, the plan includes short-term strategies to pave the way for these improvements. In the near-term, upgrades to bus stops, improved curbside management, and innovative Transit Demand Management solutions (such as car/vanpool incentives and parking cash-outs) would alleviate transportation challenges for workers. 
• The DMCC Plan includes recommendations to increase investment in the local Transportation Management Association (TMA) as the conduit for change and to best coordinate resources. Centralizing investment via the TMA will produce economies of scale for the area and maximize Return on Investment. 
• The 1st and Steele intersection needs to improve safety for pedestrians and continue to function for vehicles. The DMCC plan includes two conceptual recommendations, one that could be implemented in the near-term, and one long-term option that would require a reconstruction of the intersection and would yield substantial safety benefits. Including both options sets DOTI up for success with various levels of funding. DMCC identified an opportunity to improve safety without major impacts to traffic movement. 
• A north/south bike connection through Cherry Creek North is needed, but incoming development on Clayton may pose issues. DMCC recommends implementing a grade-separated bikeway from the Cherry Creek Trail to 1st Avenue and a neighborhood bikeway on Clayton Lane/ Street from the Cherry Creek Trail and on Detroit Street from 1st Avenue, through Cherry Creek North, and beyond. Clayton Lane is both a recommended commercial shared street by DOTI and a private road between 1st Avenue and 2nd Avenue, making it a great place for bicyclists and those riding scooters to share the street, but also decreasing the control DOTI has over what happens on this roadway. With the high-comfort bikeway connection along Clayton St south of 1st Ave, bicyclists are unlikely to go out of direction to travel north/south on Detroit St. However, because Clayton is a private street, a parallel recommendation on Detroit St is necessary if Clayton closes to bikes (such as during events). 
• The Cherry Creek Trail (between Downing and University) needs to be improved NOW. After gathering public input, meeting with stakeholders, and analyzing the pros and cons of eight different options to widen the trail, DMCC recommends moving forward with further study for the option that explores narrowing the median, shifting the traffic lanes north, expanding the trail, and implementing a new tree lawn. Any modifications to 1st Avenue would carefully consider impacts to existing trees. 
• A new crossing at 1st Ave & Columbine was added later in the DMCC process. This recommendation was removed and in its place, DMCC added a recommendation to study additional crossings along 1st Avenue where large gaps exist.