The following is WDCA’s letter of opposition to the planned BRT along Alameda from Colorado Blvd. to Aurora. This position was taken after discussions with multiple households who would be directly impacted and other households within Winston Downs. Hilltop Neighborhood and Cherry Creek East both agree with us. The start date is 2030 as part of the former 2040/now 2050 transportation plan. The DRCOG plan is available on our website. CLICK HERE to see entire plan. Another article about the rationale CLICK HERE.
WDCA’S LETTER July 9, 2026 via email
To:
Adam Paul, Director of Government Affairs/Mayor’s Office
Councilman Kevin Flynn, City Council Rep to DRCO
Amy Ford, Executive Director DOTI
Chris Nicholson, RTD Director
cc: Councilwoman Amanda Sawyer, District 5
From: Susan Bernard, President Winston Downs Community Association
Re: Opposition to DRCOG’s BRT plan along Alameda Ave from Colorado Blvd. to Aurora
Dear RTD, DRCOG & City Officials and Planners:
As a neighborhood along Alameda Avenue, Winston Downs Community Association (WDCA) strongly opposes the proposed plan for a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line planned for E. Alameda Avenue and especially along E Alameda Ave from Colorado Blvd to Aurora. Our RNO lies between Monaco and Quebec along E. Alameda Ave.
Current transit on this corridor is not operating at capacity, making the elimination of our parkways unnecessary and counterproductive.
Alameda’s tree canopies and parkways serve as vital natural infrastructure. They function as natural parks that reduce urban noise, filter pollutants, and improve Denver’s air quality. Destroying these green buffers to install a high-capacity transit lane will actively harm our environment and degrade the aesthetic beauty of our neighborhoods. The current plan is to eliminate the parkways to allow bus lanes at curbs and to eliminate any cut-aways now in place for bus pickup/drop off.
The logistics for a total West to East BRT along Alameda are at odds with the inconsistent breaks in Alameda, street widths and proximity to home setbacks, not to mention tearing out existing greenbelts.
OUR RECOMMENDATION: Instead of permanently altering Alameda, we strongly urge RTD, DRCOG and City planners to evaluate usage data from the East Colfax Avenue Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) program for three to five years. We believe launching more BRT projects across Denver—and specifically along Alameda Avenue and Colorado Blvd.—must wait until the Colfax system proves its long-term viability and operational safety.
Why Evaluate First?
- Construction Impacts: The East Colfax project has caused severe disruptions and revenue losses for local businesses, forcing Denver to create grant programs for impacted shops.
- Operational Readiness: Colfax is employing a phased approach, with partial testing on new platforms, leading into the full operational launch. A multi-year review will reveal the true impact on traffic flow and ridership.
- Regional Sequencing: Long-term transit plans (like those from the Denver Regional Council of Governments) have mapped out specific timelines, with corridors like Colorado Boulevard and Alameda Avenue slated for later phases of the regional BRT network.
Respectfully,
Susan Bernard, President WDCA Board
Winston Downs Community Association/WDCA
P.O. Box 22594, Denver CO 80222
www.winstondowns.org