Denver asks regional transit agency to rethink Welton rail replacement before 2027 work

Denver is asking the Regional Transportation District to refocus the Welton phase of its $150 million Downtown Rail Reconstruction Project on near-term safety, maintenance and accessibility work instead of rebuilding the existing rail configuration for another 30 years.

The request comes as Denver and RTD study alternatives for the Welton Street corridor. The planned rail replacement was screened out of the study’s next phase because of concerns about single-track reliability, limited separation between pedestrians and travel space, limited sidewalk and curbside flexibility, and the complexity of converting the corridor to two-way rail service.

The proposal would not remove rail from consideration or cancel the reconstruction project. Denver wants RTD to address immediate needs between Broadway and the 30th & Downing Station while the agencies complete the Welton Next Steps study and develop a longer-term transit design, according to the agenda packet for RTD’s Sept. 22 board meeting.

The existing plan called for the Welton phase to begin in January 2027, with full-depth rail replacement, utility and drainage upgrades, replacement of high-block accessibility ramps and station-access improvements. The packet does not specify the near-term construction package, its cost or whether the January schedule would change.

The Welton Next Steps study is examining bus, light rail and streetcar options. All three modes are recommended to advance beyond the first screening; an autonomous shuttle option is not. The study evaluated 19 roadway configurations for Welton and Downing, including side-running and center-running guideways, mixed-traffic transit, transit-only arrangements and designs without transit. It recommends five Welton configurations and four Downing configurations for further analysis, but no final mode or route has been selected.

During winter and spring 2027, the agencies plan to conduct technical analysis, including traffic modeling, gather additional community input and identify a preferred alternative. Summer 2027 is targeted for a draft concept design, further public input, funding exploration and a finalized concept design and implementation strategy.

The study has a $964,000 Federal Transit Administration planning and concept-design grant, including local matching funds. The Sept. 22 board packet lists the Welton item as a presentation and discussion, not a resolution or recommended-action item, so it does not establish that RTD’s board has approved Denver’s request or revised the project scope.