The board of directors of Colorado’s Nonattainment Area Air Pollution Mitigation Enterprise (NAAPME) recently approved $50 million to fund Denver’s Federal Boulevard bus rapid transit (BRT) project along with an ongoing annual maintenance commitment.
The Federal Boulevard BRT will span as much as 18 miles on Federal Boulevard, one of the busiest transit corridors in metro Denver. Preliminary design, engineering and environmental review are underway, and the final design will be completed in 2027.
Funding will be used to construct 74 station platforms. Phase one will begin in fall 2027 and build 28 stations. Phase two will begin in summer 2028 and build 46 stations.
“We are excited that the enterprise can make such a significant investment in cleaner travel options along one of the busiest corridors in the nonattainment area,” Kristin Stephens, NAAPME board chairwoman, said. “Delivering high-quality transit access and cleaner air are central to our mission, and this investment will take a significant step toward better air quality.”
During fiscal year 2029, corridor-wide maintenance will start at $1 million then cut back to $2.7 million annually.
The NAAPME is housed within the Colorado Department of Transportation and was created to mitigate the environmental and health impacts of transportation in nonattainment areas failing to meet federal air quality standards.