I am excited to announce additional funding has been made available to construct permanent improvements at the south end of the Wadsworth corridor, focused on the 38th Avenue intersection.
The additional work is part of the Wadsworth Improvement project, which first broke ground in late 2021. The project is modernizing and improving Wadsworth from 35th Avenue to I-70, with efficient and safe intersection designs, safer entrances and exits for vehicles accessing businesses, a continuous sidewalk on the west side, and a wider bicycle/pedestrian path on the east side of Wadsworth from 35th Avenue to the Clear Creek Trail.
The importance of improving Wadsworth as a transportation corridor extends well beyond Wheat Ridge. Wadsworth is significant to our entire region. Total project costs, including design and engineering, environmental remediation, property acquisition, and construction is approximately $82 million, making it the largest infrastructure project ever led by the city. But we couldn’t do this without our federal, state and regional partners, who together have funded more than 75 percent of the project cost. I am especially grateful to Wheat Ridge voters who approved a temporary .5 (half) cent sales tax increase in 2016 to fund a portion of the work.
Completing this full project now will save money, eliminate the need for temporary work, and prevent the disruption of having to come back in the future to make the final improvements at the south end of the corridor.
The project is now slated to achieve substantial completion in the spring of 2026. We know ongoing construction operations can be inconvenient for pedestrians, motorists, residents and businesses along the corridor and I want to thank everyone for their continued patience as the contractors complete this “once in several generations” project.
Please remember that businesses on Wadsworth are OPEN DURING CONSTRUCTION, with business access being provided from the highway, and I want to encourage everyone to keep shopping local and support our vibrant merchant community!
For more information and project updates visit https://whatsupwheatridge.com/improve-wadsworth.
Contact Wheat Ridge Mayor Bud Starker at bstarker@ci.wheatridge.co.us or 303-235-2800.
