Pena Boulevard was built in 1995, to get the people of Denver to their new Airport. At the time, they never expected more than 50 Million people a year, but last year over 69 Million passed through the tented great hall, and we are expected to see 100 Million people in the near future. While the airport has had many upgrades to accommodate this shift, Pena BLVD has not. Until now.
DIA hosted their first Open house last night, to explain to the public what issues the current road has, and what some possible solutions are. Pena is not up to 2023 Road Standards. Safety has become a big issues, with roughly 4 accidents a week in 2019, making it one of the most dangerous 11 mile spans in Denver. Current plans will likely involve adding a lane, but there are many uses for that lane. It could be a bus only lane, or it could be a managed HOV lane, like the Boulder Turnpike and many other Colorado Roads. Or maybe it’s a free for all lane with no speed limits. This is where your input comes in. At last night’s meeting they took suggestions from the audience about other possible solutions, and concerns from the Green Valley Ranch, Montbello and Gateway neighbors, because this road will impact them on a daily basis. If you missed that meeting, but still have ideas, there is a second meeting on Tuesday, Feb 28th at the Evie Garrett Dennis Campus in Gateway. And if you’re not a big fan of leaving the house, you can check out the virtual meeting on the DIA Website, and give your ideas and opinions there. You can do this until March 9th. This study should be completed by the end of the year, with renovations to the road starting in the next year.
