Peña Boulevard

City Council just approved a five-year contract with Peak Consulting Group to explore redesign options for the traffic-choked artery between the city and Denver International Airport (DIA).

Yes, $15 million, and no, this isn’t an April Fools joke. They’re getting paid $3 million a year to help decide whether the main road between the nation’s third-busiest airport and its 19th-largest city should be wider. Of course, there’s more to it than we realize, but that price tag definitely raises eyebrows.

Leading the effort are Peak’s founding members Mandy Whorton and Colleen Kirby Roberts.

Whorton brings 29 years of infrastructure experience and has led major environmental studies for projects like I-70 Floyd Hill, the Colorado Springs–Denver South Corridor, and the 16th Street Mall. Roberts has 24 years of experience in transportation and environmental planning, including NEPA and Planning and Environmental Linkages studies for complex rail, highway, and transit projects. She’s worked with CDOT, RTD, the California High-Speed Rail Authority, and the Federal Railroad Administration.

Together, they’ll guide the Peña project through the federally required NEPA process and evaluate options like bus-only lanes, toll lanes, frontage roads—or just leaving it alone. Some early design work is also baked into the deal.

While support for the study has grown, not everyone’s buying it. Councilmembers Sarah Parady and Shontel Lewis voted no, calling out the city’s failure to prioritize transit or climate goals. “We expand roads, they fill up, and we do it all again,” Lewis said.

DIA says improving the A Line isn’t on the table, it’s run by RTD, but claims bus-based transit alternatives will be considered. Meanwhile, northeast Denver residents like Councilmember Stacie Gilmore say traffic on Peña is unbearable and change is overdue.

When the five-year study wraps, City Council will vote again, this time, on whether to actually build.

This recent decision by the City Council of Denver shines a spotlight on the ever-growing transportation issues that urban centers face, especially those dealing with high commercial and travel activity.

Denver International Airport, being one of the busiest in the nation, necessitates efficient connectivity to the city to support the economic engine it fuels. Amidst rapid urbanization and rising populations, city planners must weigh the benefits of expanding critical infrastructure against the potential environmental toll and financial costs.

The crux of the matter involves finding a balance that will alleviate traffic congestion, promote sustainability, and meet future demands of an ever-growing urban landscape. Many cities around the world are looking towards innovative solutions to address such challenges, like introducing rapid transit systems, promoting carpooling, and investing in greener infrastructure projects that maintain a smaller carbon footprint.

However, expanding Peña Boulevard without parallel improvements in mass transit systems could prove shortsighted.

As urban mobility trends suggest, reliance solely on expanding road infrastructure might lead to temporary relief, but could eventually revert to congestion due to induced demand, a phenomenon where increasing road capacity encourages more drivers and quickly fills the new space. This highlights why other cities have been increasingly focusing on improving and integrating public transit options.

As Denver embarks on this significant undertaking, it symbolizes the city's recognition of the need for comprehensive solutions that fully address the infrastructural burdens precipitated by both current and future urbanization.

The city stands at a crossroads where decisions made today will echo into its growth trajectory in coming decades, and engaging in a robust planning process that prioritizes versatility, sustainability, and long-term growth is paramount.