East Colfax Avenue Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Investment Update - Sept. 8, 2026

Overview

The East Colfax Avenue Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project, led by City & County of Denver, with RTD and the City of Aurora as partners, delivers 8.5 miles of BRT to East Colfax Avenue between Broadway and I-225. The section within Denver that is between Broadway and Yosemite Street will be center-running, dedicated lane BRT with level boarding in the middle of Colfax Avenue. As the project transitions to Aurora, the improvements switch to the outside lanes of Colfax Avenue with side-running stations in mixed traffic and level boarding at select stations.

The $280 million project is jointly funded by the Federal Transit Administration, Denver, and Aurora. As the project sponsor for the FTA Small Starts grant that funds the majority of the project, RTD passes the funding through to Denver.

Service Features

When complete in late 2027/early 2028, the full BRT will contain several unique service features including:

All door boarding

Off-board fare collection (ticket vending machines (TVMs), fare validators on platforms)

Near level boarding (13-inch platform for 14-inch bus floor)

Interior bike racks

Three-door buses

Transit Signal Priority

Dedicated bus lanes in the center of Colfax Avenue

Platform security including emergency telephones (ETELS) and cameras

Passenger information display systems (PIDS)

Schedule

The project is currently preparing to open Phase 1 of the project between Broadway and Colorado Boulevard to Bus Only Lane Operations (BOLO) for Routes 15 and 15L on September 27, 2026 in alignment with RTD’s September Service Changes. The decision was confirmed with the project team on August 26, 2026 and through a visit from the Federal Transit Administration on September 1, 2026. Under BOLO, Routes 15 and 15L will use the bus only lanes and center platforms between Pennsylvania Street and Colorado Boulevard with level boarding, bus lanes, interior bike racks, and platform security. Opening of the full BRT is planned for late 2027/early 2028, at which time all BRT elements will be present.

Next Steps

Bus operator training for the Phase 1 BOLO opening began the week of August 3 and will continue until the September 27 opening date. Operators are being trained on the unique operational needs of BRT to ensure safe, efficient, and reliable service is delivered along the East Colfax Corridor, RTD’s busiest bus corridor. Of note, operators will be trained on docking the bus at the level boarding platforms, boarding passengers with mobility devices, and navigating intersections through the center lanes.

To accommodate buses serving the new platforms, modifications to RTD’s fleet were necessary. Because proper ramp deployment on a 13-inch platform requires lifting the front of the bus, RTD’s Bus Operations team spent the past six months implementing a new feature on the articulated fleet that raises the front end and allows the ramp to deploy correctly.

In addition, bike racks on articulated buses have been relocated inside the rear door. This change enables customers to roll their bikes on and off the bus, eliminating the need to load them onto a front rack.

RTD is responsible for the procurement and installation of Ticket Verification Machines (TVMs), fare validators, and Emergency Telephones, or ETELS, all paid for with FTA and project funds. Beginning the week of August 26, RTD installed ETELS at the seven stations (14 platforms) that are part of the Phase 1 opening. This represents a milestone for RTD as they are the first RTD-installed equipment to be activated on the project. The ETELS will be monitored by the RTD Security Command Center along with the cameras installed at each station.

On August 19, 2026, RTD Impact Team employees and members of the ADA community gathered at the Colfax & Pennsylvania Station to capture video to produce a series of instructional videos on how Routes 15 and 15L will change when BOLO begins on September 27. The videos will cover procedures for boarding, using the ADA ramp, and using the interior bike racks. The videos will be released in the weeks leading up to BOLO on September 27.