RTD Board approves renaming of Civic Center Station to honor disability rights advocate
The Regional Transportation District (RTD) Board of Directors voted Tuesday evening to formally rename Civic Center Station as Wade Blank Civic Center Station in honor of the late Rev. Wade Blank, the disability rights activist who advocated for equitable transit access both locally and nationwide.
The Board’s decision is the culmination of a yearlong process initiated under RTD’s Honorary Property and Station Naming Policy, adopted in July 2024. The process encouraged community members to propose honorary names for RTD stations and properties based on historical contributions, public support and alignment with RTD’s mission.
Blank, who died in 1993, co-founded Atlantis Community Inc., a Denver-based nonprofit that has continued to support independent living for people with disabilities for 50 years. He also notably played a prominent role in organizing the historic Gang of 19 protest in 1978, when 19 disability activists blocked RTD buses at the intersection of Colfax Avenue and Broadway to demand accessible transit. The protest, held steps from where Civic Center Station is located today, was pivotal in RTD’s decision to outfit buses with wheelchair lifts, an early milestone in Denver's accessible public transportation efforts.
Blank’s advocacy and leadership extended well beyond Colorado. His work with national transit agencies and the American Public Transportation Association provided a basis for the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, which codified protections against disability-based discrimination across the United States.
“Disability rights were championed here in Denver, steps from Civic Center Station, as a direct result of the Rev. Blank’s leadership and care,” said Board of Directors Chair Julien Bouquet. “As was shared in a call to action after Blank’s death, he understood that love is a passionate, lifelong action to preserve and enlarge the joy, dignity and quality of every human life. With this meaningful and important change to one of our most visible stations, RTD is honoring the life and work of a man who aspired toward a more human society that affords access and justice to all.”
The renaming proposal was submitted by community advocates and championed by former RTD Director Jaime Lewis. It was supported by 28 letters from local organizations and a proclamation passed unanimously by Denver City Council. A multi-disciplinary review committee evaluated the application using Board-approved criteria and issued a unanimous recommendation in favor of the change.
The agency will implement the new name beginning in 2026, starting with updates to digital platforms and station signage as part of RTD's scheduled January service changes. A public event to unveil the updated signage is also planned for early 2026.
The total cost of the change is estimated at $98,000, which will be paid for through the RTD General Manager and CEO’s contingency fund.