FTA grants environmental clearance to Denver’s 16th Street Mall project
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) issued a Finding of No Significant Impact for the 16th Street Mall project on Nov. 26, which will allow the city and county of Denver, Colo., with partners Regional Transportation District (RTD), Denver Urban Renewal Authority (DURA) and Downtown Denver Partnership to begin the process of selecting a contractor for the design/build project.
The 16th Street Mall project will reconstruct the mall by expanding sidewalks for walking, café seating and other activities, and moves transit lanes to ensure the continued mobility and reliability of the Free MallRide buses. More than 40,000 riders take the Free MallRide each day, making the 16th Street Mall one of the busiest transit streets in the RTD system. By 2035, the city estimates the number of daily riders will exceed 70,000. With the updated design, the northeast- and southwest-bound buses would operate in adjacent lanes in the center of the mall, shifting to slightly off-center lanes in the historically asymmetrical blocks.
The issuance of the FONSI marks the end of the environmental review period and moves it into the final design and construction phase which will include additional opportunities for the public to give input into key aspects of the construction process and the mall experience.
Denver-area voters committed $13 million from the Elevate Denver Bond Program to help fund the project cost in 2017. The city, FTA, Denver Regional Council of Governments and DURA will contribute to the project cost. The city says design and construction of the 16th Street Mall is expected to begin in 2021.
Mischa Wanek-Libman | Group Editorial Director
Mischa Wanek-Libman is director of communications with Transdev North America. She has more than 20 years of experience working in the transportation industry covering construction projects, engineering challenges, transit and rail operations and best practices.
Wanek-Libman has held top editorial positions at freight rail and public transportation business-to-business publications including as editor-in-chief and editorial director of Mass Transit from 2018-2024. She has been recognized for editorial excellence through her individual work, as well as for collaborative content.
She is an active member of the American Public Transportation Association's Marketing and Communications Committee and served 14 years as a Board Observer on the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC) Board of Directors.
She is a graduate of Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Mass Communication.
