DENVER — More than 20,000 people ride the RTD 15 and 15L buses every single day, which travel east and west on Colfax, with thousands more driving through the busy corridor.
In the next few years, it's likely that all those who use the roadway to travel will be impacted by the East Colfax BRT Project, which broke ground Friday.
"This is a very, very welcome, long overdue project," said Richard Bamber, with Greater Denver Transit. "The current Colfax buses, that's routes 15 and 15L are the busiest buses RTD currently runs."
Bamber is fully on-board with project. Ultimately, he believes it'll attract more people to the Colfax corridor area.
"It'll make Colfax, this section of Colfax, so much more pleasant, whether you are here to work, rest play be a huge sort of upgrade," he said.
The project will go in phases, beginning on Colfax between Broadway and Williams. It will create center-running bus lanes and reduce the roadway down to one lane of travel in each direction.
It's something business owners, like Holly Brooks, who's owned the Capitol Hill Bookstore for about 20 years, isn't excited for.
"They came and told me that they were going to do that, and I screamed," she said.
Brooks told Denver7 her business relies primarily on customers who drive there. Inherently, those commuters require a place to park. The problem for Brooks is the project will reduce 970 parking spots in the area by 300.
"We really rely on the parking and it will disappear," she said.
Brooks added that with nearby parking spots gone, she doesn't believe her business can survive to rejoice in the long term benefits expected with the East Colfax BRT project.
"Well, nobody can stop," she said. "What? We should just wave as they go by?"
However, for those who rely on RTD's 15 and 15L bus, like Kala Hill and her 7-month-old baby, Vander, the BRT is a good idea and the current system is something she's relied on heavily.
"I use it just about every day," Hill said. "We're going to Mile High Behavioral Health. I'm doing a class there today."
"I wouldn't be able to get anywhere if it wasn't for the bus. So I'm really grateful for it," she added.
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