Grand Junction, Colorado | I-70 Business Loop

Increasing Downtown Vitality Through I-70B Corridor

Grand Junction, Colorado | Completed 2014

Project Details

The Challenge

Key Activities

Outcomes

Report

Grand Junction, Colorado’s downtown district expands several blocks in either direction. It’s directly connected to the riverfront district, a large industrial area, and what is known as the I-70 Business (I-70B) loop. With substantial traffic traveling around the downtown area throughout the day, the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) and the City of Grand Junction wanted to make sure the I-70B corridor (one of their primary routes) was both safe and conducive to economic prosperity.

The route, which runs from 1st Street and Grand Avenue to Ute and Pitkin streets, is a state highway under the jurisdiction of the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT). The DDA and City were interested in keeping the area in line with the communities goals for the downtown economy. The DDA requested Community Builders assistance in helping them work together with CDOT to build a design strategy for the corridor that met CDOT’s needs while also increasing the vitality of the downtown through redevelopment and investment. 

The process for this project was driven by the DDA and was relatively short. We engaged in workshops with both the DDA, CDOT, and City staff. A design charrette engaged neighborhood leaders, elected officials, CDOT, City staff, the DDA, and local businesses to explore the challenges and opportunities in the area. There was broad support for the project throughout.

We arrived at a balanced strategy that met the needs of the downtown while also providing a level of service CDOT was interested in. However, the plan was not adopted by City Council.

While City Council was engaged in the process, we recognized a more effective strategy would have been to engage them earlier on in the process and at a deeper level, while providing more opportunities for learning and dialogue about the tradeoffs between different alternatives.

Click the button below to view the final report.

Grand Junction I-70B Downtown Report