Foothills Parkway Bicycle and Pedestrian Underpass

The existing bicycle and pedestrian bridge over Foothills Parkway south of Colorado Avenue connects neighborhoods east and west of Foothills Parkway to the University of Colorado, schools, parks and other bicycle and pedestrian paths, lanes and sidewalks.

This bridge was constructed in 1978 and is at the end of its service life, requiring more frequent maintenance as well as not meeting current Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) guidelines and other bicycle facility design guidelines.

Photos of existing conditions

Project Purpose and Scope

This project will provide an underpass crossing of Foothills Parkway for pedestrians and bicyclists that meets current guidelines and standards. The existing bridge will be removed. The project will include connections to adjacent bicycle and pedestrian paths, signage, bicycle parking and urban design/public art. Additional work and features may be added through the planning design or construction process as the project budget allows.

Project Status

The project has been reviewed through the city’s Community and Environmental Assessment Process (CEAP). The CEAP assesses potential impacts of a public project to inform the selection and refinement of a preferred project alternative.

Following the consideration of community feedback and technical evaluation, the recommended underpass alternative is 1b. Participants in the public process generally favored this alternative. Alternative 1b will:

Improve mobility for all ages and abilities
Maintain the neighborhood access for the various bicycle and pedestrian travel patterns
Provide a more direct crossing connection compared to other alternatives (does not require entry ramp loops and steep grades)
Provide access to the Wellman Ditch company for maintenance, which is also an improvement from existing conditions
Be constructed within the project budget and with a shorter construction duration compared to the other alternatives

1b also supports other factors such as directness of travel and connections to natural features. The new underpass will have a design life of 75 years and will meet current accessibility and bike facility design standards with less-steep slopes.

At the June 11, 2018, Transportation Advisory Board (TAB) meeting the Board held a public hearing and recommended (4-0) approval of the CEAP and the preferred alternative. The CEAP was forwarded to City Council for potential call-up by July 17, 2018 and the City Council did not call-up the CEAP. The project's preferred alternative will move forward into preliminary and final design. The project is anticipated to begin construction in 2019 and take one year to complete.

Learn more about the recommended alternative 1b and matrix evaluation for all alternatives .

Anticipated Timeline

Project planning and design - summer 2017 through fall 2018
Final design, project permits, and approvals and project bidding - late 2018/Early 2019
Community meeting sharing information on project design and anticipated construction impacts - Early 2019
Construction - 2019