Project of the Week: Denver’s Alameda Avenue Bridge
By Ileana Garnand, Digital Editor
The new Alameda Avenue Bridge in south-central Denver opened June 24, offering a safer path for all travelers.
Like its predecessor, the structure spans across the South Platte River and connects to one of the city’s busiest roadways.
The renovation project replaced a historic bridge and improved the surrounding area for drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians alike.
Alameda Avenue Bridge History
Located just west of Interstate 25, the original bridge was built in 1911 and held the title of oldest bridge on Colorado’s state highway system. After the old structure was widened in 1966 following severe flooding, it received regular maintenance but no large improvements.
The Colorado Department of Transportation had wanted to replace the original Alameda Avenue Bridge for years, partially because the passageway serves as the primary route for businesses and residents to cross the South Platte River. By the end of the structure’s life, it had uneven terrain, missing sidewalk gaps, large cracks and uneven curb ramps.
“We didn’t just replace a functionally obsolete and structurally deficient bridge that handles an average of 47,000 vehicles a day, including a significant number of large trucks,” Region 1 Transportation Director Jessica Myklebust said in a news release. “We also made numerous other improvements that’ll enhance how people travel through this area.”
Alameda Avenue Bridge Renovations
Ames Construction lead the $22.3 million project, which broke ground in January 2023.
The replacement structure is even wider than the old bridge and includes multimodal options for non-drivers. Sidewalks on both sides of the bridge were also widened for increased safety.
Crews first rerouted traffic to one half of the old bridge, allowing access while the new one was built. Traffic then moved to the partially completed modern bridge as the remaining half was finished.
The project also included work on the surrounding Alameda Avenue area. The I-25 South Santa Fe Drive interchange was reconfigured, while one block of South Platte River Drive was removed to divert traffic to a newly widened South Lipan Street.
The South Platte River Trail was improved with concrete and finely crushed stone pathways for an overall trail width of 22 feet. The path connects to a new on-street two-way bicycle track on the north side of Alameda Avenue.
A water quality pond was built to capture excess water and divert it into the South Platte River. A former construction storage yard was removed and seeded for more natural landscaping alongside southbound I-25.
“By prioritizing pedestrians and cyclists along a state highway and high-injury network, we’re not just improving mobility, we’re saving lives,” Denver City Councilwoman Flor Alvidrez said in a news release. “This crossing reconnects neighborhoods long divided.”
Sources: Colorado Department of Transportation, American Road & Transportation Builders Association, CBS News