DENVER — A Denver neighborhood has big dreams for the future of what is known as the Colfax Clover, where West Colfax Avenue and Federal Boulevard intersect.
It’s described by some residents as a deadly intersection and they are hoping talk of building an “elevated” park there comes true.
One pedestrian we talked who identified himself as Patrick said rush hour can be dangerous due to the interchange’s design.
“The drivers and the motorists over here in the far lane, they’ll be looking to the left and they won’t glance to the right. And that’s when somebody gets struck,” Patrick said.
The intersection is known as the Colfax Clover because of the shape of its ramps. But now, the West Colfax Business District is asking the Colorado Department of Transportation to give the interchange an entire makeover.
Under the proposal, the clover leaf ramps would be eliminated. Federal would go around an elevated park above Colfax. There would be green space and room for buildings on this nearly 30-acre piece of land near Sun Valley.
The design was reportedly designed after the High Line park in New York City.
“It would certainly have some place where people could come and congregate, but it would also be a way for people to enjoy and stroll,” said West Colfax Business Improvement District director Dan Shah.
Shah says the hope is to create a city-center-like park that would make it easier and safer to cross over Colfax.
The cost of this project is currently estimated at $25 million.
The business district says the next step is for the city conduct a study to learn more about what it would take to complete this project. The district is hoping construction could start in about five years.