What The Heck Happened To Quebec?
A Slow Trip Down Denver’s Most Maddening Traffic-Jammed Street
By Dennis Royer
Exclusive to the Greater Park Hill News
If you live on the east side of Denver, you are without a doubt aware of the importance – and the frustrations – of Quebec Street.
Travelling north-south is a difficult proposition, especially during peak commuting times. Along the two-lane segments of Quebec, it can be maddening the majority of the time. Colorado Boulevard and Havana Street are three and a half miles apart. Typically, you would find at least two-, four- or six-lane arterials in that distance, but not in Denver.
From downtown to Havana Street there are only three arterials: University Boulevard/York/Josephine at four lanes, Colorado Boulevard at six lanes and Monaco Parkway at four lanes over a distance of six-and-a-half miles.
The development of roadways in East Denver was restricted for decades by the existence of Stapleton Airport and Lowry Air Force Base. The closure of both facilities in the mid 1990s, and subsequent redevelopment of these areas, has allowed for the elimination of these restrictions. As its first major infrastructure improvement, the Lowry Redevelopment Authority eliminated the missing connection between First Avenue and Alameda Parkway, creating a continuous Quebec Street to Hampden Avenue. Congestion at Monaco and Alameda was immediately reduced.
Supposed to be a freeway
Historically, Quebec Street has always been planned as an important element of the transportation network. In the 1960s it was planned as a freeway connecting Interstate 270 to Interstate 25 in southeast Denver.
The Colorado Highway Department (CDOH) abandoned this plan as too difficult and too expensive and built Interstate 225 in then-undeveloped Aurora. Even so, an interchange was still being designed as late as 1982 at 32nd Avenue (later Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard) as access into the Stapleton terminal.
This changed in the 1980s, when the Pena Administration decided to relocate the airport. At this point Quebec Street became a major arterial, serving the redevelopments with direct access to I-70 via an interchange.
Other than improvements adjacent to the two redevelopment areas, little if anything has been done to improve this major arterial.
History of inaction
Planning for Quebec improvements began under the Webb Administration, but due to term limits and the economic recession following Sept. 11, 2001, capital roadway infrastructure was curtailed. During the early 2000s, building facility construction took precedent with the construction of the Colorado Convention Center Expansion and hotel, and the Justice Center.
The Hickenlooper Administration added further delay by deciding that a Strategic Transportation Plan was necessary before any significant capital transportation expenditures could be justified – although Lowry was rapidly moving towards completion and Stapleton was building as quickly as the economy would allow.
When the plan was completed in 2007, the East Denver Mobility Plan was initiated to address potential corridor needs. Then it was delayed in 2010, the year Hickenlooper was running for governor, with the excuse that the impact of the Central Park Boulevard interchange needed to be assessed upon its completion.
The study was finally finished in 2011. It is a relatively worthless study in that no existing or future traffic volumes are shown – only relative levels of congestion with Quebec getting the lowest rating. Like this was a surprise to anyone!
With no meaningful action having been accomplished in over a decade, in 2013 the Hancock Administration initiated the Quebec Alternatives Study. This study determined to analyze four options:
1. Widening Quebec as a median divided roadway
2. Creating a one-way pair with Syracuse Street
3. Making capacity improvements on both Quebec and Syracuse
4. Making minor improvements through a reconfiguring of Quebec
At the public meeting in August 2013, it was indicated — and announced five months later – that widening Quebec was being eliminated as too expensive. Several months later, the one-way pair option was eliminated. At the July 2014 public meeting it was announced that a reconfiguration was the final approved alternative.
This is where things start to get more interesting.
Pave it up to the front door
The announced “reconfiguration” is actually a widening of Quebec after all, to four lanes, with left turn lanes added at signalized intersections. This is to be accomplished by taking up to 10 feet of land from the adjoining properties. The approximate cross section totals 75 feet. This will eliminate numerous mature trees, move the roadway into the front yards of homes along the street – and will result in slabs of asphalt or concrete, 44 to 55 feet wide installed directly in front of peoples’ homes.
The result will be similar to sections of Sheridan Boulevard in west Denver – which planners for years have stated they never wanted to duplicate.
The most interesting fact is that city planners do not seem to understand the difference between “reconfigure” and “widen.” This proposal is a widening by any sense of the word. Didn’t they announce that the widening was eliminated? It must be semantics that those of us with less intelligence don’t get!
They say it will cost $24 million to “reconfigure” Quebec, from 26th to 13th avenues. But, this plan won’t solve the corridor congestion problem, since it still leaves two-lane cross sections between 13th Avenue and Severn, and at Alameda and Leetsdale.
When asked why this is the plan, the answer is, “This is all we can afford.” That in itself is an erroneous statement, as the city has run a surplus every year since 2012. The proposed 2015 budget expands the general fund budget by over $150 million, and has stated reserves of 17 percent.
It could be done right
This is the single, most-needed roadway improvement in Denver. And it is being short-changed.
Why should we settle for a crappy improvement when the City has an AAA+ bond rating and available indebtedness space? In truth, Quebec Street can be built as a parkway without the forecasted 50,000-plus vehicles running 20 feet from residents’ front doors. And it can be done for $50 million.
Shouldn’t we get a desirable design for that level of traffic volumes and neighborhood impact? Don’t the East Denver neighborhoods deserve a better roadway after suffering years of political inaction and traffic congestion? I certainly think so!
Dennis Royer is the former Chief of Public Works and Transportation/Commissioner of Public Works in Boston. Prior to that he was the City Traffic Engineer for Denver Public Works for 15 years and then Deputy Manager for 7 years. He has lived in Park Hill for 29 years (other than his brief move to the East Coast).
Jay B Homstad
October 5, 2015 @ 10:39 pm
I live right in the most congested stretch of Quebec (just south of Colfax & Quebec), but I’ve learned how to deal with it. After 3 years, I’ve just learned when/how to get around, with little to no frustration. It’s interesting, however, that such supposed “important traffic congestion issue” hasn’t received more meaningful action from the city government. I agree with Mr. Royer, there should be and can be a cost effective plan that doesn’t have to result in destroying the fabric of the neighborhood.
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October 6, 2015 @ 3:48 pm
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Betsy Snyder
October 16, 2015 @ 10:53 am
I don’t see that widening Quebec would be beneficial for those who live there. A multi-lane, busy street at the front porch of some of the only affordable housing seems ridiculous and unfair for the people living in those homes. How would the big wigs like a busy, busy street at their front door????
Bruce Albright
October 28, 2015 @ 12:38 pm
Interesting article. I have lived in Stapleton for a little over 12 years, and Quebec has been a nightmare the entire time. I am curious as to what your proposal is. You say it can be built as a parkway without vehicles running 20 feet from people’s houses, but I don’t see how that can be done. Unless, of course, you’re saying that some houses along the corridor from 6th to 23rd should be condemned and removed. That would do it, but I suspect some of the homeowners might object.