Denver to Focus on Reviving Long-Neglected Area of the City

A $1.8 billion proposal to bury I-70 beneath a landscaped lid is just part of an ambitious plan to remake a 23-mile corridor of northeast Denver that includes the Elyria-Swansea and Globeville neighborhoods.

1 minute read

December 19, 2013, 9:00 AM PST

By Jonathan Nettler @nettsj


"The area — which runs from Denver Union Station to Denver International Airport — suffered from benign neglect for years that produced cracked sidewalks and haphazard road systems, which alienated neighborhoods, say residents and officials. But a new push of projects, including a controversial remake of Interstate 70, will turn the area into a so-called 'Corridor of Opportunity,' said Kelly Leid, project manager for the new 'North Denver Cornerstone Collaborative.'"

"The I-70 proposal — which also calls for adding two lanes in each direction along 12 miles of the highway between Interstate 25 and Tower Road — is one of six redevelopment and infrastructure projects included in the Corridor of Opportunity program that aim to revive Elyria-Swansea and Globeville to the west," reports Monte Whaley. "It's all part of a commitment by [Mayor Michael] Hancock to tackle a part of the city that for a long time was avoided by planners, mostly because there were easier projects to tackle, Leid said."


Tuesday, December 17, 2013 in Denver Post

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Map of Haussmann's redesign of Paris in the 1850s through 1870s under Napoleon III.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking

Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

June 30, 2025 - Tom Sanchez

Protester at Echo Park Lake, Los Angeles holding sign that says "Housing is a human right"

What Happens if Trump Kills Section 8?

The Trump admin aims to slash federal rental aid by nearly half and shift distribution to states. Experts warn this could spike homelessness and destabilize communities nationwide.

45 minutes ago - Shelterforce Magazine

Aerial of rainbow painted crosswalks at large intersection in Castro District, Sna Francisco, California.

Sean Duffy Targets Rainbow Crosswalks in Road Safety Efforts

Despite evidence that colorful crosswalks actually improve intersection safety — and the lack of almost any crosswalks at all on the nation’s most dangerous arterial roads — U.S. Transportation Secretary Duffy is calling on states to remove them.

1 hour ago - Streetsblog USA

Intersection with sign for Gillett Square in East London, UK with brick buildings with ground floor storefronts.

‘Architectural Epidemiology:’ Centering Public Health in Urban Design

A new book asks, what if cities were designed around health equity?

2 hours ago - Next City