Purpose of improvements
The purpose of improving West Broadway Avenue and surrounding areas is to enhance safety and mobility for all users under both the existing and future conditions.
The project is primarily needed to address poor pavement conditions, enhance safety, improve traffic operations, accommodate transit service and address the lack of bicycle and pedestrian accommodations along the corridor.
The existing road is a mix of rural and urban street sections (some portions have curb and gutter while others have ditches). Shingle Creek crosses the road just north of Candlewood Drive. West Broadway between 71st and 85th avenues is currently a four-lane road. Crews completed the last major grading of the road in the mid 1950s and early 1960s. Several resurfacing projects have occurred since then, but the road needs to be reconstructed.
West Broadway between 85th and 93rd avenues is primarily a two-lane undivided road with drainage ditches. The pavement is in fair condition, with pavement width varying considerably due to widening for turn lanes, shoulders and bypass lanes.
Proposed improvements
The project, currently in the design phase, includes reconstructing West Broadway to a three-lane road (one lane of traffic in each direction with a center turn lane) between 71st and 74th avenues and a four-lane divided road with center median between 74th and 101st avenues.
Generally, the roadway will include light rail transit running within the center median. Between Highway 610 and the proposed operations and maintenance facility near the future Oak Grove Parkway, light rail will be located to the west of the roadway.
The project includes constructing a paved multi-use trail along both sides of the roadway, an urban storm drainage system to collect and treat stormwater runoff and upgraded traffic signals.
Electrical transmission lines will need to be shifted along the west side of West Broadway between 89th and 93rd avenues. Other public and private utility improvements, which could include burying overhead electrical distribution lines, are also being considered.
A combination of federal, county and city funds will be used to finance the projects.
Project layouts
METRO Blue Line resources
Given the coordination with Metro Transit's Blue Line extension project, the following links provide additional information and context for the projects in this area.
Project timeline
2015
2016-2018
- February 2016: Preliminary layout approval
- 2016 - 2018: Detail design construction plans
- 2018: Appraisals, offers and negotiations for land acquisition
2019-2021
2022
- Light rail begins passenger operations