Denver Begins Study of Southeast BRT Route

The Denver Regional Council of Governments is studying a bus rapid transit route linking downtown Denver to southeast Aurora along Speer Boulevard, Leetsdale Drive and Parker Road.

Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Remote Work

Isometric editorial illustration of a single articulated bus in a dedicated center lane of an empty boulevard lined with young trees, with mountains faintly visible at the horizon. — The Denver Regional Council of Governments has begun studying a bus rapid transit route linking downtown Denver to southeast Aurora along Speer Boulevard. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Should the Denver metro area build the Southeast BRT bus line along Speer and Leetsdale?

The Denver Regional Council of Governments has begun studying a Southeast bus rapid transit route connecting downtown Denver to southeast Aurora. Public engagement launched at a Denver Department of Transportation and Infrastructure open house on Election Day.

Why it matters

The study corridor sees a disproportionate number of serious and fatal traffic crashes, and bus infrastructure is viewed as a cheaper, quicker way to expand transit ridership and meet climate goals in Denver.

The Colfax Avenue BRT, now partly operating in dedicated lanes, took over 15 years from planning to delivery and caused more than a year of traffic and business disruption. The Southeast study is one of three BRT projects currently underway in the metro area, and its preferred design remains undecided.

The players

Denver Regional Council of Governments

A regional planning body that coordinates transportation and land-use planning across the Denver metropolitan area.

Denver Department of Transportation and Infrastructure

The city agency responsible for streets, transit coordination and infrastructure projects within Denver.

The details

The study will evaluate transit and mobility improvements along Speer Boulevard, Leetsdale Drive and Parker Road, part of the metro area's high-injury network, and identify a preferred alternative. Planners will publish alternative designs next year for public comment, with a preferred design expected later in 2027.

2017: Denver released a study arguing for better connectivity on Speer and Leetsdale.
November 4, 2026: Public engagement kicked off at a DOTI open house on Election Day.
December 2026: A community webinar is planned.
End of 2026: Online feedback on study goals and priorities closes.
2027: Alternative designs are to be published for public comment.

Season Trajectory

The Southeast BRT study follows the Colfax Avenue BRT, which took over 15 years to deliver and disrupted traffic and business for more than a year. Denver is now testing whether the next corridor can move faster, with alternative designs due in 2027 and construction not expected before the 2030s.

Commuters along Speer Boulevard, Leetsdale Drive and Parker Road could see changes to bus service and street layouts, though no construction is expected before the 2030s. Residents can submit online feedback on study goals and priorities through the end of 2026.

The takeaway

Long-running transit projects such as Colfax show that community input and funding timelines can stretch a decade or more, so residents who want a say should engage early during scoping. Submitting feedback before year's end can shape which alternatives planners carry forward.

What happens next

Planners will publish alternative designs in 2027 for public comment, with a preferred design expected later that year and a final implementation plan possibly in 2028.