Olde Town Arvada

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the City of Arvada implemented both temporary and semi-permanent pedestrian-only streets on Olde Wadsworth Blvd. & Grandview Ave. The catalyst for this plan stemmed from the need to survey the community on their views on the pedestrian-only streets and determine their future after the 5-year intervention ends in 2026. With the receipt of ARPA funding for downtown recovery planning, the City opted to undertake a comprehensive Olde Town plan to reassess the district and its overall public realm, positioning it for success in the future, especially with the opening of commuter rail service from Olde Town to Denver Union Station and the larger metro area.

An initial pedestrian-only street study merged into a broader Olde Town planning effort. The strategy to meet people where they are was highly effective for building momentum and consensus. This process resulted in a vision and guiding principles for a “resilient, connected, distinct, and vibrant Olde Town”. The plan prioritizes the transformation of streets into true community gathering spaces.

The long-term outcome from this plan is a full-scale redesign of Olde Wadsworth & Grandview as completely pedestrianized streets with only emergency access. The plan expects to spur future streetscape projects and public realm improvements on all streets in Olde Town.