Vermijo and Sierra Madre Streetscapes

The most recent Colorado Springs downtown master plan, published in 2016, identified Vermijo Avenue as a “signature street,” laying the framework and vision of how the street could be transformed into a vibrant experience for pedestrians, cyclists, and riders on scooters, in addition to motor vehicles. The new US Olympic Museum (USOM) was the catalyst or the “spark” that initiated the project, fulfilling this long-awaited infrastructure for Downtown.

Vermijo was one of several key downtown streets with a 140-foot-wide right of way (compared to 80-100 feet for most other urban streets). Pivotal to the project’s success was the “right-sizing” of the right-of-way to accommodate a new promenade, reducing the scale of the city blocks, providing a pedestrian oriented street experience, and addressing traffic and circulation needs to support the growth and development of the Park Union Neighborhood.

The reconstruction of Vermijo Avenue and Sierra Madre Street connects the USOM through the eastern half of the reimaged Southwest Downtown Neighborhood to Tejon Street on one end, Downtown Colorado Springs’ most active north-south street, and America the Beautiful Park on the other end. The street-section was narrowed to 120’ and includes a one-block barrier-free “festival street” – designed for pedestrians as well as large outdoor community gatherings and festivals. Additionally, approximately 75% of the width of the street has been dedicated to pedestrians, with a 31’ treelined pedestrian promenade anchoring the north edge of the roadway. It is anticipated that active uses such as building entries, cafés, outdoor patios and retail storefronts will engage Vermijo Avenue as private development along the street occurs. With this large-scale street reconstruction, utilities were relocated and upgraded to accommodate the influx of dense urban real estate expected on fronting parcels.