Outreach Event: Burnham Yard Planning and Infrastructure Projects

The City and County of Denver (City) is holding an outreach event for companies or teams interested in providing professional on-call services for area planning and capital investment planning and design for Burnham Yard (Project).

Outreach Event Slides(PDF, 5MB)

Sign-in Sheet(PDF, 270KB)

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General Statement of Work

The future of Burnham Yard is a once in a lifetime opportunity to fashion the outcome of equitable transit-oriented development (TOD) and multi-modal infrastructure improvements that will transform an abandoned railyard into a thriving center that connects multiple neighborhoods together.  Burnham Yard is a former rail yard and engine machine shop situated just south of downtown Denver. The yard is in an industrial corridor with the Consolidated Main Line (CML) freight railroad corridor, Interstate 25 and the South Platte River creating barriers to the west and the Regional Transportation District (RTD) light rail tracks being a barrier to the east.  The RTD 10^th and Osage station, which has served the area since 1994, has been a “one-sided” TOD due to the railroad operations in Burnham Yard occupying the area directly to the west.  Regional multi-modal infrastructure has historically treated Burnham Yard as an area to bypass which now creates significant access issues for future development.

After continuous operations on the site for more than 140 years, first by the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad and later by Southern Pacific and Union Pacific, Burnham Yard closed in 2016.  Union Pacific sold the yard to the High-Performance Transportation Enterprise, (later renamed the Colorado Transportation Investment Office or CTIO) an Enterprise within the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) in May 2021. CTIO and CDOT look to preserve the opportunity to locate the alignment of future Front Range passenger rail service through central Denver possibly move the CML off I-25 and expand RTD light-rail operations.  CTIO is currently conducting a pre-NEPA planning process to narrow the alignment options. The Right of Way and infrastructure determined for transportation, including passenger and freight rail, would take full consideration of the remaining parcels of Burnham Yard and how they would be made available for development consistent with city plans.

Denver and the State of Colorado have determined that as these efforts move forward, it is imperative to ensure their outcomes and potential impacts are aligned and in support of Comprehensive Plan 2040 and supplemental citywide plans including Blueprint Denver and Denver Moves Everyone, to provide a cohesive vision for the area. To this purpose, the City of Denver will embark on an innovative holistic approach to do small area planning for the Burnham Yard area and capital investment planning and design of key multimodal infrastructure in a seamless approach with one consultant team. The City is procuring a new professional services on-call contract to support completion of the scope described below.

• Area Planning: An area plan for Burnham Yard and surrounding area will provide a holistic vision that encompasses equitable growth and development, mobility and access, and major infrastructure improvements while connecting the former industrial area back to nearby neighborhoods and the South Platte River.

• Capital Investment Planning and Design: The City has packaged a set of multimodal infrastructure projects together and has submitted a  Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements Grant Application (CRISI), that, if secured, would include development of 30% design and related National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) documentation for the 6^th Avenue bridge, the 8^th Avenue bridge, the Alameda Underpass, and other potential transportation improvements in the area including potentially other grade separations and rail re-alignments. The City anticipates that CDOT will also be conducting NEPA studies in partnership with the City’s efforts. All related Burnham Yard NEPA activities are subject to change, depending on the outcome of the CRISI award and additional stakeholder discussions.

The Community Planning and Development Department (CPD) and the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI) will collaborate with the selected consulting team to deliver these connected city projects while coordinating with both state and regional stakeholders on additional planning and design work for Burnham Yard.  Denver CPD & DOTI departments will also be further coordinating with the State of Colorado’s Public Private Partnership (P3) Collaboration Unit in regards to the State’s ownership and direction for the land.

Outreach Event: There will be an outreach event held on May 22, 2023 for more specific project information. The meeting will be held in the Wellington Webb Building, 201 W Colfax Avenue, Denver, CO 80202, in room 4.G.2 from 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. and space will be limited.

Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Participation: Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) participation will be required on this project as referenced in 49 CFR Part 26. Project goals will be stated within the RFQ, which the issuance is anticipated in June.

Publication Dates:                   May 9, 10, 11, 2023

Published In:                           The Daily Journal

When

Location

This outreach event will be held May 22, 2023 in the Wellington Webb Building, 201 W Colfax Avenue, Denver, CO 80202, in room 4.G.2 from 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. and space will be limited. Participation is only available in person (no virtual option is available).

Wellington Webb Building, 201 W Colfax Avenue, Denver, 80202, View Map