The 5280: Project Updates

The idea for The 5280 grew out of the many years of planning and community outreach efforts from the City and County of Denver and the Downtown Denver Partnership.

The 5280 aims to build a better and more connected city and realize ideas and principles born out of individual neighborhood plans and more encompassing citywide plans. The Partnership is leading efforts to design a unique urban trail that builds on the ideas on these various plans and kicked off the planning process in August 2017 with phase one of the planning process to analyze existing conditions and community outreach that will inform the design process. The conceptual design process will begin over the winter in early 2018. The final conceptual design will be completed by fall 2018 and will articulate how urban form, connectivity, places and nodes, landmarks and community uses all relate to and inform design.

The design will identify key locations for green space, community gardens, public art, important views, and opportunities for new public spaces. The design will convey the overall loop design intent as well as individual character area and segment design intent. With the conceptual design completed, there will be opportunities for additional showcase blocks, and semi-permanent installations of concepts to push the momentum forward.

The Partnership partnered with the City and County of Denver to bring a sneak peek at the potential of The 5280 with The Square on 21^st, a temporary gathering place for a neighborhood that doesn’t currently have open or public spaces. The Square on 21^st was open from June 15 to August 15, 2017, and was host to a number of events bringing nearly 15,000 community members together.

The Partnership’s Downtown Denver Leadership Program also focused on The 5280 as their 2017 class project, bringing a fresh and innovative perspective to the process. They held three showcase events along the conceptual route on August 4 and 17.

Project Materials

August 12, 2017 Pop-up Workshop Materials
Fall 2017 Community Workshop Presentation
Downtown Denver Leadership Program
Existing Conditions Report
Spring 2018 Community Workshop Presentation
Route Philosophy
Public Health Outcomes-Based Design
Concept Design
Transportation Diagrams

News Coverage

• The 5280 Loop: Linking Neighborhoods, Rethinking the Way People Get Around Denver- Confluence Denver
  
• 5280 Loop: A new way to connect Downtown Denver neighborhoods- Denver7
  
• Downtown Partnership puts up prospective path markers for the 5280 Loop- 9NEWS
  
• Downtown Denver partnership has plans for ‘5280 loop’- 9NEWS
  
• Planning Moves Forward for a City Wide Bike Route Called “The Loop”- 303 Magazine
  
• Downtown Bike/Ped Loop a Top Priority for Downtown Denver Partnership- Streetsblog Denver
  
• Two Downtown Streets Could Be Transformed Into an Urban Trail- Streetsblog Denver
  
• Urban Hiking Denver
  
• The 5280 Loop Re-envisions Connecting Communities Around Denver-  Gates Family Foundation
  
• The Next Phase of 5280 Loop is Underway- Colorado Home & Style
  
• Downtown Denver Partnership announces planning process to engage community on the 5280 Loop, a world-class urban trail designed to link neighborhoods and connect people- Metro Denver EDC
  
• Summer project shows off economic potential of Denver’s ‘5280 Loop’- Crain’s Denver
  
• Denver’s 5280 Loop Could Be a Car-Free, Health-Forward Oasis that Gives Public Streets Back to People- Streetsblog Denver
• 5280 loop would link downtown Denver neighborhoods
• Guided tours will show off new 5280 Trail in Denver
• 5280 Trail aims to be Denver’s answer to New York City’s High Line
• Design Finalized For Denver’s 5280 Trail
• 5280 Trail Would Create a 5-Mile Park and Trail Around Downtown
• ‘5280’ trail to connect central Denver neighborhoods for cyclists, pedestrians