The 5280: Project Updates
The idea for The 5280 grew out of the many years of planning...
Prioritizing PEOPLE, HEALTH, CULTURE, and NATURE, The 5280 Trail is a new, distinctly Denver amenity, that connects many vibrant and diverse city center neighborhoods through the great urban outdoors, creating a powerful SENSE OF PLACE.
This effort builds on the visionary ideas and goals identified in numerous city and neighborhood plans to reimagine and repurpose our shared public spaces, LINKING NEIGHBORHOODS AND CONNECTING PEOPLE.
JOIN THE DOWNTOWN DENVER PARTNERSHIP as we begin to reimagine and repurpose our shared public space downtown.
About The 5280 Trail
The Downtown Denver Partnership is leading efforts to create The 5280 Trail, a bold, visionary project that will transform how the public right-of-way is used in Downtown Denver. The 5280 will link neighborhoods and connect people by reimagining underutilized streets into the essential Downtown experience uniting urban life with Colorado’s outdoor culture.
Vision Plan
Prioritizing PEOPLE, HEALTH, CULTURE, and NATURE, The 5280 is a new, distinctly Denver amenity, that connects many vibrant and diverse city center neighborhoods through the great urban outdoors, creating a powerful SENSE OF PLACE.
Design Guidelines
The 5280 Design Guide is a subset of The 5280 Vision Plan which lays out the Vision, Philosophy, and overall Framework for this transformative project. These Guidelines describe major components of The 5280 including materials, layout, furnishings, and design intent of key sections. The 5280 is a long-term project that will be built in phases and by a number of different design teams and contractors. Establishing design parameters and intent that will result in a visionary, yet legible and cohesive project that spans the Downtown Denver neighborhoods is tantamount to a successful 5280.
Phase 3: 5280 Trailblazing
On March 23, 2021 we kicked off the third phase for the 5280 Trail project to being a community-led design process to identify the 5280 Trail route and create placemaking features that are unique to each of the neighborhoods along the route, and marking the route for active travel.
Project Goals and Objectives:
Mark the Trail – implement a wayfinding scheme that is legible for first comers
-Objective: Install signs, stencils, trailheads and other wayfinding elements to provide navigation around the entire 5.280-mile route.
-Objective: Broaden awareness of the 5280 Trail concept and incite curiosity and exploration of the trail route.
-Objective: Link neighborhoods together increasing cross-cultural awareness and interaction growing civic identity and economic mobility.
Community Led Design – Realize vision of 5280 trail through community led design and control of the project.
-Objective: Establish neighborhood groups for each character zone of the trail as champions of the trail segment to lead programming and activation.
-Objective: Implement a review structure for further design along the route that meets the needs and desires of each community.
-Objective: Create an inclusive design and activation process that increases equity and opportunity for local businesses and residents.
Thoughtful Programming – develop a concept program to fund and activate zones of the 5280 Trail
-Objective: Gain private and public commitments toward funding early art, activation, and wayfinding elements, and put this money directly in the hands of community groups.
-Objective: Support local businesses and residents in recovery and resilience following the COVID-19 Pandemic
-Objective: Create fun and exciting moments of joy along the route of the 5280 Trail.
Learn More by Watching the Stakeholder Meeting
Watch as we kicked off the third phase for the 5280 Trail project to being a community led design process to identify the 5280 Trail route and create placemaking features that are unique to each of the neighborhoods along the route, and marking the route for active travel.
View the Recording
Explore The 5280 Trail
The key to the 5.280-mile-long loop is linking together the mosaic of distinct downtown districts and adjacent neighborhoods and to build on their own unique features that provide distinctive identity to Downtown Denver.
Explore the latest on The 5280 Trail
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