38th Avenue Main Street Refresh
About the 38th Avenue Refresh
A safer, more connected, and more inviting 38th Avenue is on the way!
Improvements are on the horizon for 38th Avenue between Wadsworth and Sheridan Boulevards, one of Wheat Ridge’s key commercial corridors. The 38th Avenue Refresh is funded through the voter-approved 2J sales tax extension, which Wheat Ridge voters approved in November 2023 with approximately 70% support. Approximately $12 million in 2J Next Chapter funding has been allocated to the project.
This project is called a refresh for a reason. It is not a major roadway reconstruction. Instead, the project will focus on targeted improvements that make 38th Avenue safer, better connected, and more attractive and inviting while preserving the character of the corridor and supporting the businesses, destinations, and community spaces that make 38th Avenue unique. Unlike the $85 million Wadsworth Boulevard project, which involved a full roadway reconstruction, the 38th Avenue Refresh has a $12 million budget and will focus on targeted improvements within the existing corridor. This approach allows the City to make meaningful improvements while working within the project’s budget, available space, and existing conditions.
Because 38th Avenue is not the same from end to end, the project team is looking at improvements that respond to the needs and opportunities in each area of the corridor.
The project area is divided into four sections, from west to east:
Western Gateway — Wadsworth Blvd to Vance St
Main Street Core — Vance St to Pierce St
Main Street Transition — Pierce St to Harlan St
Boulevard Commercial & Eastern Gateway — Harlan St to Sheridan Blvd
Learn more about each section and the types of improvements being considered here.
You Spoke. Now We’re Putting Ideas Into Action.
The 38th Avenue Refresh is the result of years of community input and a voter-approved investment in Wheat Ridge’s future.
In November 2023, Wheat Ridge voters approved Ballot Issue 2J, extending the city's temporary half-cent (0.5%) sales and use tax for 20 years. Investing in 38th Avenue was a key commitment of the ballot initiative, and approximately $12 million in 2J Next Chapter funding has been allocated to the project.
Community interest in a more walkable and vibrant 38th Avenue goes back even further. Residents have consistently identified improvements to the corridor as a priority through outreach efforts including the Let’s Talk Resident Engagement Program, the Wheat Ridge Prosperity Plan, the 2025 City Plan, and as far back as the 2011 38th Avenue Subarea Plan.
During City Plan engagement, 78% of respondents agreed that continuing to develop 38th Avenue as Wheat Ridge’s Main Street should be a priority. Residents also highlighted the importance of improvements such as enhanced sidewalks, street trees, lighting, crosswalks, public gathering spaces, and other pedestrian-focused amenities.
The 2024 Prosperity Plan similarly identified strong community support for additional local businesses, walkable commercial districts, and continued investment along key corridors such as 38th Avenue.
Now, after years of planning and community conversation, the project is moving into the next step: turning those priorities into a conceptual design.
Our Project Goals
The primary goals of this project are placemaking, safety, and connectivity. The purpose of the project is not to reconstruct the roadway, but rather to create a more cohesive, safe, comfortable, and inviting streetscape that supports local businesses and community activity.
The project team will use community input, traffic data, best practices, and the constraints of the existing space and available budget to develop a conceptual design that:
Improves pedestrian safety, comfort, and accessibility by creating continuous and accessible sidewalks, safer street crossings, updated pedestrian lighting, and other features that help people of all ages and abilities navigate the corridor safely.
Creates a more attractive and inviting main street through landscaping, updated street furnishings, public art, wayfinding, and other streetscape elements that contribute to a distinctive sense of place and encourage people to walk, gather, and spend time along the corridor.
Strengthens connectivity for all modes of travel by improving connections between neighborhoods, businesses, parks, schools, transit, and other destinations, while considering bicycle facilities in the context of the surrounding bicycle network.
Supports local businesses and community activity by creating a streetscape that is easy to navigate, visually appealing, and conducive to walking, gathering, and accessing businesses and destinations along the corridor.
Builds on the existing character and available space by working primarily within the existing right-of-way and limiting the need for right-of-way acquisition wherever possible.
Balances community priorities with practical constraints by developing a design that responds to community input and safety needs while considering traffic operations, existing infrastructure, maintenance, budget, and the physical limitations of the corridor.
What Could the Refresh Look Like?
The conceptual designs include several improvements that could create a more cohesive 38th Avenue while responding to the unique characteristics of each section.
Key features include:
Continuous sidewalks along the corridor
Wider sidewalks where possible, with a particular focus on the Main Street Core between Vance Street and Pierce Street
Additional landscaping between Wadsworth Boulevard and Harlan Street; the area east of Harlan already includes a landscape buffer with street trees
A cohesive visual identity along the corridor
Updated street furnishings such as benches, bike racks, pedestrian lighting, and other amenities
There are two alternatives being considered. You can explore them each here.
Want to take a closer look at some of the key considerations behind the conceptual designs? Explore these special topics to learn more about how the project team is approaching specific areas, design elements, and potential impacts:
Property and Business Owners: We Want to Hear From You
Property owners and business owners along 38th Avenue are an especially important part of this conversation.
The Refresh is intended to improve the corridor while continuing to support the people and businesses already here. Some proposed improvements may affect property access, parking, landscaping, sidewalks, or other features immediately adjacent to businesses and properties. That’s why the project team wants to hear directly from the people who own and operate businesses and properties along 38th Avenue.
The project team will be conducting targeted outreach with property and business owners to better understand how the conceptual designs could affect individual properties and to identify opportunities to address concerns and incorporate local knowledge.
The team is also working with families at Stevens Elementary on school safety and Wheat Ridge’s Active Transportation Advisory Team on multimodal transportation. General comments from the broader community are welcome, too.
How to Get Involved
Now is the time to take a look and share your thoughts.
Review the two project alternatives here.
These are conceptual designs, not final plans. You can also review the similarities and differences between the two concepts here. In the conceptual design document, you can find specific areas along the corridor or explore the street-view drawings to get a general idea of what the improvements could look like. Need help reviewing the document? Check out our how-to video with helpful info about how to find things in the document.
Please keep in mind: The concepts are intended for discussion purposes and will continue to evolve based on community input, technical review, and other project considerations.
Ask questions.
Have a question about the concepts or how they could affect your property or business? Submit it through the online question forum here, and the project team will get back to you as soon as possible.
Share your feedback.
Tell the project team what you think through the online comment form here by December 11 at 5 p.m.
The project team will also be meeting directly with select property owners and businesses along the corridor to discuss proposed changes to access.
Whether you own a property, operate a business, walk or bike along 38th Avenue, drive through the corridor, or simply care about the future of Wheat Ridge’s Main Street, the project team wants to hear from you.
Need to get in touch with the project team? Contact us at 38threfresh@wheatridge.gov.
