About the Project

West 44th Avenue is one of the City's primary east-west corridors, and the 44th Avenue Subarea Plan will provide a long-range planning document for the western portion. The City of Wheat Ridge has hired a planning consultant, MIG Inc., to assist with the W. 44th Avenue Subarea Plan throughout 2022.

The plan will focus on W. 44^th Avenue between Youngfield Street and Clear Creek (near Field Street) and will more broadly include the portion of the City between Clear Creek and I-70. This western segment of W. 44th Avenue is not simply a corridor; it is the connection between the eastern and western portions of the City, for the transit-oriented development (or TOD) at Wheat Ridge · Ward Station, for Clear Creek Trail, for the Clear Creek Crossing development at the City’s far western edge, and for numerous adjacent residential neighborhoods. The Envision Wheat Ridge Comprehensive Plan, adopted in 2009, classifies W. 44th Avenue as a Neighborhood Commercial Corridor and the primary east/west corridor for the City.

Per the community input gathered through the recently updated Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy and the ongoing Let’s Talk resident engagement program, the community want to see improvements made to the aesthetic of its primary corridors, and W. 44th is a priority among those. Today, W. 44th Avenue has a mix of conditions that create a unique context for future planning and redevelopment. Although the sidewalks, curbs, pavement, and lighting in the public right of way are in fairly good condition, there is, broadly speaking, inconsistency in private property investment and maintenance that undermines the overall visual appeal of the corridor. The City has taken some important steps, such as updating the Streetscape Design Manual to require trees along the street behind the curb, among other improvements, to enhance the overall user experience along the corridor, and enhancing the corridor will be a key part of this subarea plan.

Project Goals

The subarea planning process will combine public input with technical analysis to establish a long-range vision and guiding principles for the W. 44^th Avenue corridor which will guide future development decisions. The plan will include an assessment of land use, transportation circulation, neighborhood connections, and redevelopment standards to ensure they are appropriate for the corridor. The subarea plan will focus on revitalization and reinvestment in the W. 44th Avenue corridor, including businesses, neighborhoods, key economic drivers, and community assets. The goal is to create a vision and redevelopment strategy for the W. 44th Avenue corridor and to identify priority actions that will help achieve the vision and visibly improve the community.

Next Steps & How To Be Involved

1. Subscribe to this page to receive email updates about the project (look for the megaphone "stay informed" icon at the top or bottom of this page)
2. Subscribe to the City's monthly Mayor's Matters enewsletter
3. Sign up for public meeting notices (Notify Me)
4. Register here on What's Up Wheat Ridge to take part in online activities that will appear on this project page throughout the year
5. Submit the online form below to be considered for a focus group