Invest in Wheat Ridge

Wheat Ridge moves forward on $75 million bond program with corridor redesigns, sidewalk fixes and stormwater repairs

Survey crews will soon appear on 38th Avenue. Sidewalk dead-ends near schools and parks are slated for repair. And after a string of sinkholes forced more than $2 million in emergency fixes, the city is getting serious about what's underground.

Two years after Wheat Ridge voters approved the $75 million "Next Chapter" bond program, 2026 marks the year the investment starts becoming visible.

The Wheat Ridge City Council recently approved a $636,100 design contract for the 38th Avenue Refresh project, which will overhaul the corridor from Wadsworth Boulevard to Sheridan Boulevard. Conceptual plans are expected in early 2027.

The project aims to improve sidewalks, lighting, landscaping and public gathering spaces while largely preserving the existing roadway configuration. Residents can expect to see survey crews and traffic analysis in the coming months, along with targeted outreach to nearby businesses and property owners.

Further west, design work on the stretch of 38th Avenue between Youngfield Street and Kipling Street is approximately 60% complete. That 1.75-mile corridor is planned for conversion to a two-lane street with dedicated bike lanes and improved pedestrian facilities. The design preserves mature trees, minimizes right-of-way acquisition and targets improvements to specific areas rather than applying changes uniformly across the full corridor.

The city has hired a consultant to design priority sidewalk connections, with construction anticipated in 2026 and 2027. Projects are being selected based on proximity to schools and parks, connectivity to the existing sidewalk network and the feasibility of working around utilities and right-of-way constraints.

Pipe failures have already cost the city more than $2 million in emergency repairs over the past two years, with sinkholes emerging at locations including Independence Street, Miller Street and Hoyt Street. City officials say aging underground infrastructure, much of it under-maintained for decades, is increasingly at risk as fewer opportunities remain for traditional stormwater detention.

Wheat Ridge adopted a Stormwater Master Plan in May 2025 to guide long-term system improvements. Repair work is ongoing, funded through 2J bond dollars.

Voters approved the 2J bond program in 2023. Bonds were issued in late 2024, and the city is now moving from planning into implementation across transportation, drainage and infrastructure projects.

Additional public input opportunities will be announced as projects advance from design into construction.