"Would they rather have construction and an 8-foot multi-modal path or minimal construction, even though the sidewalk varies in width?"
Lauren Mikulak, Wheat Ridge's community development director, put that question to the community in June, and the Neighborhood Gazette recorded it in its August report on the corridor. Her question also describes most of what is actually being decided. The city has published two concepts for the 38th Avenue Main Street Refresh, labeled Alternative A and Alternative B, and public comment is open until Dec. 11 at 5 p.m. Lay the two concepts side by side and they're identical on more than half the corridor. Nearly all of the open question sits on the western stretch between Wadsworth and Pierce.
Two plans that mostly agree
The Refresh covers 38th Avenue from Wadsworth Boulevard east to Sheridan Boulevard. The city has split that stretch into four sections. Its comparison of Alternatives A and B, dated Oct. 21, 2026, shows how much the two concepts have in common.
| Section | Alternative A | Alternative B |
|---|---|---|
| Western Gateway and Main Street Core, Wadsworth to Pierce | Curb and gutter stay largely where they are. Existing sidewalks and most parking remain. Bike lanes stay between Upham and Pierce, with no room for them between Wadsworth and Upham. Some planting islands and added trees. | Curb moves in some areas. An 8-foot multimodal path runs from Wadsworth to Pierce. Wider, more consistent sidewalks, more tree canopy and more parking along The Green at 38th. |
| Main Street Transition, Pierce to Harlan | Same curb and mostly the same sidewalks, fewer driveways where appropriate, corner bulb-outs where feasible, a pedestrian refuge at the Kendall Street crosswalk, and landscaped islands between parking and access points | Everything in A, plus landscaped mini-medians through the whole section |
| Boulevard Commercial and Eastern Gateway, Harlan to Sheridan | Targeted work that ties into the stretch already improved | Identical to A |
The eastern section already has what the western blocks are missing. The city lists its mature tree canopy, mostly continuous sidewalks and street furnishings as existing assets from improvements made in 2002. Both alternatives make the same targeted improvements there and carry the new work east to meet the stretch that's already improved.
The city also says the final design doesn't have to be all A or all B. The project team can combine elements from each section by section, depending on feasibility, budget, available right-of-way and community feedback. So a comment on the Refresh works best as a comment about particular blocks.
The western blocks carry the real decision
On the western blocks, the two concepts treat the curb differently. Alternative A keeps the flowline, which is where the curb and gutter sit, largely where it is today. That keeps construction simpler, but the existing sidewalks stay mostly as they are, uneven widths included. Alternative B moves the flowline in places to make room for people walking and biking. Moving it would need City Council approval, and the city says B means more extensive and more complicated construction.
Bikes are where the difference is easiest to see. Today's bike lanes run between Upham and Pierce, and Alternative A keeps them. A can't extend them west to Wadsworth because the space isn't there. Alternative B drops the painted lanes and gives the full stretch from Wadsworth to Pierce one dedicated 8-foot path. According to the city's bicycle network update, the project's broader plan is to connect riders to nearby low-stress routes rather than add more dedicated bike lanes on 38th itself.
For scale, city staff counted users during the school year. At peak periods, the counts reached as many as 15 cyclists and 45 pedestrians along the corridor, according to the Neighborhood Gazette.
The path has drawn the most debate on council. At the June 15 meeting, Councilmember Scott Ohm said he supports the safety measures, expanded patios and landscaping, but not the multimodal path. "As a cyclist, I would avoid it altogether," he said, according to the Gazette. Councilmember Mike Okada asked how much time and complexity medians and flowline changes would add to construction. Councilmember Jenny Snell raised a different safety problem, calling a right turn at 38th and Teller "taking your life in your own hands." In July, Councilmember Dan Larson wrote an opinion piece in the Neighborhood Gazette. He argued that the initial concepts go too far, warned about disruption and opposed both the multimodal path and raised medians.
The other side of the trade-off is what B adds along the sidewalk. The Gazette reported that B would improve ADA accessibility and create room for placemaking, possibly including more patio space for businesses. It also adds parking along The Green at 38th, the outdoor venue at 7101 W. 38th Ave. that opened in 2025.
Why the curb has been the sticking point since 2012
People who have lived in Wheat Ridge a while have heard this debate before. Under the 2011 Corridor Plan, the city ran a "road diet" in 2012 that cut 38th from four travel lanes to three, adding a center turn lane, bike lanes and on-street parking. A permanent improvement plan drafted in 2013 and 2014 never moved forward. In 2014, voters rejected two ballot measures tied to making the narrowing permanent and paying for streetscape work, as Westword reported.
The current effort starts from a different place because the money is already approved. In November 2023, roughly 70% of Wheat Ridge voters backed Ballot Issue 2J, which extends the city's temporary half-cent sales and use tax for 20 years. The city's project page says about $12 million in 2J Next Chapter funding is set aside for 38th Avenue. In City Plan outreach, 78% of respondents agreed that developing 38th Avenue as the city's Main Street should be a priority.
The city stresses that this is a refresh, not a rebuild. It sets the 38th Avenue budget against the $85 million Wadsworth Boulevard project, which reconstructed the whole roadway. With that budget, whether the curb moves on the western blocks is the biggest physical change available. Larson's July piece made a related point. He wrote that even with the 2J funding in place, the city has to get the scope right before it commits a significant amount of taxpayer money.
Businesses along 38th are weighing construction
Construction is what businesses along the corridor bring up most. The Wadsworth Improvement Project is now substantially complete, with two continuous-flow intersections, new signals, raised medians, sidewalks and a multi-use trail connection. The Neighborhood Gazette reported "orange-cone fatigue" among residents and businesses after years of lane shifts, detours and difficult access on that project.
Spencer Frame, who owns Wheat Ridge Lanes at 6595 W. 38th Ave., told the Gazette he has mixed feelings. He's worried about the effect on his business, but "I would support the idea of improved pedestrian traffic and aesthetics." Liza Pereskova, assistant manager at Little Brazil at 7333 W. 38th Ave., told the same paper that Wadsworth construction was hard but that development on the corridor is "for the best." She added, "In Brazilian Portuguese we say 'faz parte' or 'it's all part of it.'" In Denver7's June report on the Refresh, Clancy's Irish Pub owner Jeff Hurlburt said he sees long-term exposure benefits for businesses.
The city's construction update says work could start as early as 2028. Details on timing, phasing and access will come as the design develops. The project team is also meeting with property and business owners along the corridor about changes to access, parking and the features next to their storefronts.
One nearby safety change doesn't depend on the corridor decision. A separate grant-funded project at 38th Avenue and High Court, near Stevens Elementary, will add a pedestrian-activated HAWK beacon, better crosswalk markings and a median or pedestrian refuge island. City staff say it will go ahead whatever happens with the corridor plan.
See the blocks in person before you comment
The Holiday Celebration on Saturday, Dec. 5, is a good chance to see the blocks this decision affects. Wheat Ridge's Holiday Celebration runs from 3 to 6:30 p.m. at The Green at 38th, 7101 W. 38th Ave. It includes carriage rides, Santa and the tree lighting. The Green is the spot where Alternative B would add parking, and the celebration falls six days before comments close.
To comment, you can:
- Open the conceptual design document, which shows specific spots along the corridor and street-view drawings. The city also has a short how-to video for finding your way through it.
- Post questions about a particular block or property in the project Q&A forum, or email [email protected].
- Send feedback through the online comment form by Dec. 11 at 5 p.m.
The city calls both concepts discussion drafts that will keep changing with public input and technical review.
At Next Chapter Partners Team, we keep an eye on changes like this because a main street shapes daily life on the blocks around it for years. If you'd like to talk through what Alternative A or B could mean for the blocks near your home, we're happy to pull up the concept drawings with you before the Dec. 11 deadline.
