Marking an important milestone in the Colfax BRT project, the community is invited to celebrate the installation of Aurora’s first and only set of iconic station arches Monday, Sept. 21, at the Havana Street Arch Lift Watch Party.

The event, hosted from 6 to 9 p.m. at Pollo Picante, 10498 E. Colfax Ave., will feature refreshments, outdoor games, a celebration of small businesses along the corridor, and remarks from Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman and Ward I Council Member Gianina Horton. Construction cranes are scheduled to lift one arch into place at 8 p.m.

Food catered by businesses adjacent to the Havana Street Station – including Pollo Picante, Little Caesars and Wingstop – will be available for free while supplies last. Aurora-based Somos Dance Studio will perform and provide opportunities for all to participate. Attendees can register for a Fax Pass passport or redeem prizes. Currently there are more than 15 businesses in Aurora participating in the Fax Pass. 

This event underscores the close partnership between the cities of Denver and Aurora. The project spans East Colfax Avenue from Denver’s Civic Center Station to the RTD’s R Line Station at I-225 in Aurora. The two arches in Aurora will mark the 29th and 30th installed and raised as part of BRT construction. This is the penultimate arch lift celebration for the project. The final arches will be installed Oct. 5 at Uinta Street in Denver. 

These upgraded stations provide bus riders with more amenities, such as an elevated platform for quicker and more accessible boarding, upgraded lighting, new security cameras and a canopy that will provide coverage from sun and rain. The canopy will feature artwork selected from local artists. 

Small business support continues as construction moves into Aurora. The project team has partnered with the Aurora-South Metro Small Business Development Center (SBDC) to distribute information, maintain a dialogue with and host regular “Chats on Colfax” public meetings for business owners. Several small businesses surrounding Havana Street will be featured at the arch lift watch party. 

About East Colfax BRT 
As a key east-west transportation route, East Colfax Avenue is the area’s busiest transit corridor, carrying nearly 20,000 travelers a day on a 9.9-mile stretch between Denver’s Civic Center Station and I-225 in Aurora.  The BRT project will reduce transit travel time along the full stretch by up to 30 minutes and provide reliable access to more than 250,000 jobs and community services along the corridor. BRT will include dedicated, center-running travel lanes in Denver and side-running lanes in mixed-flow traffic in Aurora. It will feature an enhanced pedestrian experience with more trees and lighting, and improved sidewalk and transit stops. The project is furthering both city and state goals to create more options for people to move safely, equitably and efficiently throughout the Denver-metro region and beyond. Construction is expected to be completed by the end of 2027.