Denver is finally pulling the trigger on the first built piece of the long-discussed 5280 Trail, and the action starts on Acoma Street in the Golden Triangle. The city plans to overhaul the two-block stretch between 10th and 12th avenues into a people-first corridor for walking, biking, and neighborhood events that stitches together nearby museums and parks. Designers are pitching it as a hybrid park and festival street meant to keep the area buzzing all year, not just on big event days.
According to Denver's Department of Transportation & Infrastructure, the Acoma Street phase from 10th to 12th avenues is paid for with the 2021 voter-approved RISE GO Bond and has now reached its final design stage. The city lists design completion in Summer 2026, with construction planned from fall 2026 through the end of 2027. The department has also posted a May 21 community meeting to unveil the final design and gather last-round feedback.
The broader 5280 Trail concept is being led by the Downtown Denver Partnership as a 5.280-mile loop of "links and places" that transforms underused downtown streets into public spaces. On the trail's official site, the Acoma stretch is labeled a "Place" meant to serve as a canvas for public art, programming, and neighborhood activation. The partnership says the loop will eventually connect the Golden Triangle with LoDo, Five Points, Capitol Hill, and several other downtown neighborhoods.
What the Acoma Redesign Will Do
Planners say the Acoma design calls for wider pedestrian zones, raised paving, new street trees, upgraded lighting, and flexible open areas that can host markets, performances, and outdoor dining. The plan also emphasizes better bike connections to the Cherry Creek and downtown networks, along with added shade and other features to help cut urban heat. These design goals and expected benefits are outlined in detail on the city's project page, according to Denver DOTI.
Local Businesses, Parking And Reaction
Reaction in the Golden Triangle is already split. Supporters are banking on more foot traffic, livelier streets, and a steady calendar of events. Some arts groups and small businesses, though, are bracing for the loss of curbside parking. Those anxieties surfaced publicly with the sale of Curious Theatre's building earlier this year. "It's going to knock out street parking in the immediate vicinity of the theater," Artistic Director Jada Suzanne Dixon told The Denver Gazette. Project backers counter that the work is backed by a significant public investment, with roughly $7 million in bond funding earmarked for the Acoma segment, per Westword.
How To Weigh In
City officials say the final design will wrap this summer, with construction set to follow in late 2026 and continue through 2027. Residents can review drawings and sign up for project updates on the 5280 Trail site. The project team has scheduled public engagement sessions and will post presentation materials and meeting notes online so people who cannot attend in person can still weigh in. Neighborhood groups and property owners are expected to get multiple chances to comment before crews break ground.
Whether Acoma turns into a beloved public spine or a long-running parking fight will depend largely on what planners hear in the next round of outreach. The project now has a clear schedule and funding, and those upcoming meetings are likely to shape how this key Golden Triangle stretch will look and function within the next two years.
