Broomfield Heights Stormwater and Pedestrian Improvements

This Broomfield Voice page will no longer be updated, though project background information will continue to be hosted here. For a project summary and general project information please visit the project's new webpage.

Please visit the American West Construction project page for construction information and updates. This website is the best source for up-to-date construction status information. Construction started in February 2025.

Community Engagement Summary

The City and County of Broomfield collaborated with ICON Engineering and their sub-consultant, NHN Consulting on a Public Engagement Plan as one of the first tasks of Phase 1 in January 2023. Three in-person public meetings were held Phase 1, in addition to other input opportunities such as online surveys, small group meetings, etc. Community input along with floodplain and stormwater data, current regulations, and best engineering practices helped identify and influence alternatives for W 3rd Avenue that address stormwater and pedestrian deficiencies.

A fourth public meeting was held during Phase 2 to share updates on the design progress. And, a fifth public meeting was held at the end of January 2025 to share information about upcoming construction activities.

Project Scope

This project seeks to reduce flood risk to existing properties in Broomfield Heights while improving the pedestrian environment within the project area, and establishing safer walking and biking connections to Emerald Elementary School.

City and County of Broomfield online floodplain map:

Phase 1 - Alternatives Analysis

The City and County of Broomfield hired ICON Engineering to complete an Alternatives Analysis to identify recommended options for stormwater, floodplain, and multimodal improvements. This phase of the project kicked off in January 2023.

Phase 2 - Design and Engineering

Once preferred alternatives are identified as part of Phase 1, the project team will proceed with design and engineering, securing required permits and producing construction documents. Phase 2 was completed from approximately July 2023 thru July 2024.

Phase 3 - Construction

Following design, the City and County of Broomfield conducted a competitive procurement process in the Fall of 2024 to select American West Construction as the contractor for the project. A construction contract was executed in December 2024. Construction began in February 2025. Please visit the American West Construction project page for construction information and updates.

Project Background

Broomfield Heights Filing 1, south of Midway Boulevard, is a historic neighborhood that was constructed in 1956 and 1957 before Broomfield was incorporated in 1961. Currently, this neighborhood has the highest concentrations of residential properties in the floodplain in Broomfield. This project seeks to contain and convey floodwaters from the start of the effective regulatory floodplain at Nickel St. and W. 120th St Ave./Hwy 287 to where they join the City Park Channel between W. Midway Blvd and Emerald St., reducing flood risk for existing properties.

The 2019 Broomfield Bicycle and Pedestrian Assessment identified the 3rd Avenue sidewalk, which is only 2.5 feet wide in this area, as a priority for further evaluation, and several of its minor cross streets as needing intersection crossing improvements- namely non-compliant ADA ramps and lack of crosswalks. In addition to addressing floodplain/ stormwater issues, this project will improve the pedestrian environment in this area, establishing a safer walking and biking connection to Emerald Elementary School. Specifically, the project will explore options for pedestrian improvements along 3rd Avenue from approximately Nickel Street near the Flatirons Park Apartments to Garnet Street, near Emerald Elementary School.

This project is funded by Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) created by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA). The City and County of Broomfield allocated approximately $9M of its SLFRF funds in total for both the stormwater and pedestrian improvement portions of the project, inclusive of both professional services and construction.