Equitably Addressing Resiliency and Connectivity in Denver Neighborhoods

While this project originated from a need to address flooding and water quality issues in lower-income neighborhoods, it also presented an opportunity to address community needs related to connectivity and green space. Parts of the Montclair Basin have industrial land uses and large-scale infrastructure projects, such as Central 70 and the RTD Light Rail line. This had created a lack of cohesion between neighborhoods that historically have experienced a pattern of disinvestment.

Drainage issues had traditionally been evaluated on a neighborhood-by-neighborhood basis. Instead, the project team took a regional, holistic approach to solving flooding issues. The team used existing city land to break up the proposed stormwater detention and conveyance areas instead of focusing on one large detention area that would have impacted more than 80 properties. This innovative approach created 12 acres of parkland, three nature play areas, and three miles of bicycle and pedestrian facilities; reconnected the urban grid; and addressed resiliency concerns.

This workshop details how barriers and challenges related to coordinating citywide climate solutions were overcome through a variety of methods that included extensive multi-disciplinary collaboration. The result? An array of community, environmental, and public health benefits.