Jackson Street Corridor Plan

Thanks to all who came to see us at the March 25, 2024 open house to review plan alternatives. We are continuing to gather feedback and will be back on May 6, 2024 from 5 P.M.-7 P.M. with the final recommendations.

The Jackson Street Corridor Plan is a design-centered study that will look at the public realm and street corridor of a 5-block area in east downtown, and recommend specific guidance for future public improvements.

Project Goals

1. Initially, two plan design alternatives based on analysis of the existing and future conditions and public input will be developed with the goal of one final set of corridor design standards to implement. The design alternatives will include:
   1. potential crosswalk locations and design to support the prioritization of pedestrian movement;
   2. public realm or amenity zone design, focusing on the blocks along the redevelopment frontages and they will illustrate the potential interaction between the public and private areas;
   3. a package of hardscape, materials and softscape recommendations to support the cohesive design and redevelopment:
      1. hardscape will include seating, walls, waste disposal, lighting, planters, bike parking, and other placemaking elements.
      2. softscape recommendations will have plantings and street trees.
2. Overall, the design of the corridor will take shape in a way that could be codified or standardized for enforcement upon redevelopment by way of design standards.

Background

The City completed the East Downtown Plan in 2013 and more recently a form-based zoning code for downtown Golden. The East Downtown Plan envisioned this corridor as a secondary pedestrian access to Washington Avenue, as well as an opportunity for the natural expansion of downtown Golden for amenities, services, and businesses parallel to Washington Avenue. Additionally, two city-owned parking garages are located along the corridor.

The completion of the form-based zoning code and Kinney Run channel improvements are expected to bring several large-scale redevelopments to east downtown that will increase the need for safe walking, biking, transit, and vehicle access, and provide an opportunity to redesign and improve the existing public realm areas.

The vision of a portion of this corridor from the East Downtown Plan was for a pedestrian plaza or festival street environment, however the City currently needs a more balanced approach that includes access to parking, and movement through the corridor is prioritized over the creation of a centralized public space. The City would like a design that ensures on-street parking spaces can occur in addition to a comfortable, cohesive, pedestrian environment along the sidewalks and designated public realm areas.

The City of Golden and Golden Downtown Development Authority (DDA) are working on a conceptual design of five blocks in east downtown that includes multi-modal facilities, public realm uses, amenity zone designs, and on-street parking. The identified corridor connects Washington Avenue with Ford Street and the Coors facilities. There are several properties along the corridor that will likely redevelop in the near future and the City wants to ensure a cohesive design for this secondary access to and through downtown Golden.

Next Steps

The public is invited to review the final recommendations at an Open House on May 6, 2024 at 5pm in City Council Chambers-911 10th Street.