Alameda Avenue Underpass Rehabilitation

Alameda Avenue is a critical east-west transportation corridor in Denver, carrying vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists beneath RTD and freight rail bridges. To extend the service life of the existing infrastructure and improve user safety pending future corridor reconstruction, DOTI initiated the Alameda Avenue Underpass Rehabilitation Project.

Michael Baker International served as lead designer, providing project management, structural engineering, multimodal design, railroad coordination, drainage evaluation, utility coordination, and stakeholder engagement. Following extensive nondestructive testing, material sampling, and structural evaluations, the team developed and evaluated multiple rehabilitation alternatives to address widespread deterioration of the 100-year-old retaining walls.

Michael Baker recommended and designed an innovative steel curtain wall system to protect users from falling concrete debris while maintaining inspection access and improving the underpass aesthetics. The team also designed an ADA-compliant elevated sidewalk supported by a precast barrier system to improve pedestrian and bicycle safety, reduce roadway conflicts, and enhance accessibility through the corridor. A comprehensive Structure Selection Report and cost-benefit analysis supported the final design decisions.

The project demonstrates Michael Baker’s ability to deliver practical, cost-effective rehabilitation solutions in complex urban environments while coordinating with DOTI, RTD, BNSF, Union Pacific Railroad, utility owners, and community stakeholders. Additional services included maintenance of traffic, signing and striping, lighting, drainage improvements, geotechnical engineering, environmental documentation, SUE/utility coordination, survey and ROW services, cost estimating, and preparation of complete PS&E documents for construction bidding.