The 38th Avenue West End project will rebuild about 1.5 miles of 38th Avenue between Youngfield and Kipling in Wheat Ridge, the corridor that runs through Applewood Villages, adding sidewalks on both sides, bike lanes and three mini-roundabouts, with construction expected to start in 2027.
West 38th Avenue between Youngfield Street and Kipling Street is the everyday route in and out of Applewood Villages. It carries traffic to Kipling and I-70, buses, and anyone walking to the shops and parks along the way. It also has sidewalk gaps and drainage problems residents have raised with the city.
The City of Wheat Ridge has spent three years designing a rebuild of that stretch, known as the 38th Avenue West End Improvements. The plan has moved from public meetings in 2023 to final design, and in the last few months the city added a decision to bury the overhead power lines along the street, which pushed the total investment up.
Jason Sirois is a Denver Realtor with FORM at Compass and an Applewood resident. Here is what is planned, when work is expected, what it costs and how it is paid for, and what it means if you own, are buying or are selling a home in Applewood Villages.
What the 38th Avenue West End project will build
The design the city is carrying forward is the one City Council chose in January 2024 after comparing three options: sidewalks on both sides of the street plus on-street bike lanes, rather than a shared-use path on one side. According to the city’s project page, the preferred design includes:
- Continuous sidewalks on both sides of 38th Avenue
- Bike lanes in both directions, with a painted buffer from traffic where space allows
- One 10-foot travel lane in each direction, with minor turn-lane changes
- New curb and gutter, inlets and storm sewer connections to address drainage
- Mini-roundabouts at Tabor Court, Parfet Street and Miller Street, each with crosswalks on all four legs and refuge islands
- New marked crosswalks at Quail Street, Lee Street and Union Court, the last two with pedestrian-activated flashing lights
The city says the project will be built within the existing public right-of-way. Final design can still bring minor adjustments, so the exact layout in front of any one property is not settled until construction drawings are complete.
Where Applewood Villages sits on the corridor
Homes marketed as Applewood Villages are inside the City of Wheat Ridge and carry 80033 addresses, on streets such as Simms Street, Miller Street and Vivian Drive along and near the 38th Avenue corridor. That puts much of the neighborhood within a few blocks of the work zone, and one of the three planned mini-roundabouts is at Miller Street.
Because Applewood Villages is in Wheat Ridge rather than unincorporated Jefferson County, this is a city project, designed by Wheat Ridge and paid for largely with city bond money. That is different from the Applewood neighborhoods to the west and south, where the county handles roads and land use, a distinction we explained in our Applewood community guide.
The corridor also sits between two of the bigger changes on Wheat Ridge’s west side: Clear Creek Crossing at I-70 and Highway 58, which we covered in what’s open and coming to Clear Creek Crossing, and the redevelopment of the former Lutheran hospital campus to the east, along 38th Avenue east of Kipling.
When construction is expected to start, and how long it will last
Construction does not have a firm start date yet. Here is where the timeline stands, by source:
| Item | What has been reported | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Corridor length | About 1.5 miles (Gazette); 1.75 miles (city bond program page) | Neighborhood Gazette, May 2026; City of Wheat Ridge, Aug 2026 |
| Design status | Final design, about 60% complete | City of Wheat Ridge bond program page, updated Aug 10, 2026 |
| Utility undergrounding | Could begin in 2026 if plans hold | Neighborhood Gazette, May 5, 2026 |
| Roadway construction start | Early 2027, if funding and design line up | Neighborhood Gazette, May 5, 2026 and Aug 1, 2026 |
| Construction duration | One year to a year and a half | Neighborhood Gazette, May 5, 2026 |
The city’s own project page still lists construction as to be determined, pending final funding. The Neighborhood Gazette reported in May that, if everything lines up, utility work would start this year and roadway construction in early 2027, lasting a year to a year and a half. The city has not yet published a phasing or detour plan, so which blocks close when is still unknown.
What it costs and how it is paid for
The project is one of the larger pieces of Wheat Ridge’s 2J “Next Chapter” bond program, which voters approved in 2023 and which the city describes as a $75 million program for streets, sidewalks and drainage. In May 2026, a city official cited an early engineering construction estimate of $22 million for the West End project, the Gazette reported.
Burying the power lines was the open question this summer. In August, the Gazette reported that City Council was weighing an unbudgeted $9 million to put the lines along this stretch of 38th underground, while overhead lines behind homes would stay where they are. A Citizen Portal summary of the council discussion, published September 22, 2026, reports that council agreed to shift about $7 million in 2J bond money to the undergrounding, with the roadway at roughly $25 million and the combined investment at about $32 million. To make room, the second round of the city’s sidewalk program was reduced by about $9.25 million.
Those figures moved several times in 2026, and the city has not yet published a final construction budget. The one-cent city sales tax on the November 3 ballot, which we explained in our post on the Wheat Ridge sales tax ballot question, lists street and bike and pedestrian improvements among its uses, but the West End project’s funding comes from the existing bond program.
What it means for Applewood Villages owners, buyers and sellers
For homes along and near 38th Avenue, the finished street changes several practical things: a continuous sidewalk instead of gaps, marked crossings at Quail, Lee and Union, roundabouts in place of stop-controlled intersections at Tabor, Parfet and Miller, and storm sewer where drainage now runs to ditches. During community meetings, residents asked the city to limit tree removal and fix localized flooding. Those requests are on the record, but the city lists them as feedback, not design commitments.
The trade-off is the construction period. A year or more of work on the main east-west route means lane restrictions, changed access and noise for homes on the corridor, and longer trips for everyone who uses it. Owners with driveways onto 38th should watch for the city’s construction notices once a contractor is selected.
For sellers, the project is a known, public plan, so buyers and their agents will ask about it. Having the city’s project page and the current timeline on hand answers the question directly. For buyers, the questions to ask are where the property sits relative to the roundabouts and new crossings, whether the frontage has a driveway onto 38th, and how the construction window lines up with a move-in date. The project uses existing right-of-way, according to the city, so it is not expected to take private land.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will construction start on 38th Avenue between Youngfield and Kipling?
No firm date has been set. The Neighborhood Gazette reported in 2026 that roadway construction is expected to start in early 2027 if design and funding line up, with utility undergrounding possibly starting earlier. The city’s project page lists construction as pending final funding.
Where will the roundabouts be on West 38th Avenue?
The city’s preferred design shows three mini-roundabouts on 38th Avenue, at Tabor Court, Parfet Street and Miller Street. Each is planned with crosswalks on all four legs and pedestrian refuge islands.
Will 38th Avenue still have two travel lanes?
Yes, one 10-foot travel lane in each direction, with minor turn-lane changes, plus bike lanes and sidewalks on both sides. The design keeps enough width for emergency vehicles and RTD buses, according to the city.
Will the power lines on 38th Avenue be buried?
That is the current plan for the lines along the street. A September 2026 summary of council discussion reports the city is adding about $7 million in bond money for undergrounding. Lines behind homes are expected to stay overhead, according to the Neighborhood Gazette.
How long will construction on 38th Avenue take?
The city expects the roadway work to take between a year and a year and a half once it starts, according to the Neighborhood Gazette’s May 2026 reporting. A detailed phasing plan has not been published.
Is Applewood Villages in Wheat Ridge or unincorporated Jefferson County?
Homes marketed as Applewood Villages carry Wheat Ridge 80033 addresses and are inside the City of Wheat Ridge, so the city runs this project and sets the rules for permits and zoning there. Check the county assessor record for a specific parcel.
This post is general information based on City of Wheat Ridge project pages, Neighborhood Gazette reporting and a Citizen Portal summary of City Council discussion available as of October 15, 2026. Costs, schedules and designs for public projects change, and the city has not published a final construction schedule or budget. It is not legal or financial advice. Confirm current details with the City of Wheat Ridge.
