Yes, in steps. Denver’s transportation department plans to lower the Lowell Boulevard speed limit in Berkeley and Regis from 30 to 25 mph within about six to eight months of mid-October 2026, add a flashing-beacon crosswalk at West 48th Avenue and rebuild the signal at West 44th Avenue.
Lowell Boulevard is one of the main north-south streets through Berkeley. It runs from West 38th Avenue, the neighborhood’s southern edge, up past Rocky Mountain Lake Park to the Interstate 70 interchange, then continues north through Regis to the Denver city line at West 52nd Avenue. Along the way it handles traffic headed to and from the I-70 interchange, neighborhood trips and people on foot crossing to the park and the side streets.
For the past year, the Berkeley Regis United Neighbors registered neighborhood organization has been writing to Denver’s Department of Transportation and Infrastructure, known as DOTI, about how the street works for people crossing it on foot, turning across it and driving under the I-70 bridge. In October 2026, DOTI laid out what it plans to build, what it is still studying and what has no funding yet.
Jason Sirois is a Denver Realtor with FORM at Compass, whose office is at 1900 W 32nd Ave in Northwest Denver. Below is what is changing on Lowell, block by block, how firm each piece is and what it could mean for the homes along and near the corridor.
What is changing on Lowell Boulevard?
The clearest summary is in the Denver North Star’s October 16, 2026 report, “Lowell Boulevard to get safety improvements,” which quotes DOTI’s latest email to the neighborhood group. The work falls into three groups: changes DOTI has committed to, changes it is studying and ideas that are not funded.
| Location on Lowell | Planned change | Status (October 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| W 38th Ave to W 52nd Ave | Speed limit lowered from 30 to 25 mph | Expected within six to eight months |
| W 44th Ave | Intersection improvements and a new traffic signal | Designed; construction expected within the next year |
| W 46th Ave | Study a left-turn arrow and a rebuilt signal | Depends on future funding |
| W 48th Ave (I-70 area) | Crosswalk across Lowell, pedestrian flashing beacon, new curb ramp, signage | Construction scheduled to start in October 2026 |
| W 48th Ave (I-70 area) | New full traffic signal | Unfunded; estimated at $1 million to $2 million |
| W 49th Ave | Signage and parking removal for visibility | Completed in 2024 |
| I-70 underpass | Lighting, snow and ice clearing on the sidewalk | CDOT owns the bridge; DOTI coordinating and flagging lighting |
Source: Denver North Star, October 16, 2026, and DOTI’s July 8, 2026 reply to Berkeley Regis United Neighbors.
When will the speed limit drop to 25 mph?
DOTI told the neighborhood group it expects to lower the posted limit from 30 to 25 mph between West 38th Avenue and the city line at West 52nd Avenue within six to eight months. Counting from the North Star’s mid-October report, that points to roughly spring 2027, though DOTI did not give a specific date.
The change follows a speed evaluation. In its July 8, 2026 reply to the neighborhood group, DOTI said it collected traffic data on Lowell on January 21, 2026 and would review it before deciding on next steps. The neighborhood group had questioned why Lowell carried the same limit as West 38th Avenue even though the two streets are built very differently. DOTI also said Lowell could become a candidate for its Traffic Calming Program, depending on the study results, citywide needs and funding.
A lower posted limit is a sign change, not a construction project. The city has not said whether physical traffic calming will follow.
What is happening at 44th, 46th and 48th avenues?
West 48th Avenue. This is the intersection by the I-70 westbound off-ramp. DOTI’s planned crossing improvements include a marked crosswalk across Lowell, a pedestrian-activated flashing beacon, a new accessible curb ramp on the southeast corner and new signage. The North Star reported construction was scheduled to start in October. DOTI’s earlier reply, from December 2025, said this work was funded by the 2021 RISE bond. A full traffic signal at the same spot, which would ease turns off the ramp, is a separate and much larger item. DOTI estimates it at $1 million to $2 million and has applied for three safety grants without winning one so far.
West 44th Avenue. DOTI plans intersection improvements and a new traffic signal. Its July reply said the work was designed and that construction was expected within the next year, depending on staff workloads.
West 46th Avenue. Neighbors asked for protected left-turn arrows. DOTI said arrows are not practical without rebuilding the signal, which is not programmed or funded, and that it would add them as older span-wire signals are replaced over time.
What about the I-70 underpass and the Lowell/Meade bikeway?
The underpass is where responsibility gets split. The Colorado Department of Transportation owns the I-70 bridge over Lowell and is responsible for clearing the sidewalk under it, according to the North Star. DOTI says it is coordinating with CDOT and will flag the lighting for possible future upgrades. There is no schedule for either.
The Lowell/Meade bikeway, a planned north-south bike route that has been on Denver’s list since 2020, is also unfunded. DOTI’s July reply mentioned a bikeway concept between 46th and 48th avenues in development, with no funding identified.
Does this affect homes in Berkeley?
Directly, the changes are modest. None of them widen Lowell, remove travel lanes or take private property, and the committed pieces are a speed limit sign change, one crosswalk with a beacon and one signal rebuild. For a home on or near Lowell, the practical effects are mostly about access and getting across the street:
- Expect short construction zones at 48th Avenue this fall and at 44th Avenue sometime in the coming year.
- A new signal at 44th can change how easy it is to turn onto Lowell from the side streets near it.
- A marked, beacon-controlled crossing at 48th adds a formal place to cross near the interchange.
- A lower posted limit applies along the full stretch from 38th Avenue to 52nd Avenue.
When we talk with sellers on busy streets in Northwest Denver, the questions buyers ask are usually practical: how loud is it, how hard is it to back out of the driveway, where is the nearest signal. Knowing what is planned, and showing buyers the city’s own description of it, tends to be more useful than guessing. If a listing is near 44th or 48th, it is worth knowing when the work is scheduled so showings are not planned around a closed lane.
Lowell is also one piece of a larger set of street projects in the area. Denver’s West 38th Avenue redesign covers Berkeley’s southern edge, and CDOT’s Federal Boulevard bus rapid transit line covers its eastern edge. For more on the neighborhood itself, see our Berkeley community page.
How can neighbors follow or weigh in?
The North Star report did not list a public meeting or a comment period. The main channel so far has been the Berkeley Regis United Neighbors group, which received DOTI’s emails and has posted the correspondence on its website. Residents can also contact their City Council office and DOTI directly.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the speed limit on Lowell Boulevard in Denver?
As of October 2026 it is posted at 30 mph between West 38th Avenue and West 52nd Avenue. DOTI plans to lower it to 25 mph and told neighbors it expects the change within six to eight months of mid-October 2026.
Is there a new crosswalk at 48th and Lowell?
One is planned. DOTI’s design adds a crosswalk across Lowell with a pedestrian flashing beacon, a new accessible curb ramp and signage. The North Star reported construction was scheduled to start in October 2026.
Will 44th and Lowell get a new traffic signal?
Yes, according to DOTI. The intersection work and new signal are designed, and DOTI said construction was expected within the next year, depending on staff workloads.
Is a traffic signal coming to the I-70 off-ramp at Lowell?
Not yet. DOTI estimates a full signal at 48th Avenue would cost $1 million to $2 million. It is unfunded, and DOTI has applied for three safety grants without securing one so far.
Is the Lowell/Meade bikeway being built?
Not at this point. It has been planned since 2020 but is unfunded. DOTI described a bikeway concept between 46th and 48th avenues as being in development, without a construction date.
Who is responsible for snow and lighting under the I-70 bridge on Lowell?
CDOT owns the bridge and is responsible for clearing the sidewalk under it, according to the North Star. DOTI says it is coordinating with CDOT and will flag the lighting for possible future upgrades.
This article is for general information only and reflects published plans and correspondence as of October 2026. Timelines, designs and funding can change; check with Denver’s Department of Transportation and Infrastructure for current details.
