The U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has notified the Denver Regional Council of Governments that plans submitted for the Jefferson Parkway conform to clean air rules. 

The Jefferson Parkway Public Highway Authority (JPPHA) had submitted its original traffic projects and other information to DRCOG, which had approved them as part of its regional transportation plan earlier this year. Inclusion on the regional plan is a crucial step in securing private investors to fund construction.

Since January, JPPHA has worked closely with the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG) and the Federal Highway Administration to model the traffic and air pollution effects from the proposed Jefferson Parkway. Recently, the FHWA concurred with the Board of DRCOG that the parkway proposal is in compliance with air quality regulations.  

Douglas Bennett, acting division administrator for the FHWA, wrote to Jennifer Schaufele, executive director of DRCOG, “Our office has met several times with your staff along with representatives of the Colorado Department of Transportation, the JPPHA and their consultants. These discussions clarified the traffic and revenue modeling done by JPPHA and their consultants to assure the expectation of project financing is reasonable … We are pleased to inform you we consider our request made to you … to be satisfied.”

“Modeling shows that the Parkway lessens both air and traffic congestion in the Denver Metro area,” said Jefferson County Commissioner Kevin McCasky, who serves as chair to the Parkway Authority Board. “Now that the Highway Administration has reviewed the modeling and added its approval to that of the DRCOG Board of Directors, the authority can move forward and partner with private partners to build the highway.”