Officer Kirk Martin (left) registers Graciela Gamez's (right) bicycle Wednesday morning, June 27, outside of Building 500 on Anschutz Medical Campus. Riders from University of Colorado, University of Colorado Hospital, Children’s Hospital Colorado, University Physicians Inc., Fitzsimons Redevelopment Authority and others came together Wednesday morning as part of the Denver Regional Council of Governments' Bike to Work Day. (Marla R. Keown/Aurora Sentinel)

AURORA | The bustling lanes of East Colfax Avenue near the Anschutz Medical Campus aren’t exactly a pedaler’s paradise.

But local officials say more than $750,000 in bicycle-related improvements — including bike racks, pedestrian lighting, curb ramps and enhanced crosswalks — will make the ride smoother and safer in the coming years.

City Council last week signed off on $240,000 for the project. A federal grant will cover the other $485,000 in funding.

The project will focus on four Colfax intersections: Fitzsimons Parkway on the eastern edge of the campus, Wheeling Street, Quentin Street and Peoria Street on the western edge. That covers the entire southern edge of the campus, and is one of the busier stretches of Colfax.

Campus officials estimate about 30,000 people visit Anschutz on a typical day. The adjacent Colorado Science and Technology Park draws thousands more each week and will likely attract more as the Fitzsimons Redevelopment Authority continues construction there.

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Lori Mackenzie, a spokeswoman for the city, said improving bike routes is especially important in an area teeming with people.

“The Colfax corridor is clearly a link to the major employment areas of the Anschutz Medical Campus and the Colorado Science and Technology Park,” she said in an email. “These planned improvements will enhance access and safety for both pedestrians and bicyclists, allowing for multi-modal transportation to and from the area.”

Mackenzie said she was unsure when construction would start or when it was expected to be finished. 

RTD Commissioner Tom Tobiassen said the bike-related enhancements are part of a broader effort to make getting to and from Anschutz easier and safer.

“I think it’s huge for the future of the campus,” he said.

A new light rail line near the campus is set to open in 2016, and Tobiassen said it combined with more bike access are important steps for a campus that will likely be one the most densely populated square miles in the region.

“It’s really happening,” he said. “And that’s the good thing.”