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Federal, Colfax To Close For DNC Finale
No Parking At Invesco For Audience
POSTED: 2:25 pm MDT August 9,
2008
UPDATED: 7:10 pm MDT August 19,
2008
DENVER -- The plan for Sen. Barack Obama's acceptance speech is taking shape, with closed roads and parking lots listed among the changes.Colfax Avenue and Federal Boulevard will close and Interstate 25 could be next. Those updates were met with nodding heads and a few questions as a team of city leaders met with concerned residents Saturday at Denver's Human Services building.Smaller streets could still be closed but the big ones, Federal and Colfax, have a clearer plan laid out for them. One lane of northbound Federal will shut down between Colfax and 20th Avenue from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursday only.
Then Colfax will shut down completely between Marisposa and Federal from 9 a.m. until the speech at Invesco Field wraps up.City officials said there will be other closures as well -- eventually."I don't know the number of streets but it's going to be pretty localized right around Invesco Field," said Deputy Chief Michael Battista of the Denver Police Department.Officials may close I-25 but nothing definite has been announced.The expected 76,000 people who will come to watch Obama's speech will not be able to use parking at Invesco. Protesters will occupy Lot J., and the rest will be taken by news media and convention equipment.That will send many drivers into neighborhoods around the stadium."We have to deal with the Broncos. We have to deal with all the big things. So we can deal with that business-wise. It's just that we've never had to be shut down," said Karri Smith, owner of a retail supply company at 1900 Federal.City leaders are also talking with the Colorado Rockies about possibly using its parking lots."The Rockies are dark that week, or those days. The option of Coors Field, I think, is a great consideration and I think that would help a lot," Rick Garcia, Denver City Council member."It would be nice to have something like another parking lot downtown somewhere that may be available that we could turn into a park-and-ride," said Daria Serna, RTD spokeswoman.Another neighborhood meeting is scheduled Aug. 13 at 1900 Federal Bvld. from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.Interactive Map:
Previous Stories:
- August 8, 2008: 60,000 Coloradans Clamor For Obama Speech Tickets
- August 6, 2008: Want Tickets To Obama's DNC Speech? Sign Up On Web Or Call
- August 5, 2008: DNC Protesters, Public Can Use VIP Lot At Invesco
- July 7, 2008: Obama's DNC Acceptance Speech Will Be At Invesco Field
- July 4, 2008: Obama To Make Acceptance Speech At Invesco Field?
Copyright 2008 by TheDenverChannel.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.










