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Globeville I-70 Green Infrastructure Partnership
Community-led project in Denver neighborhood reduces pollution, adds green infrastructure, and builds environmental resilience.
Addressing Environmental Inequalities.
Globeville, a historically underserved neighborhood in northwest Denver, faces significant environmental and public health challenges due to its proximity to Interstate-70. Residents experience high levels of noise, air pollution, heat island effects, and polluted runoff.
To address these issues, the Green Dot Coalition—a community-driven partnership of the National Wildlife Federation, Green Spaces, Birdseed Collective, The Park People, and Design Workshop Foundation—secured a permit from the Colorado Department of Transportation to implement climate-friendly solutions that create a healthier, greener, and more resilient community.
The Challenge: Engaging Community and Designing Solutions
The key challenge was not only reducing environmental impacts but also ensuring the community had a meaningful voice in shaping solutions. Historically, Globeville residents have had limited access to planning processes that affect their environment, so the project prioritized community-led engagement and planning.
The Approach: Collaboration and Co-Design
The Green Dot Coalition focused on hands-on, participatory strategies to activate and empower the community:
Community Workshops
Gather resident input and co-design solutions
Site Assessments
Identify locations for climate-friendly trees, green infrastructure, and noise-reduction planting
Public Art & Media
Foster neighborhood pride and encourage stewardship
Phased Implementation
Phase One planting scheduled for June 2025
Project Features & Goals
The project’s multi-pronged approach includes:
Activate community through murals and public art
Launch stewardship programs for long-term maintenance
Grow ownership of green spaces through events
Install climate-friendly trees and plants
Reduce noise pollution, air pollution, and urban heat
The Outcome: Building a Healthier, Greener Globeville
The Globeville Green Dot Project empowers residents to lead the transformation of their neighborhood. By combining environmental solutions with community engagement, the project reduces pollution, improves air quality, and strengthens neighborhood pride. Phase One planting in the next year marks the beginning of a sustained, community-led effort to create a healthier, greener, and more resilient Globeville.