Denver’s 16th Street free shuttle ride service is set to make its full-service return, without all the detours around reconstruction.

After more than three years of detours around 16th Street reconstruction, formerly 16th Street Mall, the 16th Street no-cost bus shuttle service will return to full-service next month after reconstruction is completed.

Formerly known as the Free MallRide, the free service returns with a new name: the 16th Street FreeRide.

Starting Oct. 5, 16th Street FreeRide shuttle bus services are expected to serve along the full length of the 1.25-mile 16th Street corridor, according to a Regional Transportation District news release on Thursday.

This allows anyone downtown to move along 16th Street quicker, providing more shopping opportunities, additional travel options and a way between Civic Center and Union Station.

A grand reopening ceremony for the reconstruction of 16th Street is scheduled for Oct. 4. The shuttle detoured along 17th and 15th streets during the $175.4 million 16th Street revitalization project.

16th street reconstruction included wider sidewalks, new trees, amenities and the shuttle transit running through the middle of each block. The shuttle service has already begun normal operation on western portions of the corridor.

Additionally, a new granite paver system improves surface friction and drainage, officials said.

“The newly renovated 16th Street brings opportunities to make connections across downtown and nearby neighborhoods even stronger, creating a more accessible, inclusive center city,” Kourtny Garrett, president and CEO of Downtown Denver Partnership, said in a statement.

“The 16th Street FreeRide is a vital link to those opportunities, connecting people across downtown and moving the city forward,” she said.

Running seven days a week, the 16th Street FreeRide shuttle operates at five-minute intervals. In 2024, the service, despite its detours, had 1.5 million boardings. Between January and July, the service has seen 1.2 million boardings, meaning overall ridership on the 16th Street FreeRide has increased, according to RTD.

 “The 16th Street FreeRide is a prime example of how RTD is making lives better through the connections it provides,” RTD General Manager and CEO Debra Johnson said in a statement. 

“The agency is proud to have partnered with the City and County of Denver on this major transit infrastructure improvement project that provides convenient connections for thousands of people each and every day,” she said.