The City of Boulder has produced a list of possible future bike projects to ask for funding from the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG, or “Dr. Cog”). Our bicycle cooperative’s Advocacy Committee reviewed and ranked the 15 possible projects (only a few will get funded).
Almost all the projects were underpasses or other work that involved streets, because that’s what DRCOG funds. While the projects were difficult to compare directly, we attempted to prioritize them based on a balance of factors, including costs, urgency/timeliness, whether the project addressed an unmet need (rather than improvements to reasonably functioning infrastructure), and the expected benefit to broad numbers of cyclists and pedestrians, particularly less skilled or less confident riders. Based on these criteria, here are our rankings and rationale:
Highest Priorities
Boulder Slough Path
The Boulder Slough Path will run from the underpass at 30th St. by Ras Kassa’s eastward behind the new Junction Village developments, terminating (for now) at Pearl Parkway and the railroad tracks (planned future connections include an underpass of the tracks and of Pearl Parkway). The new and planned development in the area ensures that cycling and walking will continue to be important here, connecting new residents and users of the Boulder Junction transit center to the existing path network and to shopping and businesses. Google Street view.
Bear Creek Underpass at Table Mesa
This proposed underpass would run from the current western terminus of the Bear Creek Path under Table Mesa to the Table Mesa shopping center. As with the Boulder Slough Path, an underpass here would safely connect residents and visitors from homes east of Broadway to the shopping center, encouraging less confident riders to walk and bike rather than drive. The underpass will also speed users of the Broadway multi-use path past the traffic light at Table Mesa.
Slightly Lower Priority
Extending the Fourmile Creek Path
Extend the path from Crest View Elementary on 19th St. to Iris and Broadway. This path will provide a safe bicycling route to school for children in north Boulder.
Skunk Creek Underpass at Moorhead
Build an underpass of the path under Moorhead and connect up to the Baseline path where it crosses under US-36. This underpass would remove a poor and confusing connection through a liquor store parking lot and would let people cross Moorhead safely (the current crossing is near a curve).
28th St. Multi-Use Path
Build a multi-use path on the west side of US-36 in north Boulder from Fourmile Creek (the Elks Club park) all the way to the northern intersection with Broadway.
Replace the Foothills Parkway overpasses
Replace the two overpasses of Foothills Parkway in south Boulder with underpasses that are ADA compatible.
Lower Priority
Boulder Slough Underpasses of railroad tracks, Pearl, and Junction Place
Chautauqua Sidewalk Improvements
Table Mesa Park-N-Ride Underpass
Underpass of US-36 near Table Mesa
Rebuild Underpass of Broadway near Regent/Baseline
Arapahoe Sidepath Improvements
Skunk Creek Underpass of 30th
It was tough to prioritize all of these projects. The tendency is to say “Yes please!” to all of them. However, with a limited pool of money at DRCOG, it makes sense to choose the projects that will provide the most bang for the buck. Some of these lower priority proposals will be reappearing soon as they are considered for other funding sources. Send us your thoughts on what improvements you’d like to see!