BoCo Transportation Master Plan – Good, but needs help

BikeNonProfitAdvocacy

Coming right on the heels of the City of Boulder’s TMP, Boulder County has released a draft TMP. We love that the County adopting Vision Zero by 2035! The next opportunity for input will be when the Boulder County Commissioners take up the Boulder County Transportation Master Plan later this year. When this meeting is announced, we will update this blog, post on social media, and ask for your input.

Vision Zero will not be accomplished without major improvements to County roads. Given Vision Zero is a goal by 2035, resources need to be prioritized to make this happen. There are many regional paths & trails are in the concept stage, however there are very significant funding gaps. Shoulder improvements of uphill climbing lanes, buffers on a few roads and one added shoulder will help, but these improvements fall short of NACTO & AASHTO (pg23) recommendations.

The goal of “Complete the Bike Vision Network” of 59 miles of low stress bicycle facilities between destinations within Boulder County is great. It needs to be clarified that this is only for the improvements indicated on the Regional Trail Vision (p16) and Bike Facilities (p18) Vision maps in the TMP Summary. Vision Zero will require more improvements. In addition all goals should have a date to measure progress against.

‘Low stress’ needs to be clarified in the TMP. From the BoCo Bicycle Level of Stress webpage, LTS1 & LTS2 use the words ‘Little Traffic Stress’. Few of these LTS1 & 2 facilities would be “low stress” as defined by NACTO or AASHTO. NACTO or AASHTO guidelines are a protected lane or a shared path when speeds are 35 mph or more. We disagree with the rating using LTS as defined here based on volume and shoulder width. Speed needs to be included in low stress ratings.

Read earlier comments from the Community Cycles Advocacy team.