By Mary Butler
Camera Staff Writer

Bicyclists will be able to ride in new bike lanes on north Broadway, which they've said are the most needed in Boulder.

Walking across 28th Street near Crossroads Mall will be made easier once "pedestrian islands" are built, providing a place to wait for motorists to pass in between each traffic lane.

And some bus riders' trips will be shortened with the addition of new bus-only stop lanes and signal changes on two Boulder thoroughfares giving buses priority over other motorists.

These city projects all were recently promised millions in federal dollars, allowing for their completion in the next three to four years.

"There's something for everyone," said Randall Rutsch, Boulder transportation planner.

The city was guaranteed more than $6 million in federal money for five out of six projects it had submitted to the Denver Regional Council of Governments for consideration of allotments given to the region for transportation improvements to be made between 2003 and 2008.

"We're lucky to get the money," Rutsch said.

Indeed, the cash comes at a time when the state is scrambling to make ends meet, having just cut nearly $1.3 billion from its budget. Lawmakers' recently approved 20-year transportation plan was designed to put state budget needs first, allowing for dollars originally earmarked for highway projects to flow into the general fund first to build up the reserve. Sales tax revenues everywhere are down as a result of the nation's sagging economy.

Even so, the state has promised Boulder $700,000 toward five transportation projects:

Transit Priority Operation Improvement: $5.8 million. Altered traffic signals will give buses priority along south Broadway and in the 28th Street corridor, and new "queue jump" lanes will be added in these areas to allow for quicker bus pickups and dropoffs and keep traffic flowing while buses are stopped.

Skunk Creek-27th Way Bicycle Underpass: $1.2 million. Construction of a bike path behind Basemar Shopping Center will complete a connection under 27th Street Way.

28th Street Pedestrian Crossing Improvements: $990,000. New curbs, bus lanes and islands will be built between Pearl and Iris streets, making it easier to cross the busy thoroughfare.

Broadway Bike Lanes: $1.6 million. Between Iris and Norwood streets, the road will be widened to add a half-mile of bicycle lanes to tie in with existing lanes.

Arapahoe-Foothills Parkway Intersection Improvements: $2.8 million.

Of the total $12.4 million the projects will cost, Boulder is chipping in $5.7 million.

Longmont and Boulder County were also awarded startup cash, through an air quality grant, needed to launch their circulator bus service, preliminarily named the Dart, which will run along the Diagonal Highway. The high-frequency bus, which will make pickups every 10 minutes, will connect Longmont and Boulder.

The service, planned to begin in 2004, will be modeled after Boulder's Community Transit Network, including the Hop, Skip and Jump.

"How the city of Longmont and Boulder plan to use the Dart will go a long way in determining how transit ends up working in northern Boulder County," Longmont councilman Doug Brown said. "It's something that was needed."

Contact Mary Butler at butlerm@thedailycamera.com or (303) 473-1390.

May 28, 2002

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