After nearly a decade of work, Commuting Solutions joined project partners, Boulder County, the City of Boulder, the City of Longmont, CDOT, and RTD as well as state and federal officials, on October 12 at Niwot’s Whistle Stop Park to celebrate the $25 million US DOT RAISE grant funding of the CO 119 Safety & Mobility Improvements & Bikeway Project. The RAISE grant is the final funding piece to the $162 million improvement project that will add a commuter bikeway as well as Bus Rapid Transit stops and other safety and mobility improvements.
The event served as a kick-off for safety improvements planned for the corridor while reflecting on the tragedies that have occurred over the years including the loss of Magnus White, the 17-year-old US National Team cyclist who was killed while cycling in July. White was the ninth fatality along the corridor since 2020. Distinguished speakers included: Governor Polis, Senator Hickenlooper, Boulder County Commissioner Claire Levy, CDOT’s Shoshana Lew, RTD’s Debra Johnson, Senator Faith Winter, and Michael White.
Colorado Governor Jared Polis addressed the importance of the importance of the project and congratulated the various partners in attendance at the event “The diagonal is an incredibly important artery for Boulder County. In fact, it’s the second most traveled corridor in the entire county, and it has more crashes per mile than any other road in unincorporated Boulder County,” he said. He went on, “Together, this project will help save lives, open up new opportunities, protect our fragile environment and make Colorado an even better place than we found it.”
Michael White, the father of Magnus White, spoke of the need for speeding up the process to get important safety projects like this funded. “We have to, so no other family will have to experience the total and utter devastation we have faced, and will live with the rest of our lives,” he said.
“With more protected bikeways down the spine, the corridor will offer more options for commuters, and really increase safety for pedestrians and bicyclists in an area that desperately needs it, as too many people know,” said Shoshana Lew, executive director of CDOT.
The major construction projects will break ground in 2024. In the meantime, CDOT will soon be putting in rumble strips on highway shoulders and increasing signage to alert drivers of the cyclists and increase awareness.
CO 119 Safety and Mobility Improvements and Bikeway Project Highlights include:
Changes to intersections:
- Reconfiguring the CO 52 intersection into a split intersection
- Safety improvements and access changes to the Airport Road intersection and other unsignalized intersections within the corridor
- Reconstruction of the Hover Street and CO119 intersection
A new commuter bikeway:
- Nine miles of 12-foot wide concrete path separated from the road
- Grade-separated crossings at major intersections
- Direct connection to Bus Rapid Transit stations and existing bike networks
Additional Park-N-Rides:
- 63rd Street
- Niwot Rd
Pedestrian Crossings:
- New signage
- Striping
- Improved signal timing
Queue Bypass Lanes:
- Jay Rd
- CO 52
- 63rd Street
- Niwot Road
- Airport Road
Bus Rapid Transit Stations:
- 63rd Street
- CO 52
- Niwot Road
