Boulder Transit Center Area Improvements

Beginning May 29, the city will be making multimodal transportation improvements to the Boulder Transit Center area on 14th Street between Canyon Boulevard and Walnut Street (in and around the area where the current RTD transit station is located). The transportation improvements will include better access and accommodations for buses, bicycles and pedestrians. 

Beginning May 29, the one-block segment of 14th Street between Walnut Street and Canyon Boulevard will be permanently closed to general automobile traffic. After construction, only buses will be allowed to drive on this section of 14th Street.

Construction of the Boulder Transit Center area improvements will begin on May 29 and is anticipated to take approximately three months to complete. There will be traffic and temporary impacts during construction.

View the Boulder Transit Center construction impacts and detours.

Background

The Boulder Transit Center is currently over capacity, and more buses are scheduled to arrive with the addition of FasTracks Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) service on U.S. 36. This means that buses cannot have assigned loading areas and are forced to layover at locations some distance from the transit center. Both sides of 14th Street are currently used for bus stops and passenger loading, as is a portion of Walnut Street. The service increases scheduled as part of FasTracks BRT service will add even more pressure on the facility. Bike parking in the area is inadequate, and pedestrian and bicycle access is in need of improvement. 

The current situation cannot be improved, nor can additional bus operations be accommodated, without physical improvements to the Boulder Transit Center area. View a slideshow of the existing conditions.

Project Goals

• Improve bus access, capacity and circulation;
• Improve pedestrian safety, access and experience;
• Enhance the streetscape and landscaping in the area;
• Enhance the transit passenger drop-off zone;
• Improve bicycle access and parking;
• Minimize impacts to automobile parking and circulation; and
• Improve the character and utility of the existing transit center.

Community Involvement

Two public open house meetings were held in March and April 2012 to request the community's feedback on a variety of options for multimodal transportation improvements to the Boulder Transit Center area. On May 14, 2012, the Transportation Advisory Board (TAB) held a public hearing and recommended approval of the staff-recommended design concept, which was determined to best balance all of the project goals.

Funding

Improvements to the Boulder Transit Center area will be funded by the City of Boulder Capital Improvement Bond, a Colorado Department of Transportation FASTER grant, and RTD.

FASTER grants are funded through rental car and vehicle registration fees. A majority of the funds are used to construct safety projects and to address Colorado's structurally deficient roads and bridges. A portion of funds are reserved specifically for transit-related projects. 

The slideshow below shows the existing conditions at the Boulder Transit Center area.

Created with flickrSLiDR. 

Last Updated on Wednesday, 15 May 2013 15:22