The City of Boulder has been working with the community to reimagine its public spaces.
The city, together with Downtown Boulder Partnership, hosted a series of free pop-up events during summer 2023 on 13th Street (between Arapahoe Avenue and Canyon Boulevard). See below for the list of events or visit: BoulderSocialStreets.com
Boulder Social Streets (previously called Downtown Streets as Public Space project) is a project that used analysis and community feedback to reimagine downtown streets as welcoming spaces to gather, attend events and connect.
The project involved temporary repurposing of downtown streets with programming, cultural events and public art during summer 2023.
Engagement opportunities began in early 2023 to assess community desires and concerns about downtown streets as public spaces, to understand how downtown streets are currently used, and to identify what might increase use of downtown streets. Engagement continued throughout the summer at the pop-ups to understand if they achieved their goals and to inform next steps.
Key takeaways from engagement include:
Boulder experienced outdoor spaces in new ways when streets were temporarily repurposed to meet community needs during the COVID-19 pandemic (now officially ended). During pandemic-related temporary changes to streets, including west Pearl Street, the community expressed a significant desire for more pedestrianized spaces downtown. City Council directed city staff to begin a public engagement process to better understand community aspirations for future opportunities. The project built on earlier public feedback from businesses, residents, workers and visitors. This included emails to council and questionnaire responses for other downtown projects.
Image description: A map depicting the Downtown Streets as Public Space Project Area, defined as an area encompassing from 9th to 18th streets from west to east and from just south of Arapahoe Avenue to just north of Spruce Street.
Looking ahead, the city will continue to examine how to activate spaces with programming and special events. The next evolution of Boulder Social Streets empowers Boulder residents to transform their communities. Several recommendations to come out of the project include:
Over the next year, the city will develop new processes and programs based on the recommendations that came out of Boulder Social Streets. More information will become available about the next iteration of Boulder Social Streets later in 2025.
There are trade-offs between different ways to use public streets. The project considered:
Technical and feasibility analyses
Safe travel and access for people using all transportation modes
The city’s placemaking, mobility, public safety, racial equity, resilience and sustainability goals
Local, national, and international examples of streets as public space
While this project focused on a smaller part of Boulder to quickly create new pop-up experiences for the community to try in spring and summer of 2023, results will help inform future long-term projects for public spaces across the city.
The subcommittee was formed at the direction of City Council to work together with city staff on the project process. This includes confirming next steps for the community engagement plan, collecting feedback from council members and progress check-ins.
The subcommittee included council members Tara Winer and Matt Benjamin, and the directors and interim directors of Planning and Development Services, Transportation and Mobility, Communication and Engagement, and Community Vitality.
The accelerated planning process allowed the city to temporarily change street spaces in the spring and summer of 2023, opening the door to more meaningful community engagement during the warmer weather when outdoor spaces are used more often and by more people.
