Project Overview
The Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) is a federal program to identify, prioritize and fund transportation projects and is an important source of funding for the City of Boulder's transportation projects.
Current Projects
After evaluating community, board and council feedback, the city prioritizes and submits TIP applications for projects that advance the city’s Transportation Master Plan goals. Successfully funded projects are included in the city’s Capital Improvement Program for additional funding.
Read about current projects below.
2024-2027 Subregional Projects
The three high-level concepts for this round prioritize funding for safety and connectivity improvements on the city’s Core Arterial Network (CAN). A majority (67%) of severe and fatal traffic crashes in Boulder occur on arterial streets.
Watch the short videos below for project overviews.
The initial round of community engagement ended on Oct. 21. If the city's TIP application is successful, staff will proceed with additional community engagement and the detailed design process when funding is received in 2024.
1. 30th Street Multimodal Improvements (Colorado Avenue to Baseline Road)
This concept would improve transportation options and safety for the hundreds of people that walk, bike, drive and use public and university transit on this street.
The project would extend the raised protected bike lanes, wider sidewalks and improved connections to transit along 30th Street from Colorado Avenue down to Baseline Road. It would provide connections and access to local and regional transit and provide safer transportation options for the priority corridor community of residents living in the area multi-family housing, student housing and CU family housing.
2. Folsom Street Multimodal Improvements Pre-Design (Pine Street to Colorado Avenue)
Folsom Street is an important part of the city’s transportation network, providing key connections to and from homes, work, and schools. The project would develop preliminary designs to reduce the potential for severe crashes. This segment of Folsom Street would link to previously constructed protected bicycle lanes from Valmont Road to Pine Street as well as connect to planned improvements on Colorado Avenue.
3. West Colorado Avenue Multimodal Improvements (Regent Drive to Folsom Street)
West Colorado Avenue is a key active transportation link for several thousand students and community members each day between the CU-East and Main campus as well as residential and commercial centers around the city.
The proposed improvements provide almost a mile of connected and protected bicycle lanes, intersection enhancements and pedestrian facility improvements. It would also include transit facility upgrades such as dedicated transit lanes, consolidation of transit stops to improve reliability, new transit amenities and construction of a super transit stop adjacent to CU to accommodate the road's high number of transit users.
30th Street and Arapahoe Avenue Multimodal Intersection Improvements
*The 30th Street and Arapahoe Avenue Multimodal Intersection Improvements project was not recommended for this cycle. It was determined that more in-depth study is required prior to submitting a TIP application. The city's goal is to time this project design with ongoing and upcoming design work in the area.
2022-2025 Subregional Projects
The City of Boulder thanks community members for submitting comments to make these applications successful! Project work, including community engagement, will begin once the city receives TIP funding in 2024.
The city was awarded 6.4 million dollars in 2022-2025 TIP funding for the following three projects:
- Broadway Transit Priority Intersections (Regent & Table Mesa) - $2,480,000 funding award
- Baseline Road Enhanced Transit Stops and Protected Bike Lanes (30th Street to Foothills Parkway) - $3,122,000 funding award ($300,000 less than the application request)
- 30th Street Preliminary Design (CO7/Arapahoe - CO119) - $800,000 funding award
- Project factsheet
- This funding builds on the city funded work on Baseline Road that began in 2022
*The 28th Street Multi-Use Path Project was not recommended for the 2022-2025 cycle as it was considered to not be competitive due to its higher project cost.
Regional Projects
TIP funds are also available to advance regional transportation projects. Only projects that have been approved by local elected officials are eligible.
The city is partnering with Boulder County and the City of Longmont to develop first and last mile improvements within each city and the County for future Bus Rapid Transit service planned for CO119/Diagonal Highway, serving communities in and between Boulder and Longmont.
Other projects within Boulder County that also advance the city’s Transportation Master Plan goal of reducing single occupancy vehicle trips include:
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CO119/Diagonal Mobility & Safety Improvements (Boulder County submittal)
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CO7 Bus Rapid Transit Starter Service, Boulder to Brighton (Boulder County submittal)
Program Process
DRCOG Funding Process
In Colorado, the TIP is managed by the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG).
To comply with federal requirements, DRCOG prepares plans and programs that will help create a multi-modal transportation system, including the Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) and the Transportation Improvements Program (TIP). The RTP is a long-range transportation plan for the Denver metro region and is implemented through the TIP. The TIP is prepared every four years by the DRCOG, in cooperation with the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and the Regional Transportation District (RTD), to distribute funding for transportation projects in the region.
City of Boulder TIP Development Process
Projects advance the priorities of the city’s TMP and reflect the priorities and principles of the city’s transportation investment policies, as well as maximize the ability to receive funding under the DRCOG criteria.
The city generally uses the following steps when developing potential projects for the TIP.
- City staff reviews the Transportation Master Plan, corridor studies and other planning efforts to identify possible projects for submittal.
- Initial project ideas are evaluated and developed as concepts, public input is sought, and revised ideas are presented to the Transportation Advisory Board (TAB) during a public hearing.
- The TAB hosts another public hearing and then recommends a set of projects to City Council for submission to the DRCOG.
- City staff presents the proposed projects and the TAB recommendation to City Council at a public hearing.
- If a project is funded through the TIP, it is also included in the city's Capital Improvement Program (CIP) for additional funding. The city continues to develop the project's design and seek community input through public meetings.
Past Projects
- North Broadway Reconstruction (Violet to US 36)
- Boulder Slough Multi-use Path (30th and 3100 Pearl)
- Colorado and 30th Street Underpass
- Foothills Parkway Bicycle and Pedestrian Underpass, south of Colorado Avenue
Seven of the of the eight projects that were submitted by the City of Boulder received federal funds:
- Diagonal Highway (28th to Independence) Transportation Improvements;
- Foothills Parkway (Diagonal Highway to Valmont Road) Operational Improvements;
- Wonderland Creek Underpass and Multi-use Path (Foothills Parkway to 30th Street);
- 28th Street (Iris to Yarmouth avenues) Multi-use Path and On-street Bike Improvements;
- Pearl Parkway (30th Street to Foothills Parkway) Multi-use Path;
- Wonderland Creek at 28th Street Underpass and Improvements; and
- Baseline Road Underpass Between Broadway and 27th Way.