30th and Colorado Corridors Study

The City of Boulder and University of Colorado Transportation Master Plans identified the need for detailed studies of several transportation corridors in Boulder, including 30th Street and Colorado Avenue. These corridors provide travel options between key activity centers in Boulder, including the University of Colorado (CU) Housing at Williams Village, CU East Campus, Boulder Junction, 29th Street and CU Main Campus.

The purpose of the study is to examine existing and anticipated transportation conditions and needs, and develop designs to improve travel for all modes for 30th Street from Baseline Road to Pearl Street, and Colorado Avenue from Foothills Parkway to CU Main Campus/ Broadway and Euclid Avenue.

The study area contains six of the top crash locations in Boulder, according to the 2016 Boulder Safe Streets Report. These locations are: 30th-Colorado, 30th-Baseline, 30th-Arapahoe, Colorado-Regent, 30th-Pearl, and Colorado-28th.

The corridors study will integrate with plans for two new underpasses for pedestrians and bicyclists in the study area: 30th and Colorado Underpass and the Foothills Parkway Underpass.

The ­final product of the study will be conceptual design plans for each corridor. The conceptual plans and cost estimate will be used for near and long-term implementation.

More information about the planning process.

More information about the concept of complete streets.

More information about the community engagement process, notification and engagement methods

 Vision, goals and objectives  

Vision Statement: The 30th Street and Colorado Avenue corridors provide safe, enjoyable, and direct travel for people of all ages and abilities, using all modes of transportation in all weather conditions. As Complete Streets, these vibrant corridors efficiently connect people to neighborhoods, jobs, shopping, parks, schools, the University of Colorado, and the surrounding natural environment.

You can also view additional information on the existing conditions —including walk and bike counts, transit stop ridership, transit routes, collisions, and motor vehicle volume and speed. 

Evaluation Process Approach and Framework

Analysis of Design Options

• 30th St. Performance Evaluation Matrix
• 30th Street Technical Analysis for Evaluation
• Colorado Ave. (Foothills Pkwy-30th) Performance Evaluation Matrix
• Colorado Ave. (30th-Folsom) Performance Evaluation Matrix
• University of Colorado Corridor Technical Evaluation

May 22, 2018:  City Council feedback at the Study Session meeting was in support of the recommended designs.

May 14, 2018: Transportation Advisory Board (TAB) to review study analysis and consider recommended options. TAB provided feedback and made a recommendation that City Council approve the recommended options.

May 3, 2018: Staff shared the results of public feedback and the technical analysis for all options and presented plan layouts for the top-performing options for each segment of the corridors.  Meeting graphics can be viewed in the Additional Resources section above.  Community members were asked to identify what they liked about the options and what concerns they have. Several intersection design options to improve safety were also presented. Community members could also view the latest information for the Foothills Parkway Bicycle and Pedestrian Underpass and the 30th and Colorado Bicycle and Pedestrian Underpass.  Meeting graphics included:

• Study Purpose and Vision, Goals and Objectives
• Planning Study Process
• Community Engagement Process and Outreach
• Performance Evaluation matrix for 30th Street from Baseline Rd to Colorado Ave
• Performance Evaluation matrix for Colorado Avenue from Foothills Pkwy to 30th St
• Performance Evaluation matrix for Colorado Avenue from 30th St to Folsom St
• Plan layout of 30th St from Baseline to Boulder Creek
• Plan layout of 30th St from Boulder Creek to Pearl Street
• Plan layout of Colorado Ave from Foothills Parkway to 30th St
• Plan layout of Colorado Ave from 30th St to Folsom St
• Intersection Design and Crossing Treatment Options
• CU section of Colorado Avenue Recommended Options 1 and 2

Feb. 7, 2018: Meeting to present and get feedback on the latest information on three projects: 30th and Colorado Corridors Study, Foothills Parkway Bicycle and Pedestrian Underpass and the 30th  and Colorado Bicycle and Pedestrian Underpass. A summary of all design options for the 30th and Colorado Corridors Study can be found here . An evaluation of the design options for each corridor can be found below:

30th Street Corridor

•30th Street Character Mapping
•30th Street Corridor Options
•30th Street Corridor Evaluation Matrix

Colorado Avenue Corridor
•Colorado Avenue Character Mapping
•Colorado Avenue Corridor Options
•Colorado Avenue (west) Corridor Evaluation Matrix
•Colorado Avenue (east) Corridor Evaluation Matrix

University of Colorado Corridor
•University of Colorado Corridor Options
•University of Colorado Corridor Evaluation Matrix

Oct. 11, 2017: Citywide open house "What's Up Boulder" featured information about the study, vision, goals and objectives.

Sept. 25, 2017:   Open house to present and get feedback on vision, goals and objectives and conceptual design options. Online questionnaires were available for those who were unable to attend the meeting. Nearly 100 participants joined. A meeting summary including feedback collected is now available.

Click on the links below to see the design options for each corridor presented at the Sept. 25 meeting: 

• 30th Street Corridor Options
• Colorado Avenue Corridor Options
• University of Colorado Options

Feb. 9, 2017:  Open house to share information about the scope of the project and gather community input to develop the study's vision, goals and objectives.

• 30th and Colorado Corridors Study Open House meeting materials
• Feb. 9 Open House Summary

The project team has formed a Community Working Group (CWG) to provide input and feedback during the planning process for the 30th Street corridor (between Baseline Road and Pearl Street) and the Colorado Avenue corridor (between Foothills Parkway and Broadway at Euclid Avenue). 

The working group includes 16 members, representing broad interests and community perspectives. The group includes the following participants - Alana Wilson, Ann Haebig, Bart Miller, Cindy Kraft, Dave Bacon, David Ensign, Dom Nozzi, Elisabeth Patterson, Ezekiel Dominguez, Jennifer Maria Shriver, Joan Gabriele, Kate Honea, Micah Schwartz, Stavros Roditis, and Teddy Weverka.        

Purpose and Roles of the Community Working Group

The CWG will be an important part of the community engagement process. The CWG will provide input and feedback, from different interests and perspectives, to the city staff team during the planning process. The CWG’s input will help staff explore future transportation improvement options that serve the range of diverse interests and travel needs in the community based on achieving the goals of the Transportation Master Plan. City staff team will use the CWG’s feedback when developing recommendations and materials for consideration at Transportation Advisory Board and City Council meetings.

Specific topics to be discussed by the CWG include: (1) overall corridor study goals and objectives (2) the range of options for transportation improvements, (3) land use and connections (4) the development and analysis of potential corridor design options – including street design, crosswalks, bikeways, transit services, landscaping, identity, lighting, and smart transportation technologies (5) the criteria by which to evaluate corridor alternatives, (6) the analysis of alternative corridor plans and identification of a preferred concept plan, and (7) recommendations for next steps to implement a preferred concept plan for each corridor.  

Community Working Group Meetings

Community Working Group meetings are open to the public and each meeting will include an opportunity for members of the public to offer their comments and feedback. 

Meeting materials

• March 20 meeting agenda
• Jan. 22 meeting agenda
• Nov. 15 meeting summary
• Nov. 15 meeting agenda
• Aug. 23 meeting summary
• Aug. 23 meeting agenda
• July 17 meeting summary
• July 17 meeting agenda
• June 7 meeting summary
• June 7 meeting agenda
• May 11 meeting summary
• May 11 meeting agenda
• April 5 meeting agenda
• April 5 meeting summary