Sue Plant
Arterial roads are vital to Boulder’s transportation system, connecting the city and providing important hubs for shopping, employment and entertainment. and Residential destinations. This is also problematic.
Most of our nation’s highways were designed in the 1960s and 1970s, when fast automobile movement was traffic engineers’ first, and sometimes only, priority. compensate Although they make up just 17 percent of Boulder’s road network, they account for two-thirds of the city’s fatal and serious traffic accidents, and in too many places they are not only dangerous, but also uncomfortable and unwelcoming for pedestrians and cyclists.
In 2022, the City Council unanimously voted to move forward with the Core Arterial Network project. CAN aims to improve safety for all modes of transportation and ensure efficiency and comfort for walking and cycling on major interconnected arterial routes.
The first street to be tackled was Baseline Street, where protected bike lanes were installed and bus stops were improved. teeth Coming in second is Iris, which suffers from problems including traffic speeds that are too fast, dangerously narrow bike lanes, insufficient and uncomfortable sidewalks, and few or no bus stops.
The city presented four design options for a safer Iris. All four options would add bike lanes. Options A and C propose one-way bike lanes on both sides of the street. Options B and D propose a two-way bike lane on the north side.
Alternatives A and B would change the current four-lane road to three lanes (two straight lanes and a center turn lane) without expanding the current right-of-way. Alternatives C and D would maintain the four general-use lanes and would not include a turn lane. C and D would require the acquisition of private land to expand the right-of-way, and would result in the felling of mature trees. and A major road reconstruction project will be required to relocate utilities.
Compared to Alternatives C and D, Alternatives A and B are more effective at reducing speeds and improving safety along the corridor and at the intersection. Because more lanes mean more risk, Alternatives A and B will be safer for many pedestrians, including the Columbine Elementary School students who must cross the road every day. Alternatives A and B are also better for emergency vehicles. Can be used Drive in the center lane to avoid cars stopped with sirens.
Traffic would still flow smoothly on the three-lane configuration, but at a safer speed, as intersections are the main cause of congestion on the Iris. And that The design would maintain the existing number of lanes on “both ends” — at the intersection with Broadway on the west side and from Folsom to 28th Street on the east side.
We’ve seen this production before: North Broadway in Norwood and upon Arapahoe Street between Broadway and Folsom has similar traffic volume to Iris Street, but even with a three-lane configuration, there are no delays.
Some residents worry that vehicles might cut through neighborhoods adjacent to the Iris, and the city has proposed plans to address this legitimate concern regardless of the Iris’ design. Through the installation of Kalmia, Hawthorn speed relief function and As part of the project, other nearby roads will also be upgraded.
It is important for cyclists to note that these side roads are not suitable alternatives to the protected lanes of Iris; non-Iris routes are detours and pose safety hazards. My own Across 19th and Folsom they do nothing to improve the status quo. danger For pedestrians and motorists.
The costs and durations of A and B are $5 million and three years, respectively, while C and D are $20 million and over 20 years. Own According to an inflation formula, a cost of $20 million today could balloon to $135 million once the road is completed. actually It was constructed.
During this 20-year delay, many more people will be seriously injured or killed in crashes at Iris. already There is at least one crash every week between 2016 and 2023. Waiting 20 years is ethically unjustifiable and would essentially abandon the primary objective of the Core Arterial Network for a generation.
Taking all this into consideration, Community Cycle option A or B. These are faster, safer and more sustainable. and A more cost-effective alternative. Boulder To Based on our core values, these two options are an easy choice.
Sue Plant is executive director of Community Cycles.
