Get information about BRT between Boulder and Longmont

State Highway 119 BRT Public Meeting
Thursday, December 6, 5:30-7:30 pm (Presentation at 6 pm)
Left Hand Grange
195 2nd Avenue
Niwot
Bus: BOLT (It is a five minute walk from the Niwot ParknRide)

As far as I can tell, this project does not improve bus service, makes providing service between Longmont and Boulder more expensive, and may in fact may be a way to hide a road widening project.

We should be spending our money on improving service between Longmont and Lafayette. Service between those towns is currently inadequate and unreliable, and is facing serious cuts. We also need adequate service in east Boulder County on weekends.

BRT between Boulder and Longmont

Public Meetings on BRT along Highway 119

Wednesday, November 15, 6-8 pm

Longmont Museum

400 Quail Street Longmont

Bus: 324 (Pay attention to the time of the last bus.)

Thursday, November 16, 6-8 pm

Boulder Chamber

2440 Pearl

Bus: HOP

The BOLT and the 205 stop 4 blocks away.

RTD is studying changing the BOLT to a BRT route, and is looking for input from the public. These meeting may be run by Pearson Transportation Consulting.

A Telephone Conversation on Transit in the Northwest

Update: RTD gave people the wrong phone number so they are going to try again!

Thursday, June 27 at 6:30-7:30 pm
RTD FasTracks Telephone Town Hall on
Mobility Options for the Northwest Area

Dial 1-877-229-8493 and enter code 19081

Today Rep. Perlmutter's office called me and said that his office was supporting a federal Tiger grant to build the Northwest Rail line as it is currently planned. Another alternative that I think that we should consider would be for the Federal Railway Administration (FRA) to build a rail line either from Denver to Longmont, Loveland, and Fort Collins or from the end of the North Metro Line again continuing on to Longmont, Loveland and Fort Collins. This line should be included in Amtrak's national system, making it possible to extend the line into Wyoming and further for a daily run.

Any changes to what RTD would provide would require voter approval.

Here is what RTD is considering:

1. Northwest Rail: Evaluate the feasibility and determine the cost associated with constructing the Northwest Rail commuter rail line in smaller segments over time. The line runs from Denver Union Station to Longmont. The first 6.2-mile segment of Northwest Rail, to 71st and Lowell in Westminster, is under construction and is scheduled to open in 2016.
2. North Metro Corridor Extension: As an alternate to providing rail service to Longmont via Northwest Rail, evaluate the possibility of extending the North Metro Line from the planned end of line at 162nd Avenue.
3. U.S. 36 Bus Rapid Transit (BRT): Determine how the remaining FasTracks U.S. 36 BRT commitment will be allocated and determine what, if any, final BRT elements are needed for implementation in the corridor.
4. Arterial BRT lines: Evaluate the potential for early implementation of Bus Rapid Transit lines on major arterial roads that could improve mobility and access to transit in the northwest area. Among the routes that will be evaluated are Colorado 119 between Boulder and Longmont, U.S. 287 between Broomfield and Longmont and various east/west connections between Boulder, Louisville, and Lafayette and onto Brighton. 
5. I-25 Downtown Express Lanes Reverse Commute: Examine the current and future reverse-commute challenges on I-25 between Denver Union Station and U.S. 36. Potential improvements to the current north I-25 managed lanes or other connections between Denver’s central business district and U.S. 36 to accommodate bidirectional use will be identified and tested for feasibility.

Entities participating in the study are 36 Commuting Solutions and North Area Transportation Alliance; the cities of Arvada, Boulder, Broomfield,  Lafayette, Longmont, Louisville, Superior and Westminster; Boulder County; Colorado Department of Transportation, the Denver Regional Council of Governments and the University of Colorado–Boulder.

Is FasTracks Money Being Used to Fund Highway Expansion?

I don't know that it is. The US 36 project is going to cost $312 million which is not unreasonable. However, I only got the notice of these open houses this afternoon.

Perhaps we will have the opportunity to find out. Starting today, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and Ames Granite are holding a series of open houses about construction on US 36 that includes adding an HOV/ BRT lane and a commuter bikeway between Federal and 88th Street. All meetings are from 6:30 to 8:30. There are no presentations, so people can come any time.

Wednesday, July 25
Broomfield High School, Auditorium
1 Eagle Way
Bus: Broomfield Call-n-Ride which must confirm will pick you up on its last run which is at 7 pm. Call 303-434-8989 to reserve.

Thursday, July 26
Hidden Lake High School, Media Room
7300 Lowell Boulevard
Westminster
Bus: 72 although you have to leave before 7:30 if you live east of here.

Wednesday, August 8
West Boulder Senior Center, Creekside Room
909 Arapahoe Avenue
Bus: JUMP
The 204, 205P, 225, DASH, SKIP, AB, all B regional buses run during these times.

It is no surprise that the Boulder meeting is the only one with decent advance notice. Thank you to whoever in city or county staff or local activist who is making sure that people in Boulder can actually be informed. I am going to be traveling from Lakewood to go to that session.

BRT Model on Display Now

An example of a BRT model will be on display today until Thursday in a variety locations in the north metro area.

Right now it is at the Westminster Park-n-Ride on the west bound side of US 36. It will be there until 6 pm.

Tomorrow, June 6, it will be at the Boulder Municipal Building, 1777 Broadway, from 8 am to 1:30 pm. From there it will go to the Longmont Park-n-Ride at 8th and Coffman where it will be from 3-6 pm.

On Thursday, June 7 is will be at the Broomfield Park-n-Ride at Gate B during the morning rush hour from 7-9 am. I think that Gate B is the gate for regional buses going to downtown Denver. During the evening rush hour it will be at the Louisville/Superior Park-n-Ride from 3-6 pm. I think it will be on the south bound side of the highway.

Just a note that this is the second time that RTD has displayed a possible BRT model for the Denver area. They ended up not buying the first one although it was a system that would have worked very well.

Two Meetings on One Night

If you are interested in the future of transit options in Boulder County, there are two meetings that might interest you. Unfortunately, they are both on the same night, this coming Monday.

Plan Boulder County is hosting a forum to discuss whether the area should get rail, BRT, or a combination of the two. Other forms of bus service are not going to be discussed. Karen Benker, both a former RTD board member and a former member of Longmont's city council; Audrey De Barros, executive director of 36 Commuting Solutions; John Tayer, RTD board member, and Will Toor, Boulder County commissioner, will be panelists. The meeting is being held in a restaurant, so eating and drinking are encouraged.

Monday, March 19, 7pm
Shine
2027 13th Street, Boulder
Bus: SKIP
The restaurant is three blocks from the Boulder Transit Center.

There is also going to be a public meeting on the station plan for downtown Longmont. I am concerned that the plan has too much parking and I can't tell where the transit is going to go. I also don't see any walkability improvements. There are summaries of comments on the Longmont City website. Business owners seem to want a circular, and residents are concerned that there will be a "sea of parking".

Monday, March 19 at 6 pm, presentation at 7 pm
Longmont Library, Rooms A & B
409 4th Avenue, Longmont:
Buses: BOLT (Please note that all local buses will have stopped running by this time.)

I wonder if there are any plans to add evening bus service within Longmont so that transit dependent people can actually go to these meetings.