Open houses scheduled for Jan. 22 and 24

Boulder County, Colo. - Boulder County Transportation is currently working on a Floodplain Management and Transportation System Resiliency Study and Action Plan (RSAP) to learn from the county’s experiences recovering from the 2013 Flood, and to examine what can be done to better prepare waterways and transportation systems for future natural or economic disasters.

A survey has been created and open houses are planned to hear directly from the public about what Boulder County Transportation has done since the 2013 Flood to rebuild the transportation system, improve management of the county floodplain program, and what we should do in the both the short- and long-term to make us better prepared for future disasters.

The RSAP’s goal is to identify next steps to inform planning and engineering efforts the county can undertake to make our transportation and flood management systems better able to withstand the next disaster, whether flood, fire or economic downturn. The RSAP will also evaluate and recommend potential policies, processes, and changes to county regulations that may help us prepare for the next challenge.

The county and its consultant will host two open houses for the public to learn more and provide feedback directly to the team:
What: RSAP Open House in Longmont
When: Tuesday, Jan. 22, 6 to 8 p.m.
Where: The St. Vrain Community Hub – 515 Coffman Street, Longmont

What: RSAP Open House in Boulder
When: Thursday, Jan. 24, 6 to 8 p.m.
Where: West Senior Center, 909 Arapahoe Avenue, Boulder

Learn more about the project at www.BoCoResiliencyStudy.org.

The open house will include a first look at the Boulder County Resiliency Simulator Model, which is a tool being developed to evaluate the value of proposed infrastructure improvements under potential future conditions, like impacts due to climate change.

The sessions also provide an opportunity for the public to provide ideas on how resources should be invested to make our county more resilient for the next disaster.

“The results of the RSAP will help us determine where our resources and taxpayer dollars can best be invested in the coming years to get us ready for the inevitable next natural disaster or economic downturn we will face, commented transportation director George Gerstle. “There is much we have learned from our recovery efforts from floods, fires, and the 2008 economic downturn, and there is more for us to pick up. The county can do much to protect its residents and property in advance of future extreme events, be we need to do so while respecting what makes this county the special place it is. Our decisions will be better if we hear what the public would like us to focus on.“

For more information on the RSAP and the meetings, visit www.BoCoResiliencyStudy.org, or contact project manager Stacey Proctor at 303-441-1107 or sproctor@bouldercounty.org.