US Highway 287 Corridor Planning

US 287 Vision Zero Safety + Mobility Study

The US 287 Vision Zero Safety + Mobility Study is a collaborative effort to eliminate traffic related fatalities and serious injuries on US 287, while addressing multimodal mobility needs and opportunities for this section of the corridor. The effort is led by Boulder County in partnership with the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG), the municipalities along this corridor, the consultant team, and members of the traveling public.

The US 287 Vision Zero Safety + Mobility Study is the second phase planning study for the corridor. The first phase of planning (Phase I), the US 287 Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Feasibility Study, was completed in the Spring of 2022. Phase I recommendations included three service patterns with modifications to operations, stations, intersections, and permitting transit to utilize sections of right turn lanes to avoid congestion. The Phase I full study & executive summary detail these recommendations.

This Phase II Study will look at safety for people of all ages and abilities, using all modes of transportation along the corridor. This includes the roadway, intersections, station areas, and connections for people walking and bicycling. This study will identify traffic crash “hot spots” and safety concerns along the corridor, then develop recommendations to improve safety.

This project aims to reduce fatal crashes on US 287 through regional partnerships and active community engagement. The success of this initiative requires the involvement and support of the entire community. To review key materials and find a schedule of engagement events and opportunities, please explore the tabs to the right!

What does Vision Zero mean?

This project aligns with Boulder County’s Vision Zero goal: eliminate serious injuries and fatal traffic crashes in unincorporated Boulder County by 2035. Learn more about Boulder County’s Vision Zero efforts.

To achieve Vision Zero, this project is implementing cutting edge crash data analysis technology as well as in-depth community engagement to best understand and mitigate safety and mobility challenges within the US 287 corridor.

US 287 Bus Rapid Transit Feasibility Study available for public review

In collaboration with our many agency partners and local communities, Boulder County presents the US 287 Bus Rapid Transit Feasibility Study (full study)(executive summary) for public review. Over 18 months, the project team worked with technical staff, elected officials and members of the public to create a vision for US 287 with Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) as a central component.

This corridor is important to serve people living, working, and traveling to/from the growing communities and key destinations along the corridor and beyond, offering connections with other local and regional transit routes. The US 287 corridor serves as the north/south spine of the Northwest Area Mobility Study’s (NAMS) network of regional BRT routes and by enhancing transit service along the US287 corridor, this creates the opportunity to increase transit ridership countywide given the many inter-connecting routes throughout the region.

Community engagement played an important role in shaping this study, including the proposed recommendations and next steps to phase in regional and inter-regional transit improvements along the US 287 corridor. Through this planning process, we heard from the public that in addition to improved transit services, safety is important for all users along and crossing US 287. To address these safety concerns, the county along with our agency partners are now kicking off the next phase of the US 287 corridor planning process which focuses on Vision Zero Safety & Multimodal Mobility study.

We encourage you to look through the US 287 BRT Feasibility Study and use the link to the form below to share your thoughts on the document, and provide your input on what is important moving forward and other suggestions for the project team. We also invite you to continue participating in the US 287 Phase II safety study.

Project Overview

Boulder County, in coordination with stakeholders, regional partners and members of the public, is conducting a multi-phased re-envisioning process. This first phase of the study, closely examines the feasibility of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) implementation on the US 287 corridor between Longmont and Broomfield to address the growing congestion and travel demand in the area. The study will recommend the type and location of capital investments that will enhance transit travel times on US 287 through conducting an analysis that will assess traffic patterns, current transit operations and infrastructure, vehicle queue lengths, opportunities for intersections treatments, and a Station Areas Toolkit. The study will also identify potential funding sources and provide the framework for the next steps for the implementation of the BRT along US 287.

Background

In 2014, the Northwest Area Mobility Study (NAMS) identified US 287 as a strong candidate for implementing BRT and found that US 287 had the highest projected ridership among the other corridors the study analyzed. As a result, the NAMS recommended that US 287 should be prioritized for implementation. Since the NAMS, the area around US 287 has experienced continued population and employment growth, further increasing travel demand. This BRT feasibility study will build off of the NAMS study and build a multi-modal vision for the BRT implementation on US 287.

Project Partners

Since this project is regional in nature, Boulder County has developed a Stakeholder Working Group to closely collaborate with the planning team throughout the feasibility study process. The Stakeholder Working Group consists of agency representatives from the City and County of Broomfield, the City of Longmont, the Town of Erie, Commuting Solutions, Transfort, the City of Lafayette, the Regional Transportation District, the Colorado Department of Transportation, the Federal Highway Administration, the Federal Transit Administration, Commuting Solutions and economic development entities. The Stakeholder Working Group will meet regularly throughout the planning process and will be key collaborators on the study.

Key Dates

The Stakeholder Working Group kickoff meeting was held on Sept. 23, 2020, and the first two Public Meetings were held on Nov. 12, 2020 and April 14, 2021. Information on upcoming public meetings will be posted on this webpage and will follow the Project Schedule below.

Past Meeting Materials & Key Documents

Project Contact

Jeff Butts, Multimodal Planner, 720-564-2754, jbutts@bouldercounty.org