City of Boulder Colorado Cancelled One Lane from Two Lanes in a Commercial Area, Not a Residential Street

Monday, May 16, 2016

Critics of the Old North End Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Plan have pointed to Boulder, Colorado, as a city where one safety-sized street (one-lane-in-each-direction) had to be turned back to two-lanes-in-each-direction.

It turns out there is more to the story than that. The street in question – Folsom Street – was given the One Lane From Two Lanes treatment for over 21 blocks. Only six of those blocks, through a commercial area with office buildings and gas stations – were turned back to two-lanes-in-each-direction. The 15 blocks that went through residential areas remained One Lane From Two Lanes.

So the Boulder example does not apply in the Old North End. The streets to be safety-sized are all in residential areas of the Old North End, at Colorado College, and in northern downtown. There will be no heavy commercial areas such as those “changed back” in Boulder.

For those who know Boulder, here are the details: Folsom Street south from Valmont to Spruce – remains One Lane From Two Lanes with a bike lane in the empty lane. Folsom Street south from Spruce to Canyon – changed back to two-lanes-in-each-direction. Folsom Street south from Canyon to Colorado – remains One Lane From Two Lanes with a bike lane in the empty lane.