Boulder County transportation sales tax and projects update

Kathleen Bracke, Deputy Director of Community Planning and Permitting, Transportation Planning, and Kristine Obendorf, Deputy Director of Engineering at the Boulder County Public Works Department, presented on April 3 to the Boulder County Consortium of Cities regarding an overview of the Boulder County transportation sales tax and ballot initiative 1C.

In 2001, Boulder County voters passed a ballot initiative that allowed for a 0.1 percent (one cent on a $10 purchase) countywide transportation sales tax. In 2007, voters approved an extension of the sales tax through 2024. Fast-forward to 2022, when the voters approved ballot initiative 1C, which extends the transportation sales tax in perpetuity beginning in 2024. The transportation sales tax generates approximately $9 million every year.

The sales tax focuses on five categories: transit service programs, roadway safety and resilience, regional trails and community bikeways, regional corridor travel improvements, and community mobility programs.

The transit service program offers fixed routes and on-demand services linking the city of Boulder to Lyons, Gold Hill, Fort Collins, and locations throughout Boulder County.

Roadway safety and resilience work include shoulders, flood resilience, creek restoration, intersection safety, and mountain road repairs.

Regional trails and community bikeways are recreational trails connecting Longmont, Boulder, Superior, Erie, Lyons, and Nederland, bikeways along major corridors, and multi-use paths connecting neighborhoods.

Regional corridor travel improvements are multi-modal improvements connecting communities using transit, bike, and pedestrian facilities, and promoting safety.

Community mobility programs create services for our vulnerable and underserved populations.

From 2007 through 2023 the transportation sales tax has improved 97 miles of shoulders, 13 intersections, 23 miles of regional trails, nine transit and service programs, three bridges, and six pedestrian underpasses. Fifteen percent of the transportation sales tax has been spent on transit and service programs, 55% on roadway safety and resiliency, 15% on regional trails, 10% on corridors, and 5% on community mobility programs.

Some of the 2024 county projects that impact the Niwot-Gunbarrel area include the 95th Street Reconstruction Project, Jay Road, Colorado Highway 119 to 63rd Street, Colorado 119 Bus Rapid Transit and Community Bikeway, and the LOBO Trail 4 Mile Creek underpass.

The project list for 2024 through 2039 will address 15 miles of new paved shoulders, 52 miles of regional trails and bikeways, 35 miles of transit services, six bridge replacements, four new pedestrian underpasses, eight intersection safety improvements, and planning studies and programs. For a complete list, go to the 2024 - 2039 Project List and Map of 2024 - 2039 Project List.