Public webinar meeting about CO 119 bikeway and underpass design Aug. 13

On Tuesday, Aug. 13 from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m., a public webinar will be held to discuss the CO 119 Safety, Mobility and Bikeway Project and its Construction Phase. Registration information can be found here.

Part of the Project includes the underpass to be built connecting Niwot’s business district with the bikeway and the Niwot Park-N-Ride. Boulder County planners have approved underpass Option 3A instead of Option 2A as endorsed by the Niwot Local Improvement District Advisory Committee (LID). (See the July 17, 2024 Courier article and Option designs here.)

The project team used several criteria upon which to base its design preference, including:

• Safety

• Directness

• Construction Cost/Constructability

• Water Quality/Drainage Impacts

• Environmental Clearance

• Compatibility with CDOT and RTD Improvements

• Maintenance

• Public Input

The project team met four times with the LID to obtain input from its subcommittee. According to the project team’s internal project evaluation memo, “The Niwot LID expressed a strong desire to provide a connection that is clearly visible to users coming from the Boulder Rapid Transit (BRT) parking lot and offers a future option to add another underpass connection beneath the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) railroad to connect to Whistle Stop Park near 1st Avenue. This park is used weekly during the summer for various events. The LID feels that Option 2A is the best option for achieving these objectives. They also feel strongly that Option 3A does not provide good visibility from the station and would eliminate the potential to provide a future railroad underpass connecting to Whistle Stop.”

Option 3A is the least expensive at $4.1M and the results of a December 13, 2023 meeting inviting public comment showed a preference for Option 3A, but only by two votes. Staff reported that public input was one factor that led the team to recommend Option 3A.

However, the team has stated that it would seek to continue to work collaboratively with the LID.

The project team also cautioned the LID that working with BNSF to extend the underpass to the railroad tracks could further delay the project. According to Bruce Warren, a member of the LID subcommittee, the LID has since contacted BNSF and obtained a draft contract from the railroad for BNSF review of any proposed underpass design. Dave Lee and Chad Fletemeyer of Fletemeyer & Lee Associates, and members of the LID subcommittee, have continued to refine the 2A option to address concerns.

At present, funding has not been obtained to advance any of the Niwot underpass options.

The public is encouraged to attend this webinar to see the direction this project is going and to be informed about the decisions that are being made on their behalf.