CO 119 Safety, Mobility, and Bikeway Project begins

In 2013-2014, the Northwest Area Mobility Study (NAMS) identified several highways that were prime for transit expansion or enhancements, one being the CO 119 corridor between Longmont and Boulder, also known as the Diagonal Highway. According to highway safety records, CO 119 is the highest crash corridor for motorists and the second highest for bicyclists in Boulder County.

By 2040, the stretch of the Diagonal Highway between Boulder and Longmont is expected to see an increase in vehicle traffic of 25%, due to growth in the area. The increase will bring more traffic congestion and delays, more emissions, and the potential for more crashes. To mitigate the outcomes of the increased traffic, action is being taken by the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), the Regional Transportation District (RTD), and Boulder County, to expand transportation options beyond private automobiles.

The CO 119 Safety, Mobility, and Bikeway Project is constructing improvements to make traveling through the CO 119 corridor safer, and transit travel faster and more reliable. The project is designed to ensure community members can travel throughout the corridor using their mode of choice. While CDOT owns the project, RTD, Boulder County, and the City of Longmont are funding partners and Project Sponsors.

Motorists have recently noticed a large mound of dirt near the IBM campus, which continues to grow. The dirt pile is the first visible indication that the project is underway.

The $165 million dollar project, with a timeline of 2024-2027, will include several major intersection improvements between Boulder and Longmont, and a 9-mile, 12' wide concrete commuter bikeway, with the goal of reducing the number of vehicle crashes by nearly 400 in the 20 years following project completion, while eliminating nearly all bicycle crashes.

The intersection of Hover Street and CO 119 will be a major area of construction, with preliminary designs showing southbound CO 119 going over Hover Road.

At Airport Road, the current median connection is two-way, which will change to one-way, northbound only for safety reasons. Southbound travelers from Airport Road will need to take an alternate route to get into Longmont, such as 83rd Street or Oxford Road.

Niwot Road will receive two bypass lanes in both directions, transit stops, an expanded Park-n-Ride, as well as a commuter bikeway underpass.

CO 52 and CO 119 will undergo a nearly complete reconstruction with a split intersection that will physically separate northbound and southbound CO 119, two bypass lanes, transit stops, and a commuter bikeway underpass in the middle.

The intersection at 63rd Street will include two bypass lanes, transit stops, and a large Park-n-Ride as well as a commuter bikeway overpass. At the south end of the project, Jay Road will also get two bypass lanes in both directions, pushing out existing left turns, and will include a commuter bikeway underpass.

Given the proximity of the IBM campus and the Boulder Tech Center, constructing a Park-N-Ride at the intersection of CO 119 and CO 52 is not part of the plan. The City of Boulder, Boulder Chamber, Boulder County, and RTD are working together to develop a FlexRide/Shuttle (Gunbarrel Shuttle), covering the Gunbarrel/Heatherwood area, to allow for better access to the area as well as the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system.

In preparation for the project's start, the giant pile of dirt near IBM Drive is a soil stockpile (fill dirt) that will be used for the 9-mile-long project. Stockpiling dirt is a cost-saving measure as it will be used for the project, rather than having to order it from a vendor.

More about the project, images of intersection design, bikeway design, and project updates can be found on the Colorado Department of Transportation website. A complete presentation of the project, by CDOT Project Director, Daniel Marcucci, can also be viewed at https://youtube/FB825GAsGII.