"Niwot" signs coming to LoBo Trail

The Niwot Community Association (NCA) has made significant progress in its long time effort to bring more directional signage to the LoBo Trail.

Vicky Dorvee, NCA Director assigned to Trails and Open Space, completed an inventory of existing wayfinding signs along the Longmont to Boulder bike and pedestrian trail, better known as the LoBo Trail, last fall. The LoBo Trail extends from Longmont to Boulder, with a few gaps in the Gunbarrel area, and provides a popular off-road trail between the two cities. But Dorvee discovered only one existing sign pointing travelers to Niwot along the entire portion of the trail from the point where it crosses 83rd Street near the Diagonal Highway to its intersection with 71st Street in Gunbarrel.

At the same time, there are multiple signposts along the trail pointing bikers, runners and pedestrians to Longmont, or to Boulder, or to both cities. Dorvee reached out to the Boulder County Parks and Open Space Department last September, asking to work with Boulder County to add "Niwot" wayfinding signs along the trail.

Dorvee's email to Boulder County said, "We noted that while exploring the trails from the 83rd Street and Diagonal Highway intersection to 71st Street, we found only one sign reading 'Niwot' on the county's wooden posts that guide trail users to 'Longmont' or 'Boulder.'"

Dorvee noted that she has been asked many times by perplexed pedestrians and bikers, which way to go to reach Niwot or the Niwot Historic District. Her email to Boulder County said, "We would like to work with you to identify the locations along the trails where signs directing trail users to 'Niwot' or 'Niwot Historic District' could be installed, and how we might accomplish that.

"For every sign that reads either 'Boulder' or 'Longmont' on any of those trails, an appropriate arrowed sign should be affixed to wooden posts also reading 'Niwot.' Along the trail that runs from Left Hand Valley Grange Park on 83rd Street to the underpass at Niwot Road, signs should also be installed to give directions to 'Niwot Historic District' which was established by the Boulder County Commissioners in 1993."

Boulder County assigned Jarret Roberts to work with Dorvee and the NCA on the project, and after a phone conversation, Roberts responded with an Oct. 18 email, saying, "Our signs team will work on designing signage that is consistent with our signs manual and also look at placement options. Our goal is to provide helpful wayfinding while also minimizing overall signage on the trails."

Dorvee then rode the trail on her bike with a friend, taking photos of existing signs, then sent the photos to Roberts.

In describing existing signage, Dorvee noted, "Every location we've included, with three exceptions, have existing sign posts pointing either to Boulder, to Longmont or to both. There's just one sign with a directional arrow to Niwot and, though it is somewhat helpful in letting trail users know that Niwot is along the LoBo Trail, it's not in the optimal location for those arriving from either Boulder or Longmont."

On Nov. 21, Roberts responded, saying, "The team, regional trails, and our director were overall supportive of adding some signage that helps direct visitors toward Niwot along the LoBo. This is helpful to visitor wayfinding along the regional trail. At the same time, one of our goals is to minimize the overall amount of signage on our system. This helps maximize the value of each message/sign while maintaining a more natural aesthetic of the landscape. Given those two interests, the group brought forward eight locations to add/update signage to include wayfinding to Niwot in the coming year. Additionally, as part of a larger signage update, four other locations were identified where we will add Niwot wayfinding in the coming years (~2026-2027)."

The eight locations identified were where the LoBo Trail crosses (1) 83rd Street near the Diagonal Highway, (2) 83rd Street at Left Hand Valley Grange Park, (3) the Niwot Road underpass, (4) 79th Street at Dry Creek, (5) a local trail crossing leading to Peppertree, Niwot Estates, Cottonwood Park West and Country Creek subdivisions, (6) the Highway 52 underpass, (7) 71st Street, and (8) the IBM Connector Trail on Cottontail Trail behind the Homestead subdivision.

On Dec. 5, Dorvee responded to Roberts, "It's a good start to helping folks either get to Niwot and its historic district, and to assist travelers with knowing more precisely where they are along the trails."

She added, "We feel strongly that the sign on Niwot Road west of the Left Hand Valley Grange Park ballfield and the sign south of Niwot Road on 79th Street where the LoBo Trail crosses 79th Street should be created specifically to read "Niwot Historic District," perhaps with a brown background to be consistent with road signs providing direction to historic areas. These are the spots where people unfamiliar with the area are likely to be confused about reaching the county-recognized historic district of Niwot."

She also questioned why a "Niwot" sign should not be added to each existing sign post giving directions to Longmont or Boulder. Dorvee wrote, "Our concern is that a biker who is not familiar with Niwot may see a sign that gives directions to Boulder and Longmont and Niwot, but if the next sign along the trail says only Boulder and Longmont, that rider may think they've missed Niwot. In other words, we are simply asking that Niwot as a community is treated the same way Boulder and Longmont are treated on county signs."

Dorvee hopes to meet with the county to get more information on the time frame for installation of the eight identified signs as well as the four additional signs slated for future installation.