19th Street in north Boulder, stretching from Norwood to Sumac avenues, serves as a vital corridor for diverse modes of transportation. Currently, the street features a bikeable shoulder and a sidewalk on its eastern side, both established in the 1990s. However, the existing sidewalk on 19th Street does not align with contemporary city design standards. The on-street bikeable shoulder currently terminates at Violet Avenue, transitioning into a designated bike route extending north to Yarmouth Avenue. On the western side of 19th Street, a continuous sidewalk is lacking from Yarmouth to Norwood avenues, posing challenges for pedestrian connectivity.
Recognizing the importance of pedestrian infrastructure, the City of Boulder has prioritized 19th Street between Norwood and Yarmouth avenues within its Missing Sidewalk Links program. This initiative focuses on identifying, prioritizing, and constructing essential sidewalk segments. The goal is to establish a seamless pedestrian network, ensuring a safer and more accessible walking environment along key routes like 19th Street.
In a proactive step towards enhancing the 19th Street corridor, the city secured federal funding in 2014. This funding is allocated to construct a 5-foot-wide sidewalk and install curb and gutter on the east side of 19th Street. Crucially, it also aims to complete the missing sidewalk links on the west side, addressing the current discontinuity. Funding for this project is provided through the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) and the Federal Highway Administration’s Safe Routes to School grant program, demonstrating a collaborative approach to improving infrastructure.
Complementing the 19th Street improvements, the city is also planning enhancements along Fourmile Canyon Creek. This parallel project seeks to improve safety and accessibility to Crest View Elementary School by constructing an underpass at the intersection of 19th Street and Fourmile Canyon Creek. These two project teams are working in close coordination to ensure streamlined and integrated improvements for the community. More details about the creek project can be found on the dedicated Fourmile Canyon Creek webpage.
Further investigation into the Wonderland Creek floodplain, conducted from late fall 2018 through summer 2019, has informed the 19th Street project. This exploration aimed to define the requirements for floodplain development permits. As a result, two additional alternatives were incorporated into the project’s Community and Environmental Assessment Process (CEAP). These additions align with the facility type designated for 19th Street in the Low-Stress Walk and Bike Network Plan and address feedback from the Transportation Advisory Board in August 2018. All design alternatives now integrate features necessary to meet floodplain mitigation requirements, ensuring a resilient and sustainable infrastructure upgrade for 19th Street.
