The intersection of 30th Street and Colorado Avenue will be fully closed starting Sept. 10 as construction crews continue to work on an underpass project.
The closure to vehicle, bicycle and pedestrian traffic is anticipated to last until Sept. 23 as crews work to elevate the intersection and complete two bike and pedestrian underpasses, work Boulder officials said cannot be done with live traffic.
Officials said there will be some night work as well.
“We thank the community members who travel this corridor every day for their patience as this work occurs,” said Senior Transportation Planner Nathan Pope in a statement. “We understand the closure will be an inconvenience but are also looking forward to the long-term safety and mobility impacts this project will have once it is completed.”
The intersection is one of the busiest in the city, and also connects the University of Colorado’s main campus and east campus.
The intersection also lies along one of the main routes from U.S. 36 to Folsom Field, and officials said the CU Buffs schedule was a factor in determining when the closure would take place.
The pedestrian crossing work at 30th Street and Colorado Avenue was originally set to be completed sometime in 2022, but there were delays due to relocating a ditch and some utilities. (Cliff Grassmick/Staff Photographer)
“Big projects like these require multiple stages of work that need to be completed in a specific sequence,” Boulder spokesperson Samantha Glavin said. “We’ve been working closely with CU to minimize the impacts, and the full closure dates were chosen because CU football has two consecutive away games during this time, so we’ll be able to conduct the work at a time with lower traffic levels.”
For that same reason, Glavin said even if there are possible weather delays, the city is committed to reopening the intersection by Sept. 24, when the Buffs have a home game against UCLA.
Glavin also said construction flaggers at the intersection will be on hand to allow CU Buff Buses and emergency vehicles through the intersection during typical class hours — 7 am to 5 p.m. — on weekdays only.
Construction began on the project in March of 2021 with an initial projected end date of mid-2022.
Drivers should expect delays along 30th Street during this period, and are asked to use Arapahoe Avenue, Baseline Road, Foothills Parkway and 28th Street as alternatives.
People walking and biking are recommended to use the construction-free routes found on the map at bit.ly/3PRSxAa. Cyclists and pedestrians can use alternate routes along Aurora and Madison avenues to the south and the Boulder Creek multi-use pathway to the north.
RTD’s Bound route will be detoured as a result of the construction.
Launched in March 2021, the project was designed to improve connections to existing sidewalks, bike lanes and multi-use paths in addition to creating the two underpasses.
Officials have touted the project as the first “fully protected” intersection in Boulder because it separates turning bicycles and cars and features “corner refuge islands” to slow turning vehicles and improve safety to pedestrians and cyclists.
The $16 million project was supposed to be completed sometime in 2022, but delays due to relocating utilities and a ditch have pushed the anticipated finishing date to 2023.
