Jennifer Livingston, Nederland. Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) Executive Director Shoshana Lew, Regional Director Heather Paddock and Dan Marcucci, the Project Director for the Boulder Canyon construction project, presented updates and changes derived from community input in the Backdoor Theatre at the Nederland Community Center on December 2, 2019. CDOT conducted a previous meeting on October 7, 2019.

Nederland Mayor Kristopher Larson began the event by thanking CDOT for their work and attentiveness to community concerns and thanking Colorado State Senator Steve Fendberg for his presence that evening. In response to public concerns, the CDOT team has made changes to the scope and schedule of the Canyon project, shortening the timeline for completion by nine months, back from September 2021 to December 2020. 

The new approach will also limit the need for road closures, now expected to end in February 2020. The canyon will be open during the Christmas and New Year holidays. Concerns regarding safety and communications have also been addressed.  

The project will no longer entail blasting at two locations, referred to as areas 4 and 5. The intent had been to blast rock out to create a straighter road, increasing sight distance, as well as shoulder and ditch width. The larger width would keep falling rock away from vehicles and the road, while allowing more room for drivers and emergency response vehicles to maneuver. The original project would have required continued road closures through September 2020.

Instead, rock faces in those areas will now be secured with bolts and mesh to help control falling rock, and the roadway will be shifted slightly away from the rock face allowing a 5-to-8-foot shoulder. CDOT will use “rip rap,” large boulders piled and secured along the river, to create river armoring, which protects the roadway from washout during floods. 

This work can be completed with only single-lane closures, rather than the full closures required for blasting. CDOT anticipates full closures to end mid-February 2020 as they complete the blasting and bolting currently underway. Some closures will be required for trail blasting in the spring 2020.

Single-lane closures will continue through December 2020 to complete river armoring, installation of trail box culverts and roadway reconstruction, including paving. Paving is weather and asphalt supply dependent, and CDOT indicated some repaving activity may be required in May and June of 2021 if they are unable to complete it in time for winter 2020. Rumble strips will be replaced once paving is completed, new roadside reflectors will be installed.

Drivers had been very concerned with the lack of communications in the canyon as people were unable to update caregivers and employers regarding commute times and were unable to reach emergency services. Cellular communications are the purview of cellular providers and outside of CDOT’s control. Also no fiber optic cable is available in the canyon.

CDOT did meet with Verizon and AT&T, which indicated that the terrain is not suitable for cellular installation, so CDOT partnered with the County to provide Wi-Fi service at the east portal of the tunnel and the intersection at Fourmile Canyon. 

To connect, drivers will need to be safely stopped to access CDOT_PUBLIC_WIFI enabling use of platforms such as WhatsApp and Messenger. The Wi-Fi access will not be permanent. 

Many people have asked about permanent solutions such as the installation of emergency call boxes, which Paddock indicated that CDOT does not install or maintain; however, CDOT did indicate they would follow up with the appropriate agency on behalf of their project and the community.

Two snowplows have been dedicated to the canyon, salting and sanding procedures have been ramped up and signals all have a manual override to be employed during snow events. New laws can require passenger vehicles, SUVs and trucks to comply with “chain laws” during severe weather. Basically, four-wheel drive vehicles must have a minimum 3/16” tread, and traction devices must be used on two-wheel drive vehicles. A nuance in the law has caused some confusion, but CDOT is in the process of developing clear informational materials regarding the law.

Message boards are now remote access enabled to allow dynamic updates, and countdown timers have been restored to the signals in an effort to limit wait times and improve traffic coordination. They will look into moving the sign from the middle of the road at the top of Magnolia Road, especially for the winter months. CDOT also met with the Boulder Sheriff’s Office regarding increased enforcement in general for the canyon.

Passes have been made available for some Sugarloaf, Magnolia and Upper Boulder Canyon residents. For more information, contact Kelly Lucy with the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office at 303-877-1720 or klucy@bouldercounty.org.

RTD passes are available free of charge for bicycle commuters between Fourmile Canyon and Pearl St. Contact Scott McCarey at 303-441-3900 or smccarey@bouldercounty.gov. EcoPasses are available to residents within the Nederland Library District, call Nederland Town Hall at 303-258-3266 ext. 0.

During the meeting, requests were made for turn lanes at Magnolia and Sugarloaf road to reduce the risk of being rear ended and eliminate the safety issues created by people passing on the right. CDOT stated they cannot address this as part of the current project as it’s not part of the damaged area and hasn’t been evaluated but will look into creating a project specific to those needs. In the meantime, residents requested signage to not pass on right.

About 50 area residents attended, and their feedback to CDOT was positive and appreciative. Attendees voiced their appreciation for the increased communication, follow up and project changes made by CDOT in response to their concerns.  

(Originally published in the December 12, 2019, print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)