Fehr & Peers, the firm contracted by the Town of Nederland in June of 2023 to develop the Multimodal Transportation Plan (MTP), has delivered on the next phase. Representatives for Fehr & Peers have been eliciting feedback from the Town’s advisory boards concerning their recommendations for roundabout and intersection redesigns, and improved sidewalks and crosswalks.

The MTP is funded through the Denver Regional Council of Governments as part of their Fiscal Years 2022-2025 Transportation Improvement Program.

Fehr & Peers have been leveraging engagement with residents, Town staff, and local officials to draft a guiding document of medium- to long-term solutions regarding pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicle transportation through recommended policies, projects, and programs.

Engineer and certified Road Safety Professional Charlie Alexander, and Transportation Planner and Senior Associate Carly Sieff of Fehr & Peers, met over the course of a week with the Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Advisory Board (PROSAB), Planning Commission, and Sustainability Advisory Board (SAB).

Alexander also met, for the second time, with the Task Force consisting of Katrina Harms, of the Peak to Peak Housing and Human Services; Landon Hilliard, the Senior Transportation Planner for Boulder County; Nathan Skalak of JVA; Steve Rowntree, the Director of Business Operations at Eldora Mountain Resort; and Ron Mitchell, Chair of the Nederland Downtown Development Authority (NDDA).

Town Administrator Miranda Fisher, Community Planner Britt DeMinck, Nederland Community Center Manager Dawn Baumhover, Parks Manager Nicki Dunn, and Mayor Billy Giblin were also in attendance for the Task Force meeting on May 23.

The recommendations from Fehr & Peers were met with thoughtful consideration and discussion from board members and commissioners, though some of the more impactful recommendations received criticism and concern that some of the recommendations might meet with negative reactions from the community.

These recommendations have yet to be finalized; this draft of the MTP will be further refined after a pass through broader community engagement occurring over the summer.

Roadway Recommendations

Fehr & Peers recommends updating the Town’s only roundabout by increasing the size of the center island to increase the radius vehicles will need to traverse, in order to force them to slow down when entering and traveling through the roundabout.

Splitter islands for the major highways approaching the roundabout will also help to mitigate speeding issues. They suggest that East 2nd Street and North Bridge Street be made into one-way streets feeding into the roundabout, to accommodate a smoother traffic flow and to allow for the roundabout’s roads to be redesigned for a wider circle.

The intersection of Lakeview Drive and Bridge Street was redesigned with wider roads to include the suggested implementation of turning lanes to create turning ease for those going to Ace Hardware or the Caribou Village Shopping Center, and to create a sufficient traffic flow for through traffic.

The intersection of Eldora Road and Highway 72 is also redesigned, with wider roads for the creation of turning lanes, to alleviate congestion from vehicles attempting to turn onto Eldora Road, or attempting to turn left from Eldora Road back towards town.

It was noted that the viability of roundabouts were researched at both of the town’s problematic intersections. However, there were concerns as to whether a roundabout would fit in such areas, and the high cost of constructing them.

Fehr & Peers also reviewed the four possible locations for a second bridge across Middle Boulder Creek for vehicle and pedestrian traffic. The location behind the Wolf Tongue Mill, and the suggestion to build up Weir Bridge, where the creeks meet the reservoir, were not considered to be viable options due to grading challenges, and both being located too far from the center of the Town.

The two locations proposed to cross Middle Boulder Creek into Chipeta Park, including the 100 East 1st Street and the Fisherman’s Lot locations, were selected by Fehr & Peers to be the most logical locations for the construction of a second vehicle bridge.

Alexander noted that Fehr & Peers were suggesting the Town pursue multiple bridges across the creek.

During both the Planning Commission and Task Force meetings, concern was raised about the roundabout redesign regarding complications arising from making North Bridge Street a one-way street, as that would potentially create a new congestion problem with vehicles turning left off the Highway to get into the gas station.

Though many who commented felt that the addition of turning lanes at the town’s two major intersections would be helpful, members of the SAB questioned whether the visual representation in the MTP was possible when considering the reality of widening those roads.

“What we’re trying to do is understand concepts that should move forward as line items for future budgeting and delivery,” Alexander explained. “We’re not trying to get to construction level documents for every single project in the plan.”

Alexander noted that road widening may impact rights-of-way for some adjacent properties in terms of the possible relocation of sidewalks and landscaping, and that Fehr & Peers will investigate further to obtain more information as to the feasibility of their recommendations.

Parking Recommendations

Fehr & Peers are suggesting that the Town focus on managing its existing parking by implementing shared parking initiatives, creating paid parking zones, adding clear signage and wayfinding, and making code changes to institute more specific restrictions and fines, as well as neighborhood parking permits.

The MTP highlighted that paid parking would occur only on East 1st Street and the Visitor’s Center parking lot, and suggested that there be scattered parking opportunities throughout the downtown area, as opposed to focusing on hopes for a parking garage on the RTD Park-n-Ride lot.

As for the suggestion of creating shared parking initiatives, a collaboration between the Town of Nederland and Eldora Mountain Resort was recommended to implement specific parking zones in town for an Eldora shuttle service.

Practically all of Nederland’s advisory boards and commissions took umbrage with the suggestion of implementing neighborhood parking permits, with many board members questioning the logistics and language involved with such a change to municipal code.

Though it was specified that the Town would have liberty in creating their desired terms and conditions to be included in such code language, the issue of enforcement was raised; the Town’s contract with law enforcement, and current staffing limit, does not factor in citing parking violations and enforcing parking code.

Patricia Dowd of the SAB expressed her disappointment that the MTP was seemingly catering to the needs of tourists and thru traffic, and was focusing more on vehicular traffic as opposed to a central parking location which would promote pedestrian and bicycle transportation through town.

“I don’t think we’re looking holistically at a way in which we can utilize our infrastructure,” Dowd said. “I want people to walk around Nederland. As things change and we turn more into West Boulder it makes me sad to see that this is what we’re talking about.”

SAB Chair Melody Baumhover stated that there was once a push from the Town to promote actual multimodal transportation across Nederland, from bicycle taxis to golf carts, but the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) would not work with the Town to change the laws to permit such transportation on the highways.

Rab Lachance of the SAB also inquired whether the revenue generated from paid parking would be enough to cover its monitoring and enforcement.

“Generally speaking, when towns are implementing systems like these the goal isn’t necessarily to generate revenue, or to add cost burden to the Town, but to offset your cost of enforcement,” Alexander answered.

Bicycle and Pedestrian Facility Recommendations

According to data gathered from Fehr & Peers’ first round of community engagement, more than 70% of Nederland residents desire improved pedestrian crossings, and over 60% desire sidewalk repairs and additions.

In addition to highlighting needed trail connections and sidewalk connections, especially along the highways, the MTP also showcased recommended improvements for the crosswalk across Highway 119 connecting the Visitor’s Center to East 1st Street, and the crosswalk across Highway 72 connecting the RTD Park-n-Ride and the Nederland Community Library.

Fehr & Peers are recommending that Nederland’s social trails be formalized, that the crusher fine sidewalks be replaced, that all crosswalks should be made “allweather” – referring to the installation of stamped and colored concrete – and that a pedestrian-actuated traffic light should be installed at the Visitor’s Center crosswalk.

The traffic signal is to ease traffic congestion from backing up into the roundabout by staggering pedestrians crossing the highway. The light would only turn red when a pedestrian presses a button at either end of the crosswalk; there would be a delay to allow vehicle traffic time to move comfortably through instead of being forced to instantly stop at the red light for crossing pedestrians.

An underpass to potentially flow traffic under Highway 119 was also researched, but was classified as difficult to construct and unsustainably expensive.

Skalak of JVA mentioned that a path could be created to run along the creek, under the existing road, which could be closed off during flooding of the creek. Alexander expressed his belief that pedestrians would ignore the underpass and would continue to attempt to cross the highway at the Visitor’s Center.

Skalak also noted that CDOT would not be in favor of concrete crosswalks due to the possibility that their plow trucks would be affected, and suggested instead to create recessed crosswalks by striping and grinding down the concrete.

Dunn pointed out that the Safer Main Streets project, per approval from CDOT, involves the improvement of four of the Town’s crosswalks, including across Highway 72 at the Nederland Community Library, as well as at the Presbyterian Church, and across Highway 119 at East 1st Street and at the Visitor’s Center.

The East 1st Street crossing and Nederland Community Library crossing are planned to be beaconed crosswalks.

The Planning Commission were mostly unanimous in their agreement that a traffic light in Nederland was a disagreeable prospect, regardless of being pedestrian-actuated, and that promoting such a recommendation would be detrimental to public trust.

Transit Improvements

Fehr & Peers suggests working with CDOT for road redesign of the major highways, or gateways, that flow into Nederland. The redesign would include speed changes and gateway “features” that would promote slowing down when approaching the Town.

The MTP also mentioned installing speed cameras at the major entrances to town. This prospect was proposed by Boulder County Sheriff’s Office and the Town of Nederland during last year’s budget discussion with the Board of Trustees. Trustees voted against pursuing speed cameras due to concerns regarding public support – or the lack thereof.

As for what additional measures could be taken to promote slower speeds when approaching the Town, a member of the public suggested a flashing “speed feedback” sign on Highway 72 before the corner into town. Trustee Aaron Tye agreed that such a sign in that location would slow traffic down just by showing drivers how fast they are going as they approach.

Further recommendations for transit improvements include creating sidewalks, benches, and shelters at bus stops, with access to bus information, as well as making all bus stops compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The MTP also suggested the creation of additional bicycle parking at bus stops and around the town.

Though it was suggested within the MTP that the Town should attempt to pursue the recommendations for transit improvements despite the knowledge that RTD may not be planning to expand its services, Hilliard stated that Boulder County is working with RTD to establish hourly NB route service, which is expected to come to fruition by January, 2025.

Program and Policy Recommendations

Fehr & Peers is recommending that Town staff and officials create a Street Sweeping Plan, complete Wayfinding initiatives (currently in development by the NDDA), require developers of any large residential or commercial projects to provide a Traffic Impact Study, to circulate education on roundabout travel and safety, and to pursue funding from additional sources, such as grants.

The next steps for Fehr & Peers include committing to more broad engagement with the town’s residents and stakeholders over the summer, and to provide a more thoroughly researched draft to the Board of Trustees by the fall. The entire MTP project is expected to wrap up before the end of the year.