RTD to study BRT use between Longmont, Boulder

The Regional Transportation District will study the viability of adding bus rapid transit service between Longmont and Boulder on Colorado Highway 119.

The study will be conducted in collaboration with governmental entities and business groups in the region, according to an announcement from RTD.

The study results from the earlier Northwest Area Mobility Study, which came about because of delays in building commuter rail in the region. That study recommended use of bus rapid transit as an interim step.

Ten consulting companies will complete the new study to address congestion, travel demand, environmental implications, multimodal access, transit reliability and corridor transit travel time, among other criteria, according to the announcement.

“The ultimate goal is to get State Highway 119 ready for BRT service. The highway is a critical link and the primary travel corridor between Boulder and Longmont, with connections to Niwot, Gunbarrel and rural eastern Boulder County,” RTD general manager and CEO Dave Genova said in a prepared statement. “Traffic congestion in the corridor is tied to increased development, which is expected to continue into the future.”

RTD opened its first bus rapid transit service, the Flatiron Flyer, in 2016 on U.S. Highway 36 between Boulder and Denver. The bus rapid transit service provides convenient and frequent travel options, the RTD said.

Participating in the study will be the cities of Boulder and Longmont; Boulder County; Boulder and Longmont chambers of commerce; the Niwot Business Association; Commuting Solutions; North Area Transportation Alliance; the Colorado Department of Transportation; the Denver Regional Council of Governments; the Federal Transit Administration; the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway; and the University of Colorado Boulder.

on Facebook on LinkedIn