Regional Studies

2021 Regional Transportation Update

The City of Broomfield was founded in its current location in part because of the regional transportation system. Broomfield’s original homes were built along U.S. Highway 287 near the junction of two railroad lines. Broomfield grew significantly after the Boulder Denver Turnpike (now known as U.S. Highway 36) was constructed in the 1950s. The Turnpike’s only interchange and toll booth were located in Broomfield. Equidistant from Denver and Boulder, Broomfield continues to have strong ties to both communities, and Broomfield has emerged as a destination for regional employment and shopping. As in the past, the future health of Broomfield will depend on the quality of the transportation system serving the area. As Broomfield and the Denver metro area continue to experience population and employment growth, traffic and mobility needs will also increase. Regional growth is creating pressure on roadways internal to Broomfield, as well as on the state highway system serving the Broomfield area. Neighboring counties are growing at a fast pace, creating significant traffic impacts on our regional highways. 

Broomfield has a strong history of working closely with regional partners including the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), the RTD, the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG), and the surrounding communities and counties to advance regionally important transportation improvements. The recent reconstruction of U.S. Highway 36 to a state of the art highway, replacement of the Wadsworth Parkway bridge and new Uptown Avenue Bridge, Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), tolled express lanes, and the U.S. 36 Bikeway are prime examples of regional collaboration. Continuing this history of regional partnerships will be critical to meeting the transportation needs of Broomfield.

Map of Broomfield and Denver showing population movement.

Map showing where people live outside of Broomfield.

Timeline

  • 2005 - Broomfield created a SH-7 vision plan.
  • 2006 - 'Streetscape 7 Design Framework' was modified based on the direction of Broomfield City Council.
  • 2014 - RTD completed the North Area Mobility Study (NAMS) which identified candidate arterial BRT routes, including SH-7.
  • 2014 - CDOT completed a Planned Environmental Linkage (PEL) Study to look at improving conditions on SH-7 from US 287 in Lafayette to US 85 in Brighton. The study evaluated the existing and future operating conditions of the highway while making recommendations to address future development along the corridor. This study assessed current conditions and recommended a range of improvements. The study identified the potential for multi-modal improvements such as bus rapid transit service, and the capacity to add bicycle and pedestrian facilities and to make trail connections. The study also identified I-25/SH-7 interchange options, possible realignments for the western and eastern sections of the SH-7 corridor, and transportation system management (TSM) and travel demand management (TDM) elements. Additionally, an environmental analysis was conducted to assess the impacts of potential improvements.
  • 2015 to 2108 - The City of Boulder developed the East Arapahoe Transportation Plan, a long-range plan that will consider a number of potential transportation improvements within the East Arapahoe corridor (SH 7), including biking and walking enhancements, Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and local bus service as well as automobile travel. The purpose of the plan is to: 1) Address existing and future transportation needs, including local and regional travel. 2) Facilitate safe travel and access by people using all modes (i.e., walking, biking, accessing transit, and driving). 3) Support existing & future land use in the corridor.
  • 2016 - 2018 SH 7 (75th to US 287) Planning & Environmental Linkages (PEL) Study recommends alternatives to improve safety, mobility, access to transit, bicycle & pedestrian improvements, and operations.
  • 2017 to 2018 - Broomfield participated in a stakeholder group including Adams County, City of Thornton and RTD, facilitated by CDOT to develop a vision that informed design concepts of the Mobility Hub to connect the four corners of the interchange with high-quality pedestrian and bicycle facilities with a center loading transit station that allowed for quick boarding and alighting of passengers with minimal delay to transit, as well as easy turnaround options to allow the station to serve as an end-of-line facility for RTD.
  • 2018 - Concept Design for CDOT I-25 Mobility Hub complete with I-25 North Segment 3 preliminary design.
  • 2018 - SH 7 Bus Rapid Transit Feasibility Study complete
  • Prop 110 was not passed by the voters in November 2018, thus SH 7 remains largely unfunded. Broomfield remains vigilant for advocating for the inclusion of SH 7 in any future funding opportunities.
  • 2019 - SH 7 Station Area Design complete. The project made recommendations for the design of station areas along the corridor as well as the first and final mile amenities and connections.
  • 2019 - Secured a total of $10 million for SH 7 Preliminary & Environmental Engineering (Brighton to Boulder) with $4 million from DRCOG Regional TIP, $4 million from Subregional funds from Adams, Boulder, and Broomfield Subregions, $1 million from CDOT and $1 million in local funding from all eight jurisdictions on the corridor. CDOT will lead the project.
  • 2020 - 2023 SH 7 Preliminary & Environmental Engineering begins.