07.12.21 TAB Agenda 8 - CU SouthC I T Y O F B O U L D E R
TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY BOARD
AGENDA ITEM
MEETING DATE: July 12, 2021
AGENDA TITLE: Staff briefing and TAB feedback for the CU South annexation.
PRESENTER/S:
Erika Vandenbrande, Director of Transportation and Mobility
Natalie Stiffler, Deputy Director of Transportation and Mobility
Gerrit Slatter, Principal Transportation Projects Engineer
Phil Kleisler, Senior Planning (Planning & Development Services)
Chris Hagelin, Acting Transportation Planning Manager, Transportation and Mobility
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The University of Colorado Boulder submitted an annexation application in 2019 and has
prepared a multi-modal traffic access study to inform annexation negotiations. At its Nov. 17,
2020 meeting, City Council formally requested that TAB provide input on the transportation
elements of the project. Staff provided a high-level briefing to TAB in December 2020 and April
2021. City staff is now sharing a summary of the proposed annexation terms relating to
transportation. The full agreement, including the transportation terms, will be shared with the
board on or around July 9 with the release of the preliminary agreement. This agenda item is
intended to get board members’ input on the approach to the annexation terms ahead of a public
hearing before the Planning Board (July 22) and City Council (Sept. 7).
The annexation agreement outlines requirements for access to the site with S. Loop drive serving
as the primary access point, Tantra as a secondary access point, and a new access point on State
Highway 93. The agreement includes a trip cap that limits daily vehicle trips to 5,550 daily trips
for South Loop Drive and 750 daily trips for State Highway 93. The agreement requires that CU
monitor trip generation and allocate additional funding for mitigation programs if trip caps are
exceeded. Both parking maximums and unbundled parking for attached dwelling units are also
required. CU Boulder will be required to implement a Transportation Demand Management
(TDM) program and construct a mobility hub to provide multimodal access and services. Lastly,
the agreement outlines a series of on- and off-site improvements to mitigate traffic impacts.
BACKGROUND:
CU South is a 308-acre property located in unincorporated Boulder County in south Boulder at
the city’s south entry of US 36 (Figure 1). The adopted Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan
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(BVCP) includes CU South Guiding Principles that are intended to guide intergovernmental
agreement(s) between the City of Boulder and CU Boulder that will specify future uses, services,
utilities and planning for the CU Boulder South Campus (“CU South”).
The university submitted an annexation application in Feb. 2019 and resubmitted materials more
recently on Oct. 5, 2020. The proposal is for the city to annex the area which is bounded by
eastern and southern borders that adjoins city-owned open space, including the floodplain and
riparian habitat of South Boulder Creek; its western boundary adjoins City of Boulder residential
subdivisions. The CU South property provides physical and visual linkages between the
established residential neighborhoods and park lands, and city open space - helping to define the
city’s urban edge.
Figure 1: CU South Vicinity Map
City staff shared a draft framework for addressing transportation issues on CU South during the
April TAB meeting; a meeting summary is of that meeting is included as Attachment A. The
framework presented in April was included in an annexation briefing book (page 52). The
university subsequently submitted a revised traffic impact study and staff issued review
comments.
Request by City Council for TAB Input
At its Nov. 17, 2020 meeting, City Council formally requested that TAB provide input on the
transportation elements of the project.
ANALYSIS:
The intent of the proposed annexation terms is to ensure that the needs generated by future
development on CU South do not unduly impact the transportation networks that serve the
property. The city and university plan to release a preliminary agreement for the community to
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review on July 9. The agreement currently includes the following terms relating to
transportation:
1. Definitions are established to ensure clarity of information.
2. Statements of intent provide context into what the proposed terms are seeking to
achieve. These statements were previously shared with TAB.
3. Timing; De-annexation contingency: The university currently has no plans for
development and will not commence vertical development on the site until the flood
project is complete. The annexation agreement will contain a de-annexation contingency
for a term of five years, whereby the city may initiate a de-annexation process if permits
are not obtained for its flood mitigation project. The timing and contingency are
mentioned here to convey that it will be several years before the university commences
transportation improvements or TDM programs on the property.
4. Access will be established as follows:
a. Primary access will be taken from South Loop Drive (existing), with a new access
established to State Highway 93. The university will be responsible for obtaining
all necessary permits, design and right-of-way acquisition necessary to establish
access to the property.
b. Secondary access will be taken from Tantra Drive, though it will be controlled
(e.g., gated) and accessible only to emergency vehicles and transit.
5. A trip cap program will be established that establishes a maximum number of daily
automobile trips to and from the site. The total trip count was derived from a traffic
impact study submitted by the university and limits trips to 5,550 daily trips for South
Loop Drive and 750 daily trips for State Highway 93.
6. Trip cap monitoring and enforcement mechanisms include:
a. The university will be responsible for annually monitoring daily trips and
submitting specific data to the city.
b. The university will be allotted 12 “special event” days each year for specific
events that may occasionally exceed the trip cap.
c. The university will have 90 days to communicate its strategy for reducing trips if
a monitoring report shows a violation. It is at this point that annual traffic
monitoring is replaced with quarterly monitoring. The university will be required
to allocate additional funding into its transportation program for the site if four
consecutive quarterly reports indicating non-compliance.
7. A maximum parking ratio will be applied to residential and non-residential
improvements, as will the city’s bicycle parking standards. Assuming development of
1,100 residential units and 500,000 square feet of non-residential space, there would be
approximately 2,000 parking spaces on the property. The parking ratios are (a) one space
for each attached dwelling unit and (b) one space for each 600 square foot of non-
residential floor area. Development limitation such as a 2:1 ratio of residential to non-
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residential space and the trip cap described below will govern ultimate levels of
development and, by extension, the maximum number of parking spaces on the site.
8. Transportation Demand Management (TDM) strategies are identified, like shared
micro mobility program memberships, a carpool and vanpool subsidy program and
parking management. This information was previously shared with TAB, who generally
agreed with the approach.
9. A multi-modal mobility hub will be constructed by the university. The agreement
includes minimum requirements for the hub that are based on the city’s Transportation
Master Plan. Initial hub improvements will coincide with delivery of the initial phase of
housing on the site. Beyond the initial phase, additional hub improvements will be phased
in commensurate with the levels of development.
10. Site Access Improvements will be constructed by the university, including:
a. Coincident with the initial phases of housing, a 12-foot wide multi-use path along
the western boundary, as consistent with the city’s Transportation Master Plan.
b. South Loop Drive will be constructed as a “complete street” with a detached
multi-use path and buffered bicycle lane. This will occur during the initial
infrastructure phase of development.
c. The reconstruction of the existing Table Mesa Drive / South Loop Drive / US-36
off-ramp intersection (Attachment B).
d. A new access to State Highway 93 (Attachment B).
11. Off-site improvements will be constructed by the university, including:
a. The city and university are discussing a cost sharing arrangement for a new multi-
use path underpass under Table Mesa Drive connecting the RTD Park-n-Ride lot
to Thunderbird Drive.
b. The city and university are also discussing a concept of a “transportation fee”,
based on the city’s Development Excise Tax, to mitigate other transportation
impacts from development on CU South to the city’s transportation network.
These funds would be used by the Transportation and Mobility Department to
fund future capital transportation projects within the vicinity of CU South where
CU South is impacting existing corridors.
Action Requested of Board:
No formal action requested. This agenda item is intended to receive board input ahead of the
scheduled public hearings before the Planning Board and council.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A – April 12, 2021 TAB Meeting Summary
Attachment B – Proposed Intersection Improvements
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Transportation Advisory Board Meeting Summary (Matters from Staff)
CU South Discussion - April 12, 2021
The following summary was drafted directly from staff notes and memory and does not represent the
official record of the Transportation Advisory Board.
Public Comment
•Laura Tyler: expressed support for the project; requests better access to CU South from the
Frasier Meadows area; interested in creative ideas about lessening traffic by providing
workforce housing.
•Wendy Ferrara: concerned about increased traffic and traffic cutting through the neighborhood;
requested additional neighborhood engagement.
•Nicole Speer: thanked the city for meeting with nearby neighborhoods; expressed excitement
about next generation Transportation Demand Management strategies; interested in reducing
single occupancy trips through strict limits on cars.
•Kathy Joyner: requested that the city consider out-of-the-box solutions for transportation
topics; supports an adaptive management approach for transportation issues, noting that the
long timeline allows for strategies to be tested and retooled as needed.
•Lynn Segal: expressed opposition to CU Boulder being referred to as a research campus and
council members advising staff on the CU South annexation negotiations; expressed concerns
about long-term traffic impacts from CU South.
Board Questions
•Traffic Study and Trip calculations: mix of uses, commercial uses to serve residents, multi-modal
reduction rate, parking assumptions, and destinations.
•PILOT fees and consideration about maintenance and improvements on city roads. CU Boulder is
responsible for construction and maintenance of future roads and access points.
•Potential location of multi-modal hub, accessibility to all.
Board Input
•Most comments focused on the traffic study and recommendations for an innovative approach
to mobility that includes flexibility for future conditions.
•Traffic Study
o Multi-modal reduction rate in traffic study seems low based on overall averages of
Boulder residents citywide. Consider modifying the land uses to achieve a high trip
capture rate or give CU Boulder credit for a higher multi-modal rate.
o Traffic study is less important than developing an overall vision that addresses mobility.
•Innovative Approach
o The goal for the city and CU Boulder is to have an annexation agreement that is broad
enough to have a positive vision for moving people in/out of the site and be data-based
to drive TDM strategies that force us to innovate and will benefit all residents.
o There needs to be more creative thinking about Moorhead Avenue, which stands out as
an obvious potential for increased speeding and traffic. Overall travel would be more
pleasant if the character of Moorhead Avenue could be changed to ‘local traffic
Attachment A – April 12, 2021 TAB Meeting Summary
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Transportation Advisory Board Meeting Summary (Matters from Staff)
CU South Discussion - April 12, 2021
only’ with bus, pedestrian, bike and micro-mobility improvements. More people does
not have to equal more cars. (raised by several board members)
o It is important not to limit future ability for wide paths and other infrastructure that
could accommodate future users.
o Ensure that forward-thinking actions include ways to accommodate a future with large
cargo-bikes, charging for e-bikes, secure bike parking, bike incentives, automated transit
vehicles, inter-city and regional bus access.
o There are benefits to this annexation and future housing in terms of potentially reducing
traffic because more people will not have to commute into Boulder. Take this
opportunity to be incredibly innovative with the approach to mobility for the site.
Attachment A – April 12, 2021 TAB Meeting Summary
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280'90'TABLE MESA DRIVEUS 36 EB
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FT Project #Original ScaleDateDrawn byFigure #Transpor o puGrnoiattFOXPOTENTIAL EXTENSION OF EASTBOUND US 36 OFF-RAMP LANES AT TABLE MESA DRIVECU BOULDER SOUTH CAMPUS TRAFFIC IMPACT STUDY - BOULDER, CO11CRS5/20/20211:6018100POTENTIAL EXTENSION OFAUXILIARY LANES TO 280 FEETAttachment B – Proposed Intersection Improvements 07.12.2021 TAB Agenda 8 - CU South Page 7 of 9
40'TABLE MESA DRIVEUS 36 EB ON-RAMPFT Project #Original ScaleDateDrawn byFigure #Transpor o puGrnoiattFOXPOTENTIAL EXTENSION OF WESTBOUND LEFT-TURN LANE AT TABLE MESA DRIVE & LOOP DRIVE/US 36 EB OFF-RAMPCU BOULDER SOUTH CAMPUS TRAFFIC IMPACT STUDY - BOULDER, CO12CRS5/20/20211:3018100POTENTIAL EXTENSION OF WESTBOUNDLEFT-TURN LANE TO 160 FEETAttachment B – Proposed Intersection Improvements 07.12.2021 TAB Agenda 8 - CU South Page 8 of 9
240'REDIRECTTAPER12'12'12'305'145'285'TAPERACCELERATIONLANE240'REDIRECTTAPERCUBOULDERSOUTHCAMPUSFT Project #Original ScaleDateDrawn byFigure #Transpor o puGrnoiattFOXNEW ACCESS TO CU SOUTH - STATE HIGHWAY 93 (BROADWAY)CU BOULDER SOUTH CAMPUS TRAFFIC IMPACT STUDY - BOULDER, CO13CRS5/20/20211:7018100RESET SPEED LIMITCHANGE TO SOUTHOF NEW CU SOUTHACCESSR2-1APPROXIMATE LOCATIONOF RETAINING WALL ORSLOPE MODIFICATION(± 200 LINEAR FEET)40 MPH DESIGN ONSTATE HIGHWAY 93 FORDECELERATION ANDACCELERATION LANESNEW CU BOULDERSOUTH ACCESS:PROPOSED TOPROVIDE ONELEFT-TURN LANEAND ONERIGHT-TURN LANEMATCH TO EXISTINGMATCH TO EXISTINGNEW 12-FOOT NORTHBOUNDRIGHT-TURN ACCELERATION LANENEW 12-FOOT SOUTHBOUNDLEFT-TURN DECELERATIONLANE + 4-FOOT MEDIANR2-1RESET SPEED LIMIT CHANGE TOSOUTH OF NEW CU SOUTH ACCESSRELOCATEMULTI-USEPATH4-FOOTSHOULDER(TYPICAL)RELOCATEUTILITY POLERELOCATEUTILITY POLERELOCATEUTILITY POLEMAY NEED TO RELOCATE UNDERGROUNDUTILITIES IN THIS AREA ALONG THE EASTSIDE OF THE ROADWAYNOTES:- UTILITY RELOCATIONS, RETAININGWALL LENGTH AND LOCATION, CLEARZONE ISSUES, RIGHT-OF-WAY LINE,ETC. TO BE DETERMINED DURING APRELIMINARY DESIGN PHASE.- NEW INTERSECTION WILL MEET CDOTCRITERIA FOR ENTERING SIGHTDISTANCE FOR AUTOMOBILES,BUSES, AND TRUCKS.EXISTING PROPERTY LINESPER CITY OF BOULDER GISDATABASE (TYPICAL)INSTALL STREETLIGHTS IN THEAREA NEAR THEINTERSECTIONAttachment B – Proposed Intersection Improvements 07.12.2021 TAB Agenda 8 - CU South Page 9 of 9