Boulder installs protected bike lane infrastructure new to the U.S.

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Innovative “tall curbs” will improve transportation safety and showcase local artist’s work

BOULDER, Colo. – In direct response to the community’s desire for safer, more comfortable and convenient travel, Boulder will be the first city to bring concrete tall curbs to the United States. Tall curbs separate the bike lane and vehicle travel lane, serving as a form of physical bike lane protection in other North American cities, such as Toronto.

The tall curbs will replace existing striped buffers and flexible white posts at strategic, prioritized locations on Baseline Road between 30th Street and Foothills Parkway. Ongoing work, along with community feedback, will help inform more significant improvements during the next phase of work beginning in 2024. Several of the tall curbs will showcase art from a local artist selected from the city’s mural roster.

“The designs are vibrant, abstract paintings that reflect Colorado’s mountainous landscape along with local native flower and butterfly species,” shared artist Talia Swartz Parsell. “Each of the curb sections transitions from morning to night, with the color and light of each painting reflecting this change. My hope was to bring more color, vibrancy and nature back to this concrete corridor and hopefully beautify people’s commute.”

Baseline Road is one of three priority corridors on the city’s Core Arterial Network (CAN). The CAN is a connected system of protected bicycle lanes, intersection enhancements, pedestrian facilities, and transit facility upgrades that will help reduce the potential for severe crashes and make it safer, more comfortable and more convenient for people to travel in Boulder.

Ongoing construction work is anticipated to last into early November. Find traffic impacts on Cone Zones, learn more on the project webpage or provide feedback via an online questionnaire open through Oct. 31.