Boulder presents $102 million draft transportation CIP for 2026–31, highlights Violet, 30th and East Arapahoe projects

City of Boulder staff presented a draft 2026–31 Transportation Capital Improvement Program (CIP) to the Transportation Advisory Board on May 12 that includes approximately $102 million in proposed investment, about $27 million of which staff expect would come from grants.

The draft CIP and why it matters Staff (Capital Projects and finance) said the draft CIP focuses on long‑term capital maintenance and targeted enhancements consistent with the 2019 Transportation Master Plan. The draft program combines annual maintenance programs (pavement, sidewalks, multiuse paths, bridge asset work and streetlights) with several larger capital projects planned or in design.

Funding and purchasing power Karen Steiner, the transportation financial analyst, told TAB about the city’s revenue mix: sales and use tax is the largest single funding source (about 70% of transportation CIP funding she presented). Staff also warned that the city’s purchasing power for capital projects has been reduced by rising construction costs; they flagged the Colorado construction cost index and noted that inflation has eroded what a dollar purchased in 2019.

Projects highlighted by staff - Violet Avenue bridge replacement – budgeted at roughly $8 million; staff said the project dovetails with Parks & Recreation’s Primos Park effort and is planned for design in 2025–26 and construction in 2026. - Thirtieth Street (Pearl to Diagonal Highway) – shown at roughly $9.3 million with about $7.1 million in grant funding expected; design in 2025–26 and construction in 2027–28. Project is part of the Core Arterial Network (CAN) and Safe Streets for All corridor work. - East Arapahoe corridor final design and construction – budgeted around $12 million with approximately $9.4 million in federal and state grant funding in early phases; staff said final design is underway with construction anticipated in 2027–28. Planning for East Arapahoe is coordinated with adjacent path and state highway work. - Sumac Avenue reconstruction (Broadway to 19th Street) – budgeted at about $4 million; staff said the city is moving toward a local improvement district to collect certain annexation assessments and expects construction in 2026. - Folsom Boulevard bridge deck replacement – budgeted at $5 million with construction anticipated later in the CIP window. - South Thirtieth Street (Colorado to Aurora) – budgeted at $7.3 million with about $5.8 million expected from grant sources and construction anticipated in 2027–28.

Programs and maintenance Pavement management, multiuse path maintenance, pedestrian facility repair and bridge asset management remain core ongoing programs in the CIP. James Smith, the city’s pavement manager, said the Pavement Management Program inspects and rates streets on a three‑year cycle and that staff try to bundle multimodal improvements into resurfacing projects where possible.

Board questions and next steps TAB members asked for greater cost breakout detail (materials vs. design vs. construction) for specific projects; staff offered to follow up with deeper briefings for interested members and reiterated a plan to schedule the annual TAB bike tour to visit current and proposed CIP sites. Staff told the board the CIP will return to TAB for a public hearing and recommendation in June, go to Planning Board in August and to City Council for adoption with the 2026 budget in September/October.

Ending Staff underscored tradeoffs driven by constrained revenue and increasing construction costs and invited ongoing TAB input as the CIP is finalized.