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It is well known that US 287 is a dangerous highway. Between 2021 and 2022, 29% of fatal crashes in Boulder County occurred along the highway. The city of Longmont, other municipalities, CDOT and Boulder County are collaborating to eliminate the number of crashes along US 287 in their Vision Zero plan.
Vision Zero is a countywide effort to eliminate serious injuries and fatal traffic crashes. Longmont created a task force in April 2023 to address concerns outlined in the city’s Vision Zero Action Plan which is in the process of coming together.
The study area included a 24-mile stretch of the highway from Broomfield to the northern border of Boulder County. The study identified three areas of concern: air pollution, traffic congestion and safety.
Safety was the largest concern of the study. The report stated that there is an average of 830 crashes annually along the highway. Nearly 4% of those crashes result in severe injury or fatality, according to Alex Hyde-Wright, Boulder County regional multimodal planning division manager.
During the course of the study, the county reviewed each intersection along the highway to determine crash types and developed countermeasures that could be utilized to prevent future accidents. The county also created plans for intersections that it will share with the city of Longmont for future improvements.
Head-on collisions and drivers crossing the median were some of the most prevalent types of crashes in unincorporated Boulder County. The county worked with CDOT to determine that a concrete cast median should be added to the highway. This decision was determined mostly for maintenance reasons, Hyde-Wright stated.
The county is in the process of securing grant funding to begin the project and will conduct a speed study in the future.
Boulder County suggested other changes to include speed photo radar and improving traffic light timing along the highway.
