Ask Golden

Thank you for your comment. We understand the likely frustrations and impacts due to proximity to the highway and offramp. The decision to close or keep open the Boyd Street exit rests with the Colorado Department of Transportation. They have authority over the State highway and the on/off ramps. There have been past discussions on the matter between the City and CDOT, but they have not yielded any decision to close the exit to date. The City is committed to minimizing the impacts of the offramp to the extent practicable and within our authority. Staff will review the signage you have indicated is potentially confusing to drivers and alter signage along the corridor to make it clear to drivers the best route to 7th and Ford Streets for those intending that route. Thank you again for your comment.

The dog park can be accessed from the newly expanded parking lot on the northeast end of the park. Then entrance to that lot is located on Ulysses Street. Parking in the lot then taking the sidewalks from the upper end of the lot to the north (right) will lead you to the new dog park. Once the complex's south parking lot, located off of 10th Avenue, reopens, visitors can park there and follow the sidewalk through the complex to the dog park as well. Thank you for reaching out.

We understand that traffic noise is a significant concern for your neighborhood, and we appreciate your patience as we work through a number of projects already in our noise-wall priority queue.

Currently, we are moving forward with two high-priority locations:

• Construction of a wall north of Highway 58.
• Design and construction of a wall south of Highway 58.

As with many projects in CDOT right-of-way, even small segments can take time to approve and coordinate. The first wall project, which involves a portion in CDOT’s ROW, is moving forward and we anticipate completion next year. The second project, located almost entirely in CDOT ROW, is expected to take about two years for design and construction.

Looking ahead, we anticipate your neighborhood will rank high on our list during the next budget cycle discussions in the spring. The most effective location for a noise wall here would be entirely within CDOT’s I-70 right-of-way, along a much more heavily traveled corridor, which will require additional coordination and time.

While we don’t plan to hold another community meeting on noise at this point, please know that we have a priority list developed through an extensive noise study and analysis, and we will be adding your neighborhood to that list. Your concerns are heard, and we are committed to keeping you informed as your project moves forward in the process.

Thank you for reaching out and expressing your concerns.

Thank you for your interest in this important project. Please visit the Roadmap to Net Zero Buildings page under Current Projects here on the Guiding Golden site for more information.

Thank you for your inquiry. Our staff regularly walk the creek path and thus far have not observed an oily sheen on the water. The pond levels do fluctuate depending on the City’s water treatment plant demand. We appreciate your concern.

Thank you for your comment. We agree that South Golden Road would benefit from formalized pedestrian crossings. State law recognizes the existence of unmarked crosswalks at every roadway intersection, so it is legal to cross in those locations, but unmarked crossing would not afford the same level of notice to drivers and therefore safety as compared to a marked crosswalk. 

With respect to the bike lanes, there is proposed funding in future years of 2027 and onward for a project to improve South Golden Road in the section you reference. This is future year budgeting, so it is not guaranteed until the budget-year approval, but it is a project that City Planning and Public Works is intending, and City leadership is aware of. This project could address the issues you mention on vehicle speed, bike improvements, and crossings. Again, thank you for your comment.

Thank you for your comment. The City does encourage ridership of public transit. The City does not have the authority to begin a new bus route within the RTD system but does promote the use of the RTD W light rail line and connection to downtown Golden via the Ore Cart Tungsten route. We appreciate your attention to these matters.

Thank you for reaching out to share your concerns regarding this matter. We are aware of growing community interest and reports involving the use of electric motorbikes. At present, some types of newer, higher-powered electric bikes are not yet clearly categorized within existing local or state regulations, which can create challenges in consistent enforcement. While current ordinances do allow electric bikes on paths, we recognize that technology is evolving faster than policy in some areas. Our staff is actively reviewing these developments to explore potential updates or clarifications that would support public safety and align with enforcement practices. We appreciate your engagement and continued patience as we work through this evolving issue.

Thank you for your comment. Yes, we are adding additional RRFBs throughout the roadway network. That work is occurring in phases and in a prioritized order. The phasing is due largely to the funding and construction oversight capacity. The poles you mention at the north leg of the South Golden and Johnson roundabout were actual leftover infrastructure from an experiment with a HAWK signal at that crossing conducted by FHWA and associates. All legs of all of the roundabouts in town will eventually get RRFBs installed, but we are unsure of overall timing for each location. Thank you again for your inquiry.

Thank you for your inquiry. They are for the survey work being conducted for the upcoming North Ford Complete Street project. More information on this project below.

North Ford Complete Street Design Kicks Off

 The City and our consultant, Kimley-Horn, will start work on a ‘complete street’ design project on North Ford Street from SH93 to 10^th Street and the Tucker and Cressman Gulch Trails.  The purpose of the project is to develop a high-quality north-south pedestrian and bike connection to expand access between North Golden, Downtown Golden, the Clear Creek corridor and city and county open space and parks.  The design process will focus on several key elements and build on past work along this corridor: 

• Improving the sidewalk and crossing ramps immediately adjacent to Ford Street to meet federal Americans with Disabilities Act standards.
• Implementing a traffic calming street design to mitigate speeding
• Expanding connectivity between Ford Street, Cressman Gulch Trail and Tucker Gulch Trail to encourage cyclists to utilize this key shared-use path
• Improve on-street parking design to accommodate both residents and pedestrian visibility

 
A robust public engagement process is in development for this project. Visit Guiding Golden (page to be setup) to sign up for updates, learn more about the project and learn about public meeting dates. If you have questions in the meantime, please contact Matt Wempe, Principal Planner at mwempe@cityofgolden.net or 303.215.8884.