It’s Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2024.
Good morning, Boulder. There may not be leaves on the trees but it’s still delightful outside.
Today, John Herrick covers the recently completed protected bike lane on Baseline Road, a historically dangerous roadway. Several design techniques were used to try to slow down drivers and cyclists so that everyone on the road is safer. While these changes have been generally well-received, incidents of cyclists colliding with road features have raised safety concerns. This story is a continuation of Herrick’s transportation reporting that, previously this week, covered the dangers of city intersections for pedestrians — especially when cars are turning left.
Also, Jessica Mordacq covers new restaurants popping up in town early this year. Included in these is the new Illegal Pete’s location in South Boulder. Originally slated to open in December, the city’s planning department has thus far withheld a permit Pete Turner needs to start slinging burritos. And a new coffee shop is opening adjacent to where Logan’s Espresso Cafe recently closed in North Boulder. Twin brothers are opening Ruzo Coffee in early February to fill the coffee need near Lucky’s Market.
I hope your hump day delights and excites.
— Tim, reporter
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Featured stories
Boulder’s newest protected bike lane brings awkward, sometimes painful adjustment: ‘I collided with the road’
The city’s new bike lane on Baseline Road aims to slow down cyclists and drivers so everyone is safer. The changes generally have been welcomed but will take some getting used to, as the city works to improve road markings. Continue reading…
Five new restaurants set to open in Boulder in early 2024
From coffee shops and a pizza franchise to a local Mexican favorite and an American bar, these eateries are joining Boulder’s culinary scene this year. Continue reading…
Boulder Reporting Lab is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit news organization that empowers our community through non-partisan, locally focused journalism that informs and connects.
In other news
Almost 50!
How about this here warmth! 48 degrees today will share the atmosphere with clouds, though clouds that are far from consuming. The chance of precipitation is near zero, so I would feel confident leaving the umbrella at home. But if you do need it, you can’t blame me. That’s the rule.
Almost $3 million distributed for Gross Reservoir impact
As of Dec. 31, 2023, Boulder County had disbursed $2.83 million to those affected by the Gross Reservoir expansion project. A little over a million remains for distribution in this phase of the Gross Reservoir Community Impact Mitigation Fund.
A total $5 million will be given to local homeowners as part of a settlement between Denver Water and Boulder County in 2021 around the expansion of the Gross Reservoir. Boulder County received a total of $12.5 million.
Out of 405 eligible Boulder County households, 65% have already submitted claims for their piece of the pie, while 35% are yet to file. A reminder has been sent to the 142 remaining households to submit claims by the Apr. 30, 2024 deadline.
For additional information and FAQs, visit the county’s website.
Motorcyclist sustains serious injuries
Broadway and Balsam reopened yesterday evening following a temporary closure. According to the preliminary investigation, a driver heading northbound on Broadway made a left turn in front of a southbound motorcyclist, the Boulder Police Department said. The motorcyclist was taken to the hospital with serious injuries, and charges are pending.
If you live in Lafayette, it’s the week to be nice
The mayor and city council of Lafayette, have declared Jan. 22 – 26 as The Great Kindness Challenge Week. Peak to Peak Elementary School made the push in Lafayette, though the idea originated in California in 2011.
According to the city’s proclamation, there are over 20 million students across 50 states participating. Students are given checklists, which include things like: Give your friend a high five; make a wish for a child in another country; and thank someone who has helped you. Though the checklists are grade-confined, we could all probably benefit from giving them a once over and maybe choosing a kind act to try.
Dry January party, at a wine bar
For those cutting back on their booze to start the year, Boulder Wine Bar is hosting a Dry January Party on Jan. 27, from 6 to 9 p.m. Transforming its space that is normally filled with fermented grapes, the wine bar will become “a haven of creativity and sober fun.” Kombuchas will be on tap, along with mocktails sporting fresh ingredients. There will also be a mini painting station with all the supplies provided except a smile and positive attitude it’s understood you’ll bring. The event is free.
Browse through upcoming events in Boulder and submit your own event for free with our self-serve calendar.
Go on a Boulder Walks walk
Go for a walk on Thursday, Jan. 25 at 9 a.m. Starting at Spruce Confections on Pearl Street, the gentle two-mile walk will explore houses, flowers, shops, and neighborhoods heading west toward The People’s Crossing. Adult Walks is a program with the goal of keeping older Boulderites active and connected to their community.
Those interested can sign up for event reminders and updates, though registration is not required. Water and sun protection is recommended, and well-behaved dogs on short leashes are welcome. Rambunctious dogs on long leashes do not yet have a walking group.
Dinosaur in Boulder
The CU Museum of Natural History now has a life-sized Triceratops skeleton exhibit in the Sustainable, Energy and Environment Community building on East Campus. Displayed from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on weekdays, the exhibit is free for students, staff and the public. The 22-foot-long, 9-foot-wide specimen is not a real skeleton, but rather a cast made through a composite of fossils.
The Triceratops is a worthwhile choice for the museum’s first dinosaur skeleton display, as they were native to Colorado during the Cretaceous Period, grazing from the plains of our state all the way up to Canada. Indeed, the first Triceratops fossils were found by a Colorado schoolteacher near Denver in 1887.
“Everybody knows about Triceratops,” said Karen Chin, professor in the Department of Geological sciences and curator of paleontology at the museum. “But it’s not common in museums to see the whole animal. To see the scale of this dinosaur, and such a weird dinosaur, is very exciting.”
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