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Plague identified in City of Boulder
Jun 3rd
Go ahead, try to pet me!!(I’ll rip yer face off)
Boulder, CO – A domestic cat living in the 2500 block of 6th Street has tested positive for plague. Additionally, a dead squirrel found at the intersection of 8th and Maxwell Avenue has tested positive for plague. As a result, the Mapleton Hill neighborhood has been posted with signs listing precautionary measures to avoid plague.
This is the first time plague activity has been confirmed in Boulder County this season, and public health officials want to remind residents about how to protect themselves against plague.
“We want people to understand what steps they should take to protect themselves, their family members, and their pets,” said Boulder County Public Health (BCPH) Environmental Health Division Manager Joe Malinowski. “Because plague is most commonly transmitted by fleas, taking steps to avoid flea exposure will be most helpful in preventing this disease.”
Public health officials recommend the following precautions to reduce the likelihood of being exposed to plague:
· AVOID FLEAS! Protect pets with flea powder, and keep pets on a leash and out of wild rodent habitats.
· STAY OUT of areas that wild rodents inhabit. If you enter areas with wild rodents, wear insect repellent and tuck your pants cuffs into your socks to prevent flea bites.
· AVOID all contact with wild rodents, including squirrels; do not feed or handle them.
· NEVER TOUCH sick or dead animals with your bare hands. Use a long-handled shovel to place dead animals in a garbage bag, and then place the bag in an outdoor garbage can.
· PREVENT rodent infestations around your house. Clear plants and materials away from outside walls, reduce access to food items, and set traps.
· TREAT known rodent sites around your home with flea powder or a suitable insecticide.
Plague occurs naturally in Colorado and is an infectious disease spread by fleas to wild rodents and other small mammals, such as squirrels, rats, prairie dogs, and rabbits. Bubonic plague is the most common form of plague and occurs after a bite from an infected flea. Plague can spread to humans when infected fleas from squirrels, prairie dogs, and other wild rodents bite a human.
Household pets, such as dogs and especially cats, can either get plague or carry infected fleas home to their owners. In rare instances, plague can be transmitted to people from cats sick with plague. “Keeping cats indoors is the best way to protect them from getting plague,” said Malinowski. “In addition, pet owners should discuss with their veterinarians the best way to protect pets from fleas.”
Symptoms of plague infection include high fever, extreme fatigue, and painful swollen lymph nodes (called bubos). If you observe these symptoms in a person or pet, it is important to contact your health care provider or veterinarian immediately. Plague can be treated with antibiotics, but this treatment is most successful when the disease can be diagnosed quickly.
For more information about plague, please visit the BCPH web site at www.BoulderCountyHealth.org, or call the Health Alert Hotline at 303-441-1460.
City of Boulder Public Works summer construction projects
Jun 3rd
For the next six months, construction crews will be working to resurface city streets, restore utilities infrastructure and improve transit options for all modes of transportation. The major summer construction projects with traffic impacts are outlined below. All active projects and related traffic impacts are updated weekly on www.boulderconezones.net.
2011 Street Resurfacing Program
The City of Boulder’s annual street resurfacing projects have begun, and are scheduled to continue through the summer and into the fall. About 50 city streets are targeted for chip sealing, resurfacing (overlay) or replacement in 2011 (See all streets planned for resurfacing). In general, these operations will have daytime traffic impacts with intermittent lane/road closures and parking restrictions. Budget and scheduling issues may prevent the city from finishing all of the resurfacing projects currently being considered.
Sidewalk Improvements Program
This project completes repairs to damaged sidewalk and installs or improves pedestrian curb access ramps in a particular neighborhood area each year. This year’s program begins on Tuesday, June 7. Crews will be making improvements to the area bounded by 4th and 9th streets, Alpine and Iris avenues. There will be periodic daytime lane closures associated with this work, as well as short-term impacts to sidewalks and bicycle lanes. This project is expected to be completed by early fall 2011.
Arapahoe Avenue Multimodal Improvements Project
This project will begin in late summer, with traffic impacts expected to last for three months. The purpose of the project is to upgrade Arapahoe Avenue, from Folsom to 30th streets, to include amenities and facilities for all transportation modes. Generally, lane closures will occur during off-peak hours with occasional 24-hour closures as needed. There will also be impacts to sidewalks and transit stops. Detailed weekly traffic impacts will be posted on the Cone Zones website when the work begins.
Broadway (Euclid to 18th) Transportation Improvements Project
Intersection improvements at Broadway and 18th Street (part of the larger improvement project) will begin on Monday, June 6. During construction:
Broadway will be reduced to one lane in each direction, 24 hours a day;
Turn lanes at 18th Street, to and from Broadway, will be closed at times, and detour signage will be in place; and
There will also be occasional closures of the Broadway multi-use path, with bicycle and pedestrian detours in place.
Improvements are expected to take about two months to complete. Work should be done by mid-August, prior to students’ return to campus for move-in week. Construction of the underpass work has been rescheduled to start in late 2011 or early 2012, with the work taking approximately one year to complete.
2011 Sanitary Sewer Rehabilitation Project
This project began in May, and involves the rehabilitation of sanitary sewer lines at various sites throughout the city. In general, motorists can expect intermittent daytime lane closures and parking restrictions where posted. Individual work sites and times will be scheduled on a weekly basis. The project is scheduled for completion by mid-July.
2011 South Boulder Waterline Replacement Project
These projects will begin in mid-June, with traffic impacts expected to last until the end of November. The project involves the replacement of waterlines on:
33rd Street, from Fisher Drive to Walnut Street;
3rd and 4th streets, at Evergreen and Forest avenues;
Chippewa Drive, from Inca Parkway to Mohawk Drive;
Hillsdale Way, from Howard Place to Table Mesa Drive;
Lipan Way, from Inca Parkway to Eutaw Drive; and
Ottawa Place.
Crews will also be installing 1,300 linear feet of new waterlines in Arapahoe Avenue, between 28th and 30th streets. Construction will begin in July and is expected to take approximately a month to complete. The replacement of waterlines will greatly improve the water distribution system and water quality in South Boulder.
For the most up-to-date information on all construction impacts, visit the Cone Zones webpage or follow Cone Zone Man on Twitter at www.twitter.com/boulderconezone for real-time traffic updates.
CU STUDENT INSTALLATIONS TO HELP ENGAGE COMMUNITY IN UNIVERSITY HILL DEVELOPMENT
Jun 1st
University of Colorado Boulder environmental design students are kicking off a community discussion on the future of University Hill public space through a series of installations being placed throughout the neighborhood this week.
The temporary installations will serve as the basis of a community charrette, an intense planning and design collaboration, from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. on June 3. The event is part of the International Town & Gown Association conference and is cosponsored by the city of Boulder.
“We take great pride in partnering with the city to provide opportunities for students to solve real-world problems,” said Frank Bruno, vice chancellor for administration. “The ability of our students to connect and engage the University Hill community through this interdisciplinary project is truly remarkable and can result in progress for the neighborhood.”
Charrette participants will explore revitalization ideas for University Hill that encompass the education, research and community service resources of CU-Boulder and the vibrant culture of the area as a commercial and residential district, according to organizers.
The project stems from a CU-Boulder Maymester course called Finding Ground. The student works include two interactive survey boards, two tables and 25 hammocks, all for public use.
“The installations are meant to bring people together to explore ideas for community connectedness and the overall use of public space,” said Finding Ground student Richard Mapes, a senior in architecture. “It’s amazing to see so many groups working to positively change the course of University Hill.”
Students carried out mapping exercises, interviews, precedent studies and presentations. They also conceptualized, designed and built the installations.
“We are excited about the close collaboration we’ve had with the university in preparing for this event, and look forward to learning more about the students’ work and their creative ideas during Friday’s charrette,” said David Driskell, executive director of Community Planning and Sustainability for the city of Boulder. “University Hill is a unique Boulder neighborhood, where the university and community literally come together. This course and Friday’s activities are just one example of how we can work together to make the Hill a vibrant and successful place that is welcoming for everybody.”
Students also maintained a group blog and developed a quick response code, which is displayed on three project information signs located on University Hill. It also will be stenciled in chalk on University Hill sidewalks. Visitors with the appropriate cellular phone technology can scan the QR code to be linked to the project website for more information.
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