Improvements to 15th Street (Arapahoe to Canyon) scheduled to begin next week
Aug 23rd
Beginning the week of Monday, Aug. 26, the City of Boulder will be improving the streetscape on 15th Street between Arapahoe Avenue and Canyon Boulevard. During the three-month construction, there will be daytime parking restrictions and sidewalk closures, with a sidewalk along one side of the street kept open at all times. Fifteenth Street will remain open to vehicular traffic and access to businesses along 15th Street will be maintained throughout construction.
The city will be adding new, wider sidewalks, trees and grates, an irrigation system, bike racks, recycling and trash receptacles, poles for “15th Street Design District” banners, and new light-emitting diode (LED) streetlights that the city will own and operate.
The city is also collaborating with Boulder High School students to create public art for the new 15th Street design. The student-inspired art includes a creative metal railing and sidewalk prints that gradually transition from human footprints to panther paw prints between Canyon Boulevard and Arapahoe Avenue. The foot and paw prints will be sandblasted and painted into the 15th Street sidewalks, along with design-related quotes.
“Fifteenth Street is an important corridor for Boulder businesses, students, residents and visitors,” said Executive Director of Downtown, University Hill and Parking Services Molly Winter. “The streetscape improvements will enhance the vibrant culture and unique character of the 15th Street Design District.”
The 15th Street (Arapahoe to Canyon) Streetscape Improvements are funded by the 2011 voter-approved Capital Improvement Bond. To view the planned improvements, visit www.bouldercolorado.gov/bond-projects, select “Downtown Improvements,” and then select “15th Street Improvements.” For more information, call Ashlee Herring at 303-413-7315.
To receive email updates, visit the City of Boulder Email Lists page and select “Public Works News.” For the latest construction and traffic information, visit www.boulderconezones.net and follow @boulderconezone on Twitter.
To view a map of the city construction projects in downtown Boulder, visit www.bouldercolorado.gov/bond-projects and select “Downtown Improvements.”
Boulder Rangers week: Homemade bombs found in Lefthand Creek, dog bites, assaults and trespass
Aug 23rd
Rangers responded to:
• Two reports of criminal trespasses, one at Flatirons Vista Trailhead and the other at Doudy Draw.
• A report of a deer caught in an iron wrought fence. The deer had to be dispatched.
• A report of an assault near the North Wittemeyer property. Witnesses stated that a man was pulled out of a vehicle and beaten. Rangers assisted Sheriff’s Officers on this call but were unable to locate a suspect.
• A report of two dog bites. One hiker was charged and attacked by a Golden Retriever on the Gregory Canyon trail, while a boy scout was attacked by a Border Collie at the Green Mountain Summit.
Safety Reminder from Ranger Scott Wilkey:
To all;
I want to take this time to remind everyone that we live in a sometimes strange world.
A few days ago, a fisherman located what appeared to be a suspicious device in Left Hand Creek. I met with Boulder County Sheriff’s deputies there and upon investigation we determined that they were sufficiently suspicious to call the bomb squad.
The short story is that the devices were small homemade bombs with fuses.
They were about 6” long and made out of ½ or ¾ inch PVC pipe. They had end caps and fuses. Both devices were very powerful and dangerous despite having been in the creek for who knows how long.
I urge all OSMP folks in the field to take caution. We all see a lot of different things out there but if it seems suspicious to you…
CALL A RANGER.
I know I speak for all of us when I say that we have no problem responding to check out a suspicious device, person or situation.
Please be safe out there, everyone.
Volunteer Day at Cure Organic Farm
We had 25 volunteers show up to help harvest tomatoes and new potatoes at Cure Organic Farm on Thursday, August 15th. Before heading out into the fields, Lauren Kolb, ag resource specialist, spoke about this history of agriculture in Boulder County and how Open Space is helping to keep this rich agricultural tradition going by providing leasable land for farmers and ranchers.
Anne Cure, a three year tenant of the Eccher parcel on Valmont Road, talked about the evolution of her operation. Anne started Cure Organic Farm with 4 acres and an 80-family CSA. Today, Anne has expanded her operation to 12 certified-organic acres which supports a 185-family CSA. Anne typifies a diversified operation, not only in the number of vegetables she grows, but also with a variety of other revenue streams: a day camp for kids, cut flowers, two farmers markets, 12 restaurant customers, and a menagerie of animals including ducks, chickens, sheep, and pigs. Expanding onto OSMP property has allowed Anne to de-intensify her production: instead of growing three vegetable crops on the same piece of land in a single growing season, she can give the land a rest by planting cover crops to allow the soil organic matter to rebuild.
With the help of our volunteer crew, Anne harvested 332 pounds of heirloom tomatoes and 2,622 pounds of potatoes for her CSA and farmers’ market, much to the delight of her interns. After finishing in the field, Anne treated the volunteers to some extra produce—potatoes, squash, radishes, chard, and zucchini! We’ll be sure to be back in September and October to help with peak harvest.
Trailheads
Jay Jones and crew built a new ADA compliant picnic / meeting site, on the pathway for Crown Rock.
Last week:
- Hauled building stone to work site at Crown rock
- Removed old table and excavated footprint for improved picnic area
- Dug bench for rock wall
- Installed two tier rock wall and graded surface
Jennelle Freeston
Coordinator of Volunteer Services
City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks
66 South Cherryvale Rd.
Boulder, CO 80303
FreestonJ@bouldercolorado.gov
Phone: 303-413-7656
Cell: 303-818-6972
www.osmp.org
American Tejay van Garderen of BMC Racing Team Takes Overall Lead
Aug 22nd
Climber Janier Acevedo of Jamis-Hagens Berman Wins Stage Under Challenging Conditions
Beaver Creek, CO (Aug. 22, 2013) – The Queen Stage of the 2013 USA Pro Challenge presented the riders with a challenging day, starting in Beaver Creek, that included five climbs and ended in a downpour of rain. In a show of strength, Columbian climber Janier Alexis Acevedo of Jamis-Hagens Berman p/b Sutter Home powered up the road to Beaver Creek to take the stage win. Following just behind was Tejay van Garderen (USA) of BMC Racing Team who will now wear yellow heading into the Individual Time Trial tomorrow in Vail.
“Today was one of the most exciting days of racing we’ve had so far,” said Shawn Hunter, CEO of the USA Pro Challenge. “The number of attacks out there and the competitive level of racing we’re seeing from these pros is definitely keeping things interesting.”
Tejay van Garderen took the overall lead in the race
Stage 4 began today in Steamboat Springs with a neutral start that was cheered on by large crowds of spectators lining the streets.
“Colorado has really come out to support the USA Pro Challenge,” added Hunter. “Every city we visit and pass through along the route has fans out on the street cheering for the riders. It’s impressive.”
The race kicked into high gear jumping to speeds of 40 mph at the official race start on the edge of town. As with the other days of the race thus far, attacks started coming from the get-go. An initial attempt from Tour de France Champions Chris Froome (GBR) of Sky Procycling (2013) and Andy Schleck (LUX) of RadioShack Leopard Trek (2010) was unsuccessful and was reeled back in within a few minutes.
Shortly after, a group of nine riders pulled away. As some were dropped and others joined, the group got situated to include Timmy Duggan (USA) and Mick Rogers (AUS) of Team Saxo-Tinkoff, Danny Pate and (USA) Kanstantsin Siutsou (BLR) of Sky Procycling, Tony Gallopin (FRA) of RadioShack Leopard Trek, Lawrence Warbasse (USA) of BMC Racing Team, Davide Villella (ITA) of Cannondale Pro Cycling, Matt Cooke (USA) of Jamis-Hagens Berman p/b Sutter Home, and Serghei Tvetcov (MDA) of Jelly Belly p/b Kenda.
With about six miles until the first Nissan King of the Mountains (KOM) competition of the day, Jason McCartney (USA) of Bissell Pro Cycling made a move to bridge the gap up to the break, but wouldn’t be able to make the catch until later in the race.
Heading up the Category 4 climb at CR 27, Cooke led the way, reaching the top first and adding to his lead in the KOM Jersey competition, followed by Villella and Duggan. Charging at high speeds down into the small town of Oak Creek, the break approached the first and only Clif Bar sprint of the day. Siutsou barreled through the line first, followed by Warbasse and Duggan.
Heading uphill and through the Feed Zone, the riders started the ascent of the second Nissan KOM competition, a Category 4 climb at CO 131. Cooke reached the top first in an uncontested effort to increase his hold on the KOM Jersey, followed by Pate and Tvetcov.
During the descent, the break started losing time to the chasing peloton, reaching just under three minutes as they hit the valley floor. But as the peloton got closer to the top of the KOM, the gap increased again. Sensing the fate of the break, Siutsou seized the moment and attacked. He was joined by Gallopin, Warbasse, Rogers and Villella.
As they continued approaching the third Nissan KOM competition of the day, again a Category 4 at CO131, Pate and McCartney were reabsorbed by the Garmin-led peloton. This time Gallopin crested the climb first, followed by Siutsou and Rogers. On the 15-mile stretch through the valley leading into the biggest climb of the stage at Bachelor Gulch, Duggan lost contact with the chase, leaving just Tvetcov and Cooke in pursuit of the five ahead, but before long they were caught as well.
With just about 25 miles left to the uphill finish line in Beaver Creek, the peloton starting pushing the pace, with various teams jumping to the front in an effort to eventually reel back in the break. On a false flat leading into the fourth Nissan KOM competition of the day, Team Garmin-Sharp and BMC Racing Team controlled the front of the peloton, with lots of shuffling going on in the bunch as everyone got into position.
The tough climb up Bachelor Gulch really affected the riders, splitting them up into several groups, shattering the field. On the ascent, Rogers attacked the break, followed by Warbasse, leaving Gallopin and Villella chasing behind, and Siutsou falling back to the main group. But in the final three miles of the climb, Warbasse lost contact as well. The climb continued to break apart the riders leaving Rogers out front, followed by three chasers, then eight additional riders, followed by the peloton, and then the grupetto trying to hang on. As things continued to shake up, Mathias Frank (SUI) of BMC Racing Team, van Garderen, Tom Danielson (USA) of Team Garmin-Sharp and Acevedo, formed the group chasing down Rogers, which eventually they did and then proceeded to drop him on the climb.
“That thing (Bachelor Gultch) is incredible,” said Cooke. “I’m just impressed that anyone can ride up that pretty fast. It was steep and one heck of a course.”
Powering over the top, Danielson led, with van Garderen and Acevedo following. Now, with just more than seven miles to go until the finish in Beaver Creek, the pressure was building. On the descent, Acevedo attacked and was challenged by van Garderen, leaving Danielson, and eventually Frank, chasing just a few seconds back. Behind them a group of eight, including race leader Lachlan David Morton (AUS) of Team Garmin-Sharp was keeping pace at only about 30 seconds back.
“The biggest challenge was the bottom of Bachelor Gulch. It was an insanely hard tempo,” said van Garderen.
As the rain began to pound down on the riders, van Garderen and Acevedo powered through the final climb, lined with eagerly awaiting fans, to the finish line in Beaver Creek. Acevedo eventually took the stage, followed by van Garderen and 13 seconds later, Frank.
“I felt very good and confident,” said Acevedo. “I had to go as easy as I could going downhill, taking as little risk possible going around corners. I had a tremendous day today and I felt good about it. For me to win today is just amazing.”
The biggest change in today’s jerseys was van Garderen taking the Smashburger Leader Jersey. Rogers was awarded theFirstBank Most Courageous Rider Jersey for his work in the breaks. Several jerseys remain unchanged, including the Clif Bar Sprint Jersey (Peter Sagan (SVK) of Cannondale Pro Cycling), Nissan King of the Mountains Jersey (Cooke) and Colorado State University Best Young Rider Jersey (Morton).
