Apr 26, 2021

Share this: Lori CallThe Boulder Chamber View After a year of lighter traffic, cars are returning to the roads. More than 40% of American adults have received at least one vaccination shot, and many who have been working from their living room for the last 13 months are thinking about a return to the office. Before “returning to normal” in our commuting habits — including traffic jams that cause emotional stress, waste money, and harm the environment — the Boulder Chamber asks you to consider a different future. Rather than jumping back into our single-occupancy vehicles, we should think about how we’re travelling. We have an opportunity to lean into alternative transportation modes, including walking and biking, which improve our health, carbon footprint, stress levels and family budget. E-bikes provide another fun option, offering an environmentally friendly ride with the potential for an “assist” on steeper inclines, longer distances or at times when we might just need a break. The Boulder Chamber recently announced our integration with Boulder Transportation Connections, Boulder’s nonprofit transportation management organization. Boulder Transportation Connections helps employees identify efficient and sustainable mobility options — providing bike maps and helping identify the best routes, leveraging carpools and vanpools, navigating transit, advising on telework and reducing drive times. Our Boulder Transportation Connections team helps businesses learn about the EcoPass program, including reimbursement funding, and provides information on the best way to support transit for employees. These resources can help alleviate time we spend idling on the Diagonal Highway. They can also find new solutions for those of us impacted by RTD’s reduction in transit services. Beyond personal commute choices, the Boulder Chamber is working to address our broader transportation infrastructure shortcomings. Colorado’s infrastructure rates poorly compared to other states, with more than 20% of our major urban roads and highways in poor condition. Our highway system ranks 38th in the nation in overall cost-effectiveness and condition, according to the Annual Highway Report by Reason Foundation. We rank 29th in fatalities, 18th in structurally deficient bridges, 37th in traffic congestion, 33rd in urban Interstate pavement condition and 26th in total spending per mile. Effective regional and local transportation networks are key to our community’s economic vitality and environmental health. That’s why we’re advocating for a statewide solution to address our transportation needs during this legislative session. Funding for diverse travel modes expands the range of equitable and reliable mobility choices for Boulder’s workforce. This includes improved roads, bridges, bike paths, and transit services that serve as the backbone for our future mobility. There is no perfect solution, and we will all bear the cost, but we can no longer kick the transportation investment can down the road. When considering a return to the workplace, colleagues fret about diving back into their daily battle with traffic congestion. Look no further than the current dearth of transportation infrastructure investments as a root cause. It’s expensive, too, costing $2,300 per driver annually in the Boulder area according to TRIP, a national transportation research group. So not only does congestion add stress to our emotional well-being and harm the environment, it also adds financial burden for those stuck in their cars. While outdated infrastructure creates financial burden and wasted time, the safety considerations cause our biggest concern. On Aug. 1, 2007, my sister stayed late at her job in Minneapolis, wrapping up some final details for a project. As she started her car and turned on her radio, she learned that just moments before, on her commute route, the 35W bridge over the Mississippi River collapsed, killing 13 people. The devastation and heartbreak that results from crumbling bridges and roads requires action to ensure we don’t face such tragedies here. With our vaccination roll out underway, we see cause for optimism regarding safe engagement with others, including our colleagues. Yet before we revert back to our old ways, let’s reconsider where and how we want to go. In the short-term, our commutes can look a little greener, more stress free, and less expensive by incorporating biking, walking and transit. And as we look toward the future, heightened investment in transportation infrastructure can ensure less traffic congestion, more transportation mode alternatives and increased safety for those headed to work. Sign up for email newsletters