Jun. 25—Construction will start this week on a $17 million Coffman Street transportation project that will connect with a planned First and Main Transit Station in the future, according to a city announcement.
The project is expected to transform Coffman Street between First and Ninth avenues into a corridor for buses, cars, bicycles and pedestrians. The design is planned to include bus service, known as Bus Rapid Transit, and to add new separated bicycle lanes that connect to the new transit station. RTD in Colorado and other public transportation systems around the world say that Bus Rapid Transit systems try to offer dedicated lanes for buses.
Construction is slated to begin on the west side of Coffman Street between Ninth and Sixth avenues with one-way traffic in the northbound lane. On-street parking is going away on both sides of Coffman Street in the blocks that are under construction.
Early next year, construction will move to the east side of Coffman Street from Ninth Avenue to Sixth Avenue, at which time traffic will flow one-way in the southbound lane.
All bus stops for the Coffman park-n-ride have been moved to the west side of Roosevelt Park along Bross Street. The Park-n-Ride lot, though, will remain open during the Coffman Street construction.
Phase One of construction is expected to conclude next spring. Phase Two of construction, which will overlap slightly with the first phase, includes work on Coffman Street between Fifth and Second avenues. The entire project is expected to be completed in summer 2026.
"The overall goal of the Coffman Street Mobility Improvement project is to provide enough space and separation of each mode of travel to create a safer, more reliable and comfortable experience for everyone in the corridor—regardless of how a person chooses to travel," Phil Greenwald, Longmont transportation planning manager, said in an email Tuesday.
The project will be supported by $7.75 million worth of outside funding from state and federal sources. The Longmont city government will pay the remaining $9.25 million, according to Rogelio Mares, Longmont public information officer.
Construction happen from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday with some work on Saturdays.
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