Category Archives: News
BERT at last!! BERT at last! Thank god almighty, we have the BERT at last!
More than 30 years ago, BATCO had a dream — to convert an unused railroad grade connecting Boulder and Erie into a bucolic multi-use recreational trail. Thanks to perseverance and support from several stakeholder groups, staffs, consultants, citizens, towns, boards, and the Board of County Commissioners — we are finally about to move forward with this long-sought trail. Hooray!
Boulder to Erie Regional Trail (BERT) Plan Approval and Next Steps
BERT Plan adoption means the preliminary design process can begin and funding opportunities can be pursued
Boulder County, Colo. – On Thursday, October 24, the Boulder County Board of County Commissioners approved the Boulder to Erie Regional Trail (BERT) Plan in a 2-1 vote. Public testimony was taken during the hearing. Thank you to everyone who submitted written comments and spoke at the public hearing.
The BERT Plan evaluates multiple conceptual alignments and identifies a preferred alignment for further consideration for an 8.5 mile east-west multi-use trail connection between the City of Boulder and Town of Erie. The BERT Plan includes the project process, public and partner input and engagement, technical evaluation, conceptual level alignment, opinion of cost, and next steps.
With the adoption of the BERT Plan, local, state, and federal funding opportunities can be pursued, and the preliminary design process can begin. The plan’s preferred alignment is the starting point for more detailed engineering and in-depth technical analysis, including additional environmental analysis. Strategies to minimize potential environmental impacts of the preferred alignment will continue to be explored.
Partner coordination and community outreach will continue in the next phases of the project. Regular updates will be provided as the project progresses.
View or download the draft BERT Plan
View or download the draft BERT Plan Appendix
Learn More or Contact Staff
View more project information at boco.org/BERT, or contact Tonya Luebbert, Regional Trails Planner, at tluebbert@bouldercounty.gov, or submit a question or comment online.
The Boulder to Erie Regional Trail corridor near 95th Street looking west toward Boulder.
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Look What Popped Up Yesterday in the Daily Camera!
(Do YOU need a BATCO Map? Go to the “Map” tab and order one for your very own!)
Shoutout to Barbed Wire Books, one of our favorite retailers in Longmont 🙂
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BOCC to Vote on the East Boulder Creek (a.k.a. “Prairie Run Open Space”) Management Plan this Thursday, Jan. 25
Trail advocates, please support this plan!
The Board of County Commissioners will hold a public hearing on Thursday, Jan. 25, at 9:30 a.m. to review the East Boulder Creek Site Management Plan, listen to public feedback, and vote whether to adopt the plan.
The plan outlines the department’s land management strategies for 1,377 acres of public land that will be Prairie Run Open Space when open to the public. The plan embodies the department’s multifaceted mission of conservation and public use that reflects the community’s values. With respect to conservation and stewardship components, the plan includes the protection of wildlife habitat, the continuation of sustainable agriculture, and the restoration of wetlands and stream corridors associated with both Boulder and Coal Creeks.
Addressing community requests for access and recreation, the department’s plan proposes a variety of recreational opportunities while also respecting the important natural features of the site. The Parks & Open Space Advisory Committee unanimously recommended conditional approval to the Board of County Commissioner’s at the Dec. 14, 2023, meeting.
The meeting will take place in the Commissioners’ Hearing Room, Downtown Boulder County Courthouse, 1325 Pearl St., Boulder. Members of the public can attend in person, online via Zoom, or by phone.
After extensive analysis, field trips, and multiple conversations, the Boulder Area Trails Coalition (BATCO) supports this plan as outlined by staff in the document below. Furthermore, we believe that the original proposed trailhead location on 109th St will best meet the needs of the public and staff who will be managing the infrastructure, as well as providing desirable access to the future Boulder to Erie Regional Trail (BERT).
We urge you to contact the County Commissioners in support of this plan, in one of the following ways:
Call-in information: 1-833-568-8864, Webinar ID: 160 225 1339
Written public comment can be shared with the commissioners at boco.org/EBCMPcomment. Please submit written comments by noon on Wednesday, Jan. 24.
For more information about the management plan, the site, and the planning process, please click on this link to visit the East Boulder Creek Site Management Plan/Prairie Run Open Space webpage.
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Calling all Trail Advocates! Come to a meeting about the Boulder to Erie Regional Trail, September 13, 2023
| Open House for the Boulder to Erie Regional Trail (BERT) Project Learn About the BERT Project and Provide Input to Project Team Boulder County, Colo. – Boulder County, in partnership with the City of Boulder and Town of Erie, is evaluating options for the creation of a new soft-surface regional trail connection linking the City of Boulder and Erie. The project partners are hosting an in-person open house in Erie on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023. During this public meeting, the team will discuss project updates, evaluation criteria for different trail options, and conceptual alignments. What: Boulder to Erie Regional Trail (BERT) Project Open House When: Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023 from 5-7 p.m. Where: Erie Community Library, Event Space East, 400 Powers St, Erie, CO 80516 A brief project presentation will begin at 5:30 p.m. followed by an open house. Background: This connection was identified in the county’s regional trails prioritization process in 2003 and is eligible for funding through the Countywide Sales Tax passed by voters in 2007 and 2022. The Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan and Boulder County Transportation Master Plan identify this trail connection as an important link in the Boulder Valley and regional trails systems. Provide your input and learn more. Visit boco.org/BERT for more information. Submit a comment or question or subscribe for project updates, or contact Tonya Luebbert, Regional Trails Planner, at tluebbert@bouldercounty.gov or 720-564-2866. |
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Boulder County Parks and Open Space Survey for East Boulder Creek Management Plan Open through February 28
| This is a great opportunity to advocate for a beautiful new regional trail! |
Boulder County Parks & Open Space is preparing a management plan The area is just north of Erie and is primarily bounded by US Highway 287 The goal is to provide a welcoming space for all in the community Boulder County values your input and is reaching out to solicit your What can you do now? Will there more opportunities for involvement? Yes, a second phase of the For more information visit the East Boulder Creek Site Management Please reach out to Jeff Moline (jmoline@bouldercounty.org or Thank you for your interest in this open space and this planning process!
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Boulder County Parks and Open Space wants YOU to apply for the Parks and Open Space Advisory Committee!
Are you interested in helping guide Boulder County Parks and Open Space by serving on their volunteer advisory board?
The Boulder County Commissioners are now recruiting for Parks and Open Space Advisory Committee (POSAC) members to fill vacancies starting March 2023. We hope to get many qualified applicants!
Regards,
Therese Glowacki, Director
Boulder County Parks and Open Space
Information about POSAC, and the link to apply, can be found here:
Now recruiting for POSAC members.
Deadline to apply is Friday, Jan. 13. Apply Now
The Parks & Open Space Advisory Committee (POSAC) reviews proposals and advises Parks & Open Space staff and the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) on open space issues, new land acquisitions, and the management of existing properties.
The deadline to apply is Friday, January 13.
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End of Year Donations
To everyone who donated to BATCO through Colorado Gives Day, THANK YOU!
If you missed it, you can still donate to BATCO using the “Join/Donate” tab on this website. Hint, hint 🙂
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Colorado Gives Day is December 6
Colorado Gives Day is Here! BATCO is an approved non-profit affiliated with Colorado Gives Day. You can donate here: https://www.coloradogives.org/organization/BATCO.
Don’t forget to check whether your employer will match your donation. If your company uses Benevity (www.benevity.org) to facilitate donations to non-profits like BATCO, we are certified through them — making it easy for everyone to do the right thing! Our trails will thank you!
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Heil Valley Ranch South Side Trails Now Open
| Heil Valley Ranch South Side Trails are now open after Cal-Wood Fire Recovery. The Main trailhead parking will close at noon daily through Sept. 30 due to flash flood risks. The Corral and Main trailheads and associated trails are open for on-trail use as of today, June 16, after extensive recovery efforts from the Cal-Wood fire in October 2020. Due to the severely burned landscape, the south side of the park is prone to flash flooding. The Main Trailhead parking lot will close at noon daily through Sept. 30 due to flash flood risks. All vehicles still in the parking lot after noon may be ticketed. Trails, picnic tables, and the shelter will remain open until sunset, but visitors must park elsewhere. A new live trailhead camera has been added to the Corral Trailhead for visitors to check parking availability on the Heil Valley Ranch webpage before heading to the trails. Flash flooding is also likely at all small and large canyons and may deposit debris and mud in downstream/downslope areas. Visitors are encouraged to plan ahead for a safe visit: Sign up for emergency alerts at boulderoem.com. Check the weather forecast and visit another park if rain is anticipated. As you travel on trail, identify the flood safety routes (map). Keep your eyes on the sky. You may not be able to receive text messages, alerts, or hear sirens. Leave if storm clouds are building. Do not drive if you see flooding. Never drive through water if you cannot see the road beneath the water. The road may not be intact under floodwaters. For more information, please visit the Heil Valley Ranch webpage. Please note! BATCO volunteers helped clear ash and sediment out of the Grindstone Quarry Trail where it crosses the creek near the Corral Trailhead. Thank you to all who participated.  |
| Nice new trail bridge to replace the one that burned |
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