The Board of County Commissioners for Boulder County approved its updated transportation master plan on Tuesday to include new goals of zero road deaths and greater connectivity with surrounding counties.

“A lot has changed in Boulder County since the TMP was last updated in 2012,” said Commissioner Elise Jones, “including increasing commuter traffic and air quality concern, which is why a fresh examination of this document was so important.”

Beginning in August 2018, the county employed online surveys, public meetings and bicycle traffic analyses, as well as general traffic and crash data in its planning process. The results include updates to five transportation priority areas, which include the development of a multimodal system and enhancing mountain-area connections.

Additions to the document include the statement of a “Vision Zero” policy, whose goal is to achieve zero deaths and serious injuries on roads by 2035. Denver and the city of Boulder are two of the jurisdictions that have already adopted the philosophy.

The plan also includes the development of off-street bicycle connections between destinations within the county, and the pursuit of “alternative transit service delivery options” within the boundaries of the Regional Transportation District. Greater connectivity with Weld and Larimer counties is also a target.

This year, one of the county’s tasks will be to collect baseline data against which to measure future performance against the plan’s goals.