In an extensive Superior Board of Trustees meeting Monday, members voted to maintain Rock Creek Parkway as a four-lane road, while prioritizing speed mitigation and pedestrian and bike safety.

The board voted 6-1 to narrow driving lanes, add a bike lane and include more pedestrian safety measures such as crosswalk beacons on Rock Creek Parkway. Trustee Jenn Kaaoush voted no, saying she preferred reducing the road to one lane in each direction.

The board also gave Superior staff the direction to start the process of lowering the speed limit at Rock Creek Parkway to 30 mph. The road currently has a 35 mph speed limit.

Public Works and Utilities Director Brannon Richards explained Rock Creek Parkway was originally designed to serve a much larger community.

When the Rock Creek Ranch neighborhood was first developed in 1987, the road was intended to serve the neighborhood which was expected to grow west of McCaslin Boulevard. However, due to a series of open space acquisitions by Boulder County, growing west was no longer an option.

Richards, and representatives of Rock Creek Parkway Repurposing Study partners Fox & Tuttle Transportation Group, explained that drivers constantly speed on the road and that it does not meet local or federal bike and pedestrian traffic guidelines.

Richards said people simply drive the speed they think is appropriate, and a four-lane road with wide lanes invites speeding. According to the study 33% of people are traveling at a speed greater than 40 mph on a 35 mph road.

Mayor Mark Lacis and Mayor Pro Tem Neal Shah said if the road were proposed to the board now, there is no chance a four-lane arterial would be approved to serve the Rock Creek Ranch neighborhood.“When everybody drives home tonight on Rock Creek Parkway, there’s no one on it.

Most of the time, other than these peak periods, between about 7:45 (a.m.) and about 8:20 (a.m.), it’s empty.

It’s really hard to justify four lanes,” Shah said.

Residents spoke for over an hour during public comment period regarding the roadway, with varying views. Some said “If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it,” and asked that the roadway stay the same.

But many shared their near-miss accident experiences there as pedestrians, bike users and drivers, and asked for more safety options.

With the discussion of Rock Creek Parkway taking up most of the board’s time during Monday’s meeting, the board unanimously voted to continue the scheduled public hearing of plat designs and final development plans for a life sciences building, commercial and residential space in the Downtown Superior project to the next board meeting on Jan. 8.

During the brief discussion the board had with PMB, developers in charge of the Downtown Superior spaces, the board said the proposed location of the parking garage blocks views to the Flatirons.