Commuters who take the bus may soon be able to take the “Diagonal Flyer” on Colo. 119 between Boulder and Longmont as part of the CO 119 Safety, Mobility and Bikeway Project.

Designers want to make bus travel along the Diagonal Highway feel distinct as part of a $165 million transportation project that includes the buses — so they’re talking about branding it with the new “Diagonal Flyer” name. Bus Rapid Transit road updates are meant to speed up the bus commute to 30 minutes between Boulder and Longmont, according to the project web page.

Construction on the project began last week.

The CO 119 Bus Rapid Transit project will include new Bus Rapid Transit bypass lanes at signalized intersections along the Diagonal Highway, which are expected to speed up the route. The Regional Transportation District is doing the project in partnership with the Colorado Department of Transportation and the Boulder County government. Federal transit officials have coined the Bus Rapid Transit moniker as one that can include dedicated lanes, traffic signal priority and other steps designed to make the public transit more speedy.

The Diagonal Highway Bus Rapid Transit system will use Flatiron Flyer buses, which currently serve the U.S. 36 corridor. The font and colors of the Flatiron Flyer vehicles are the basis for designers working to craft a new visual identity for the Colo. 119 BRT system, project members have said.

The “Diagonal Flyer” bus name was discussed at a Commuting Solutions membership meeting on Wednesday.

“Branding is part of a Bus Rapid Transit system,” said Audrey DeBarros, executive director of Commuting Solutions. “We completed this work on U.S. 36, and we carried that over into 119.”

DeBarros said public input from a survey and community pop-up events helped determine the branding elements. The bus shelters and signage along the Diagonal Highway will feature deep blue and gold colors, accented by a vivid “sunflower yellow.” In addition to complementing the Flatiron Flyer color scheme, the design is also meant to reflect the natural environment.

“The public really wants a bright identity to really call out the beautiful landscape of our area — the bright blue skies, the golden grasses,” DeBarros said.

Traci Jones, principal and creative director for Longmont-based design company Studio Six Branding, is leading the team molding the Colo. 119 BRT system’s visual identity. Jones said the main goal is to make the colors stand out, while also highlighting the surrounding nature.

“It’s really important that that visual identity is seen from a distance,” Jones said.