South Sky, a concept for a bike-legal connection between Shanahan Ridge and Doudy Draw in South Boulder, was a major focus of the December 10, 2025 meeting of the Open Space Board of Trustees (OSBT).
Public comment lasted nearly an hour, with many speakers urging OSMP to prioritize evaluating a safe, off-road bike connection to the southern trail system. Trustees discussed Priority Action 7c twice during the meeting. Priority Action 7c is a City of Boulder initiative focused on identifying and implementing key trail connections and access improvements that encourage multimodal access to Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP) lands.
OSMP staff presented an updated timeline for the 7c work, outlining a year-long assessment and public engagement process that would identify and evaluate multimodal improvements, including potential trail connections. Several trustees emphasized that improving southern access should be treated as a priority as the work moves forward.
The meeting recording is on YouTube:
Public Comments start at 6:35
OSBT drafting 2026 letter to city council, 7c as top priority at 1:12:00
Staff update on 7c and OSBT discussion at 1:55:00
BMA Executive Director Wendy Sweet prepared three minutes of comments in support of evaluating a South Boulder bike connection, which were shortened to two minutes due to the high number of speakers.
“This is the third time this year that I have provided public comments on 7c. At the September OSBT meeting, community members spoke directly to this need in south Boulder for a connection between Shanahan Ridge and Doudy Draw and OSBT responded that it should be treated as a priority in the 7c process. Given that direction, it is disappointing to see no mention of this specific connector in the staff update for tonight.
In February, staff presented a workplan showing that 7c could lead to actionable outcomes as early as the first quarter of 2026. The revised timeline now delays any tangible progress by another full year. That is not a small administrative shift. It has real consequences for people riding bikes, for families, and for those who deserve a safer way to reach the south Boulder trails without riding on roads open to cars.
I want to be clear. BMA is not pushing for a specific trail alignment or a predetermined outcome. We are asking OSMP to do the work needed to evaluate whether a bike connection in southwest Boulder is appropriate, feasible, and consistent with city goals around safety, multimodal access, and emissions. This evaluation should begin now, not years from now.
There is also a practical opportunity in front of us. OSMP already plans to reroute Lower Big Bluestem trail in 2026. That project offers a natural and cost effective starting point to study what a safe off road connection might look like. Ignoring that timing means potentially missing an efficient window to explore this solution.
We also know how long OSMP projects take. The North Sky trail took eight years from approval to opening. If this connection is going to be meaningful for the current generation of riders including our youth riders who are most vulnerable on the roads then the evaluation phase cannot be pushed further into the distance.
The community has identified this gap. OSBT has identified this gap. Staff has acknowledged that Doudy Draw has one of the highest rates of visitors arriving by car. This is precisely the kind of connection the 7c initiative is meant to address.
BMA is not suggesting that we “fast track” anything and skip process or community engagement. We are asking for the process to start now. We are asking for this south Boulder connection to be clearly identified, evaluated, and advanced in the early stages of the 7c workplan rather than being lost in a year-long systemwide analysis.
This is a known need. It is a stated priority. Now it requires action.
Thank you.“