Work is set to begin April 25 on a multi-use underpass that will connect the University of Colorado’s Boulder campus to the Basemar Shopping Center.

The underpass, which is expected to cost $5.4 million, will be installed on Baseline Road between Broadway and 27th Way, with major construction slated to end in December.

The project cost is shared across four agencies: $500,000 from the city of Boulder’s transportation budget, $4 million from the Federal Highway Administration and $800,000 from the Colorado Department of Transportation.

The city estimates that 27,000 vehicles travel along that section of Baseline each day, with more than 800 people crossing at the existing above-ground crosswalk daily.

A 2012 study found the Baseline crosswalk to be among the 15 most dangerous locations in Boulder, with nine collisions between pedestrians or cyclists and motorists between 2008 and 2011.

Work that begins at the end of this month will require some single lane closures at off-peak times between 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.

The second phase of construction will begin in June and will cause significant traffic impacts, including lane closures, pedestrian and bike detours and bus stop relocation.

The project has been part of the city’s Transportation Master Plan since 1989.

In addition to creating an underpass, crews will install 20 bicycle parking spaces, including 10 that will be secured, covered, long-term parking spaces at CU’s Wolf Law building.

For updates and more information on this project, visit www.baselineroad.net or contact Melanie Sloan at 303-441-4934 or sloanm@bouldercolorado.gov.