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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES Transportation Advisory Board 04-18-18 Town of Estes Park, Larimer County, Colorado, April 18, 2018 Minutes of a regular meeting of the Transportation Advisory Board of the Town of Estes Park, Larimer County, Colorado. Meeting held in the Room 203 of Town Hall on the 18th day of April, 2018. Present: Gordon Slack Tom Street Belle Morris Stan Black Ann Finley Also Present: Bob Holcomb, Town Board Liaison Greg Muhonen, Public Works Director David Hook, Engineering Manager Megan Van Hoozer, Public Works Administrative Assistant Absent: Ken Zornes Amy Hamrick Chair Morris called the meeting to order at 12:03 p.m. The TAB was unable to vote on the March meeting minutes due to lack of quorum. This item will be tabled until the May meeting. PUBLIC COMMENT: A member of the public attended today’s meeting. She works for Larimer County on substance abuse programs funded by a 5-year grant utilizing marijuana retail tax dollars. She’s here to listen to transportation matters as they relate to accessibility and removing barriers. She’s already been in discussions with the Town’s Transit Program Manager, Brian Wells regarding shuttle transportation. She specified she’s looking through a very specific lens. HIGHWAY 7 PROJECT UPDATE: Keith Wakefield of CDOT was in attendance to explain the plan for resuming the Highway 7 Project to the TAB. Also in attendance were James Usher and Scott Kendrick of CDOT to help answer specific questions. On Highway 7, CDOT will perform m ill and overlay resuming where phase one ended. CDOT shared that the developer of a new planned development at L exington Lane has submitted a permit application for push button crosswalk access at that intersection. CDOT stated they may not approve the permit due to a new push button crosswalk being planned for the intersection of Highway 7 and Graves Ave. The placement would be too close together based on technical standards. Wakefield proceeded to share the planned bike lanes with the TAB. Member Finley stated that in other communities a shared bike lane requires the cycler to maintain the same rate of speed as the vehicular traffic. She asked what CDOT’s assumptions are with the proposed shared lanes along Highway 7. The planned bike lane stops at Graves Ave. and will not be a CDOT compliant bike lane but will be a shared bike lane. A suggestion was made to have more frequent markings to remind motorists that the lane is shared. CDOT requires there be 400 to 500 feet between bike markings along highway. Chair Morris suggested CDOT provide additional safety for bikes, potentially utilizing green Transportation Advisory Board – April 18, 2018 – Page 2 swath painting for noticeability. Wakefield stated this type of marking is more slippery with the addition of ice than other markings and that it is harder to maintain due to snow plows. Wakefield suggested using the Homer Rouse Trail as a workaround through the segment of highway that contains no bike safety measures or shared lanes. The Saint Malo area will be gaining an additional four feet in the shoulder. CDOT’s contractor, Flatiron Constructors will begin work on May 7 performing culvert work at mile post 10.5. Single lane closures with flaggers or utilization of temporary signals will be implemented. Chair Morris requested rock blasting to allow more space for bikes between Carriage Dr. and Mary’s Lake Road. James Usher stated that if additional funding is identified, a Change Order could be processed to include this work, however no funds are available at this time. The current funding is from FHWA Flood Recovery and the CDOT resurfacing program. This was not identified in the initial scope, nor during the initial visit with the TAB. Wakefield stated that all culvert and preparation work will take place in 2018. The plan for paving outside of town is anticipated to begin in the summer of 2019, with in-town paving occurring in the fall of 2019. CDOT will be updating all ADA requirements along public intersections. Some variances may be needed due to the mountain terrain. Crosswalk design has changed near the businesses at 1st Street and Highway 7. CDOT will be moving the crosswalk back to where it currently exists rather than making the change. The business owners in the area did not want to lose any parking spots for a crosswalk. Additionally, there will be no flashing beacon due to the lack of crash data. These types of changes require data-centered justification in order to incorporate. CDOT will restripe the existing crossing and will make the crosswalk more visible. However, due to the busy conference center and restaurant on the west side of the road, Wakefield will go back to the table to take another look at what can be done. Wakefield will also check to see if portions of the first parking space at 1st Street and at 2nd Street, where traffic pulls onto Highway 7 can be striped no parking for purposes of clear visibility. SHUTTLE UPDATE Transit Program Manager Brian Wells provided this month’s shuttle update.  Barlow Plaza shuttle stop has been eliminated. If geography of the Barlow Plaza stop can be corrected, Wells would advocate the return of the Gold Route stop.  The Sponsorship is essentially wrapped up. Still opportunity for interior and exterior bus sponsorship due to materials not needing to be finished until mid-May. To date, $15,725 has been received and all are grateful for the support.  Working to create ‘Real-Time Passenger Information Service  Hiring a seasonal employee to assist riders and have seven days coverage this summer  With the help of the Events Center staff, shuttles will be serving the Wool Market and FACE of Fiber event locations on June 9-10.  The FTA approved the submitted 5339b Grant for capital bus replacement funds. The Town requested 80% of the funds needed to purchase a fully electric trolley to replace the Elkhorn Express. The expectation is the newly built trolley will be here in time for the 2019 shuttle season. PROJECT UPDATES, David Hook, Engineering Manager Transportation Advisory Board – April 18, 2018 – Page 3 Downtown Estes Loop: CDOT has initiated conversations and there is movement on the ROW acquisition phase. Chair Morris asked if there would be public communications from CDOT for people to get the updates. Member Black reminded the TAB that CDOT held a study session open to the public on March 13. Manager Hook anticipates additional public outreach to occur. Fall River Trail Extension Manager Hook met in field with Colorado Parks & W ildlife (CPW) to view the trail alignment for which grant funding was requested. 2018 Street Improvement Program (STIP): A grant was awarded from the Colorado Safe Routes to School program for the Brodie Avenue Improvements. The scope of the work on Brodie Avenue has changed. Until the grant agreement is fully in place, work is unable to occur. CDOT anticipated their process to take several months. The new plan for construction is anticipated to occur the summer of 2019, taking into account the school season. The Chip & Crack Seal program solicitation, as well as the Overlay program solicitations are due today and all bids will be opened this afternoon. Once reviewed and a selection is made, approvals will be requested at the May 8 Town Board meeting. Moraine Avenue Improvements: The project continues to progress. The concrete pour of the top deck was completed last week. This week contractors finished post-tensioning giving the bridge its strength. Next steps include performing utility installations and backfilling. The plan is to have all of Moraine work done by Memorial Day. Benches, planters, and sidewalk work will continue. Member Slack reported that there are continued traffic issues with drivers running stop signs at both the intersections of Riverside Drive & Ivy Street, and Riverside Drive & Rockwell Street. Slack suggested tying bright streamers or something to the signage to improve awareness. Utility work on Elkhorn Avenue is going smoothly and progressing on schedule. It is anticipated that paving will occur by the end of next week. There will be replacement striping for the entire intersection and diagonal striping for the Barnes Dance following the same concept all the way to the bridge. US36 / Community Drive Turn Lane: Manager Hook introduced the plans for the US 36 & Community Drive Turn Lanes to the TAB. Ideas were shared and will be provided the design consultant for consideration. DMS – Dynamic Message Sign Installation: CDOT disqualified the initially selected construction contractor due to them not being a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise contractor which is a grant requirement. The official notice of the disqualification was received last week. Manager Hook is currently rushing to secure an understanding with second low bidder in order to secure a feasible contract. Transportation Advisory Board – April 18, 2018 – Page 4 Work is taking place to modify the scope of work to reduce cost to fit the available budgeted funds. The Town of Estes Park will self-perform some of the tasks being removed from the scope of work. Public Works hopes to issue a Notice to Proceed next week, assuming Town Board approval at the April 24 meeting. The contractor assured Hook that once things get going, the work can be completed by Memorial Day. Floodplain Management: The new Floodplain Boundary maps are still in the works. Critical review of the modeling is taking place by CDOT. There are still no maps to share with community. The runoff volumes have been well established. This all plays into transportation network – primarily pedestrian and vehicular bridges which are very much impacted by flood flows. The Stormwater Master Plan will be indirectly affected by this data (containment of flood flows). Bridges can easily become the bottlenecks for flood flows if not properly identified. Working toward public outreach to gain community output for future adoption and funding requirements. COMMUNITY DRIVE/US36 TURN LANE REVIEW: The design consultant, Cornerstone Engineering completed the 30% design phase. Manager Hook handed out the 30% drawings for shared review and proceeded to explain the concept. Director Muhonen suggested feedback on a change to the plan, looking at a roundabout rather than turn lanes. A roundabout will naturally lower the speed coming into, and leaving, town. It would also increase the traffic flow and reduce backup. This option may require approval of a Special Use Permit with the US Bureau of Reclamation unless there is a configuration change placing the roundabout only on Town property. This would also play into the Events Complex land use planning which is taking place right now. Potential for an access directly to the Events Complex from the roundabout. TAB likes the idea and would like the Town to explore this option. Muhonen will discuss this option with the design consultant. At that time he can determine the additional cost for a conceptual design, the cost for final design and determine if it’s feasible. Additionally, he will propose the idea to Events Complex. OTHER BUSINESS With no other business to discuss, Chair Morris adjourned the meeting at 2:07 p.m.