HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES Transportation Visioning Committee 2010-11-03Transportation Visioning Committee
Meeting Minutes
November 3, 2010
In attendance:
Members: Stan Black, Kimberley Campbell, Peggy Campbell, Charley Dickey, John
Ericson, Wayne Groome, Jacqueline Halburnt, Cory La Bianca, Fred Mares, Jerry Miller,
and Annika Van der Werf.
Support Personnel: Frank Theis and Scott Zurn
Meeting minutes from the previous TVC meeting were presented by Trustee Jerry Miller. They
were approved unanimously.
Public Works Director Scott Zurn presented a quick film clip "Adventures in Travel" before
providing the Committee an overview of Transportation Engineering. He explained the
restrictions that are placed on them, with supporting reference books for members to view;
transportation generated by each type of land use, traffic volumes carried on each type of
highway and their capacities, and traffic control standards.
Director Zurn's PowerPoint slide presentation showed the roadways in the Estes Valley are
owned by the Town, Larimer County, and CDOT. He explained the responsibility of the various
entities for plowing, maintenance and repair. Financial costs for each section are not shared
between the Town, the County and CDOT.
He stressed that before grant funding can be obtained by any entity, extensive planning must be
done. Director Zurn presented several studies along with their project recommendations. The
studies were done in the 2003 Estes Valley Transportation Alternatives Study and the 2007
Upper Front Range 2035 Transportation Plan. They included government, resident and visitor
inputs. The studies identified similar issues, resulting in over ten projects for consideration. Of
these, three have been completed with state funding. These studies are still relevant, although
their projected impact timelines may have been slowed by the recent economic situation.
Several additional surveys have also been conducted, with input from visitors, residents,
business owners and government. It was interesting to note that shuttle buses showed up in all of
the surveys. These surveys were done during the peak of the visitor season, and tended to focus
on issues associated with it — such as parking and congestion. The Republic Parking Study was
done in 2005, and found that of the 1,366 spaces observed during a 3-day peak period, the lots
were 87% to 94% full, 17% (237 spaces) were used by employees. In all the studies and surveys,
a parking structure was not included. The Town of Estes survey indicated a satellite lot with
shuttle service to other destinations was preferred. Employers said they would encourage their
employees to use it instead of parking downtown. Visitors that were surveyed said they would
use a satellite lot, but not if they had to pay for parking there.
As a result of these surveys, the shopper shuttle was begun but parking and congestion were not
reduced. There are several reasons why the first shuttle may not have been as effective as hoped
— hours of operation, confusion about routes, etc., and pick up at hotels and campgrounds but not
park -and -rides.
When Director Zurn reviewed the 2035 Transit Plan, Estes Park was not included in the plans.
He worked to get Estes included, and as a result — Estes is now in a high priority corridor, which
means funding is available. The 2035 Regional Transit Plan indicates that $2.5 billion is needed,
of which $85 million has been allocated to projects in our corridor. Without the high priority
corridor designation, there would be no funding available to Estes Park.
Improvements within Estes will be done in phases, bringing our Level of Service (LOS) rating
up and reducing pollution. The recent change at the intersection of Riverside and Elkhorn
increased the flow for the eastbound turn lane from 250 vehicles per hour to 1200. The new
pedestrian phase walk lights at Elkhorn and Moraine have actually decreased the time vehicles
are sitting in traffic. The state also has the ability now to make changes to the lights remotely;
the goal is that there will be less congestion downtown.
The Transit Hub at the Stanley Fairgrounds is a new project in our corridor. It will have a shelter
and, potentially, a computerized bus locator system — which will allow riders to see where their
bus is actually located. The parking lot will eventually accommodate 1100 vehicles including an
additional 600 spaces when the SOPA project is constructed. During summer months, parking at
the schools could also be available.
The Transit Hub project should be going out for bid in early 2011, with the intention that it will
be in operation next summer. There will be a shuttle from the Hub to the CVB, which would
then allow people to connect with other shuttles to other areas, including the Park.
Director Zurn needs to dovetail the Estes Park plans with those of the RMNP so we can then
apply NEPA funding to the projects for both entities. A pilot program will be implemented in
2011 for intelligent transportation with a radio station, which will provide up to date information
on parking and provide directions to the Transit Hub.
Director Zurn commented that the Transit Hub will take years for people get used to the idea.
Other ideas discussed by the group included a parking structure at the CVB, shutting off the
signals downtown for a month, and charging for downtown parking. The group was cautioned to
not "re -invent the wheel", and use the studies already conducted as resources.
The next meeting should start with everyone's assumptions of what the issues are, what we are
really after with this committee, how we will study the components, and how will we
communicate our recommendations. We need to begin tying all this information together along
with eventual public input.
Next meeting:
November 11 Larry Gamble and John Hannon, Rocky Mountain National Park
presentation.
December 1 Peggy Campbell, Convention and Visitor Bureau
Time: 3 to 5 p.m.
Location: Town Hall Training Room 130