HomeMy WebLinkAboutTB Study Session 2015-03-18
Town of Estes Park, Larimer County, Colorado March 18, 2015
Minutes of a Study Session meeting of the TOWN BOARD of the Town of
Estes Park, Larimer County, Colorado. Meeting held at Town Hall in the
Rooms 202/203 in said Town of Estes Park on the 18th day of March, 2015.
Board: Mayor Pinkham, Mayor Pro Tem Koenig, Trustees Ericson,
Holcomb, Nelson, Norris and Phipps
Attending: All
Also Attending: Town Administrator Lancaster, Town Attorney White and
Town Clerk Williamson
Absent: None
Mayor Pinkham called the meeting to order at 3:00 p.m.
NEPA STUDY – DRAFT FINDING OF THE LOOP PROJECT.
Tony Galardi/Central Federal Lands provided an overview of the Downtown Estes Loop
project, the funding and the NEPA process, including the screening process. Multiple
meetings have been held to date for the NEPA process starting in September 2014,
launch of a project website, hotline and email address, open house on October 8, 2014
and small group meetings on December 10 and 11, 2014. Common concerns held at
the meetings: lack of parking downtown, need a solution to congestion, bring back the
barnes dance, preserve Riverside natural environment, improve pedestrian safety and
movements/crossing opportunities, preserve transit service and stops and add bike
lanes/bike facilities. The purpose of the project is to improve access to the Park through
reduced travel time and congestion. The current level of service at the key intersections
downtown (Elkhorn/Riverside and Elkhorn/Moraine) have an E and F level of service 40
days of the year and by 2040 both intersections would have F level of service for 147
days of the year. The data supports the need for improving transportation in the
downtown core.
The NEPA process requires an alternative screening process to evaluate and develop a
range of alternatives including the do nothing alternative. The process develops
screening criteria, conducts a primary, Level 1, and a detailed secondary , Level 2,
comparative screening. Level 1 screening criteria: traffic operations/capacity, safety,
impact to community resources and funding. The following alternatives were reviewed:
Alternative 1 - One-Way Couplet
Alternative 1A - One-Way Couplet Counter Clockwise
Alternative 2 - Four-Lane Riverside, 2-Way Elkhorn & Moraine
Alternative 2A – Four-Lane Riverside with Pedestrian Mall on Elkhorn
Alternative 3 - One-Way Couplet, Clockwise Direction
Alternative 4 - Three Lane Riverside-Elkhorn and Moraine 2-Way
Alternative 5 - Reversible One-Way on Riverside, Elkhorn/Moraine Two-Way
Alternative 6 - One-Way Couplet Counter-Clockwise and Four lane Riverside
Alternative 7 - One-Way Couplet Counter Clockwise Using Rockwell
Alternative 8 - Town-Way, Two-Lane Riverside, One-Way Elkhorn (West) and One-Way
Moraine (South)
Alternative 9 - Traffic Diversion around Downtown through Signage and Intersection
Modifications.
After screening all alternatives, those carried forward to Level 2 included No Action,
Alternative 1, Alternative 1A, Alternative 2, Alternative 4 and Alternative 6.
Town Board Study Session – March 18, 2015 – Page 2
Level 2 comparative screening criteria includes congestion and delay measured by level
of service, access and parking, alternative mode accommodation (bike, transit, etc.),
number of conflict points, economics, right-of-way impact, environmental (parks, cultural
resources), and within available funding.
Each alternative was reviewed for level of service at Elkhorn/Riverside, Elkhorn/Moraine
and Moraine/Riverside/Crags intersections
Alternative 1
Level of Services D, E, C Childrens Park – 2% decrease
Days of congestion decrease to 25-30 Baldwin Park – 17% decrease
On-street bike lane ROW – 6 Commercial & 1 Residential
Loss of 35 parking spaces
Alternative 1A
Not moved forward due to poor traffic operations.
Alternative 4
Level of Services F,F,D Childrens Park – 19% decrease
Days of congestion decrease to 75-85 Baldwin Park – 34% decrease
On-street bike lane ROW – 7 Commercial & 8 Residential
Loss of 51 parking spaces
Alternative 2
Level of Services F, F, C Childrens Park – 20% decrease
Days of congestion decrease to 40-50 Baldwin Park – 42% decrease
On-street bike lane, No bike lane on
Riverside
ROW – 8 Commercial & 10 Residential
Loss of 55 parking spaces
Alternative 6
Level of Services C, D, C Childrens Park – 20% decrease
Days of congestion decrease to 4-6 Baldwin Park – 42% decrease
On-street bike lane, No bike lane on
Riverside
ROW – 8 Commercial & 10 Residential
Loss of 60 parking spaces
Other Alternative Considerations
- Alternatives 4 and 6 would likely require a signalized intersection at Rockwell.
- Alternative 1 reduces traffic downtown slightly compared to Alternatives 2, 4 and 6
which reduces the business visibility significantly.
- Alternative 6 and Alternative 1 reduce level of service.
- Alternative 1 maintains parking with the loss of only 35 spaces compared to 60
spaces with Alternative 6
- Alternative 1 minimizes impact to the parks.
- Alternative 1 requires the fewest acquisitions.
- Alternative 1 is within current funding while Alternatives 2, 4 and 6 would require
additional funding from $2.5 – 8 million in additional funding.
The No Action and Alternative 1 are recommended to move forward to complete the
Environmental Assessment (EA) for analysis of design alternative. Next steps include a
public meeting during the summer of 2015, publish a draft EA, public decision
document, and respond to public comment on the draft EA.
The Board questioned if Alternative 1 would address current and future traffic concerns
or would the Town need Alternative 6 ultimately; questioned if going along the south
Town Board Study Session – March 18, 2015 – Page 3
side of the river from Baldwin Park was reviewed as an option; and would feasible
alternatives work with a downtown parking garage in the future.
Mr. Galardi stated Alternative 1 would provide the Town with improved traffic conditions
for the next 25 years. Alternative 6 would address traffic conditions into the long term
future. Alternative 1 would not limit future expansion and all alternatives would work
with a future parking garage with Alternative 1 being the best for access. The next
steps are a public meeting on March 25, 2015 at the Event Center to outline the
alternatives.
Kellye Bolton/CDOT discussed the process for acquiring properties needed for right-of-
way with condemnation as a last resort, relocation of businesses, temporary
construction easements, and relocation study to assist residential and commercial
property owners in finding replacement housing or new business location.
There being no further business, Mayor Pinkham adjourned the meeting at 4:42 p.m.
Jackie Williamson, Town Clerk