To: Board of County Commissioners
Through: Bryan D. Weimer, PWLF, Director Public Works and Development Department
Prepared By:
prepared
James Katzer, PE, Transportation Division Manager
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presenter
Presenter: Bryan D. Weimer, PWLF, Director, James Katzer, PE, Transportation Division Manager
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Subject:
title
1:00 PM *Arapahoe County 2040 Transportation Master Plan Update
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Purpose and Request:
recommended action
Public Works and Development staff would like to present the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) an update on the 2040 Transportation Master Plan (2040 TMP). This update was requested by the BOCC at the June 29 Study Session to provide the BOCC with a summary of the feedback received from stakeholders and the public on the draft improvement recommendations. During the Study Session Staff will provide that summary, with highlights of the final TMP development tasks that the project team is currently completing. We request permission from the BOCC to move forward with the adoption of the 2040 Transportation Master Plan by presenting the final plan at as a General Business item at a meeting in October.
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Background and DiscussionThe 2040 TMP kicked off in April of 2020 and presented in a study session to the BOCC the strategies, objectives, and schedule for the effort. This TMP update broadened the focus of the plan from the unincorporated road network to the transportation system in the entire County. To assist the plan, the AC Transportation Forum was leveraged as the TMP’s technical advisory committee. Every Arapahoe County city but one was represented on the Forum, along with CDOT, DRCOG and RTD, and the committee provided guidance on the plan activities and feedback on generated reports.
The following activities have been completed:
• Summary of Previous Plans (June 2020)
• Vision, Goals, Policies & Strategies (Sept 2020)
• Existing Conditions Assessment (Jan 2021)
• Future Conditions Assessment (Jan 2021)
• Phase 1 Stakeholder & Public Outreach (Transportation Needs, Issues & Opportunities)(Dec 2020)
• Phase 2 Stakeholder & Public Outreach (Focus on 24 Key Corridors)(June 2021)
• Key corridor meetings with representatives from corridor cities, CDOT and E-470.
Since the June study Session the project team has completed these activities:
• Technologies and Future Initiatives Report
• Improvement Recommendations Report (July 2020)
• Phase 3 Stakeholder & Public Outreach (Focus on Improvement Recommendations Report)
At the June 29th study session, the project team gave the BOCC an update on the project which summarized the results from our public and stakeholder engagement, highlighted tasks that have been completed to date, and a discussion of preliminary recommendations for road widening, new connections, interchange improvements, and bicycle, pedestrian and transit improvements. At the Study Session the BOCC requested that the project team report back on the feedback that was received from the public during the Phase 3 Stakeholder and Public Outreach effort.
The engagement effort started in late July and wrapped up on August 11 and was coordinated with Communication Services Department. The County engaged the public in a virtual format with on-line tools. Public Works and Development also spent time at the 2021 Fair discussing this project and gather input about the plan. Approximately 40 responses were received. The need for road improvements and concern about traffic congestion was a common theme for many of the comments. Several other respondents supported a greater emphasis on bicycle and pedestrian improvements. The results of this effort will be shared in more detail during the study session.
The Improvement Recommendations Report was also sent to the Arapahoe County Transportation Forum Technical Committee, adjacent counties, and County department representatives for review and we received valuable input from those who reviewed the plan. The comments generally fall into two categories:
§ County Engineering staff had several detailed comments on road classifications and specific improvement recommendations in unincorporated parts of the County.
§ Planners and engineers from County municipalities and from adjacent counties had numerous detailed comments focused primarily on Key Corridor recommendations.
The project team is currently completing the draft Transportation Master Plan and expects to be posting the plan for stakeholder and public review by end of September.
The final TMP will be provided on the County’s website in “three parts”:
§ A summary “Plan on a Page” will provide a broad overview of the planning process, vision and goals, County growth, recommendations summary by travel mode, and funding/implementation
§ The Transportation Master Plan will be a public-oriented document providing a vision of the County transportation system in 2040, recommended improvements for all modes of travel, and an implantation plan, along with high-level summaries of the other TMP documents.
§ Other Plan Documents -Links will be provided to several of the interim TMP documents including the Existing and Future Conditions Assessments, the Vision, Goals & Policies report, and Phase 1, 2 & 3 Public Outreach summaries.
Summaries of the major study tasks that have been completed since the previous study session will be provided at the September 20 Study Session including:
• Phasing of Improvements - recommendations are categorized as short/medium-range (2030), long-range (2040), and post-2040 (right-of-way preservation)
• Final Plan Elements - Intersection hot spots, Strasburg and Byers subarea plans, pavement condition and new technology/future initiatives.
• Performance measures to measure plan and project effectiveness
The following items remaining to be completed:
§ Post final TMP report for public comment (late September)
§ Planning Commission Adoption Hearing (October 5)
§ BOCC adoption as a General Business in October
Fiscal Impact: The fiscal impacts are being analyzed for inclusion in the final Transportation Master Plan. The 2040 TMP will provide recommendation on how the County can be fiscally responsible while meeting the transportation needs of Arapahoe County.
Alternatives: The BOCC will be given the opportunity during the study session to discuss any alternatives to the direction of the 2040 TMP.
Alignment with Strategic Plan:
☒Be fiscally sustainable
☒Provide essential and mandated service
☒Be community focused
Staff Recommendation: For information and future discussion.
Concurrence: Robert Hill, County Attorney’s Office.