Chapter 4.0 Transportation Systems

Transcription

1 Chapter 4.0 Transportation Systems This chapter compares the impacts of the No Action Alternative and the Nine Mile to Iliff Station Minimum Operable Segment (I-225 MOS) Preferred Alternative with regard to future transit, roadway, bicycle, and pedestrian facilities in the Study Area. Please refer to the Transportation Technical Report, June 2011, for more information. 4.1 Summary of Results In the near term, the I-225 MOS Preferred Alternative includes the extension of the existing light rail transit (LRT) from the current end-of-line station at Nine Mile to the Iliff Station. By 2035, the Preferred Alternative would include the full buildout of the I-225 LRT corridor from the Iliff Station north to the Peoria/Smith Station, where it would connect with the East Corridor commuter rail line that is currently under construction. The full buildout of the I-225 LRT corridor is included in the 2035 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP), and the results for the full buildout can be found in the I-225 LRT Environmental Evaluation (EE) 5 (see Chapter 3.0 for explanation of the EE process and its relation to this I-225 MOS [EA]). The rail operating plan for the I-225 MOS extends the existing H Line service from Nine Mile to Iliff, while maintaining 15-minute all-day service. The I-225 MOS Preferred Alternative would result in a 28 percent reduction in transit travel time from Iliff Station to downtown Denver. The transit travel time would be reduced from 50 minutes in the No Action Alternative to 36 minutes in the I-225 MOS Preferred Alternative. The I-225 MOS Preferred Alternative is forecast to relieve some of the congestion at the existing Nine Mile Station and also attract new LRT riders. Currently, the park-n-ride at the Nine Miles station is 100 percent utilized on an average weekday. The 2015 forecast parking demand at Nine Mile decreases by 23 percent in the I-225 MOS Preferred Alternative. In addition, 2015 forecasted boardings at the Iliff and Nine Mile Stations combined increase by 14 percent over the 2015 forecasted Nine Mile boardings in the No Action Alternative. For opening day of the I-225 MOS Preferred Alternative, the Regional Transportation District (RTD) would provide a total of 600 surface parking spaces at the Iliff Station. RTD and the City of Aurora have identified that the need for additional parking at the Iliff Station may arise in the future. Subsequent to the opening of the I-225 MOS Preferred Alternative, RTD would monitor the station area parking demand and work in partnership with stakeholders to identify parking and station access strategies to meet this demand. Strategies could include enhancing alternate mode access and looking for opportunities to share parking with adjacent land uses. These additional parking spaces are not part of the Preferred Alternative and may be built by stakeholders or other parties. Under the I-225 MOS Preferred Alternative, two intersections were found to operate at conditions worse than the No Action Alternative and below the level of service (LOS) D threshold, requiring mitigation to avoid congestion. Mitigation measures recommended include installation of traffic signals and additional turn lanes at the park-n-ride accesses and nearby intersections. These opening day mitigation measures would be built by RTD as part of the LRT construction. 5 The I-225 LRT Environmental Evaluation is available at: 4-1

2 The new I-225 LRT line would operate adjacent to and in the median of I-225, requiring coordination between LRT and vehicular movement. Measures used to coordinate movements include two gradeseparated crossings, one crossing the northbound lanes of I-225 north of Parker Road, and one crossing Yale Avenue. These measures would be included in the LRT construction and would be built by RTD as part of the I-225 MOS Preferred Alternative, consistent with the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) application process. Local transportation plans were reviewed as part of the evaluation of transportation impacts. Through the review, it was found that the improvements and mitigation measures identified in this chapter are compatible with local transportation plans. 4.2 Transit Service This section describes existing and future bus and rail transit service in the Study Area, including modifications of bus transit service to complement the extension of LRT Existing Transit Service The south end of the I-225 MOS Study Area is served by the existing Southeast Corridor LRT that terminates at Nine Mile Station. One LRT line currently serves the Nine Mile station: the H-Line providing access to downtown Denver. The existing bus route network in the Study Area provides access between Denver and the City of Aurora through a network of limited and local bus routes and call-n-ride and skyride service. There are currently 17 bus routes serving the Study Area in addition to call-n-ride service that connect to the LRT system. Existing bus services provide a network of routes that feed into major transfer points or park-n-rides including: Centrepoint-Sable Bus Transfer Center Nine Mile Station park-n-ride Current ridership statistics show that Nine Mile is the fifth busiest LRT station in the RTD system. The only stations with more ridership than the Nine Mile Station are the downtown stations on 16 th Street and 18 th Street, the Colfax at Auraria Station, and the I-25 and Broadway major transfer center. In 2009, there was an average of 2,650 daily boardings at the Nine Mile Station Future Transit Service This section describes future transit service for the No Action Alternative and the I-225 MOS Preferred Alternative. The operations discussed in this section are slightly different than those presented for the full 4-2

3 buildout of the I-225 LRT corridor. Those operations can be found in the EE completed for the full buildout as noted earlier. No Action Alternative The No Action Alternative represents a 2015 horizon year scenario without LRT service between the Nine Mile Station and the Iliff Station. For transit service, the No Action Alternative includes existing and planned bus routes within the Study Area, as well as the existing and planned fixed-guideway transit on other corridors as part of the FasTracks Program. The No Action Alternative includes the East Corridor Commuter Rail line between downtown Denver and the Denver International Airport (DIA). The East Corridor includes a new park-n-ride station at Peoria/Smith, which is planned to be the terminus of the I- 225 LRT corridor by The No Action alternative includes the extension of the existing Southeast Corridor from Lincoln to RidgeGate. The I-225 LRT terminus would remain at the Nine Mile Station. Under the No Action Alternative, RTD would continue to operate bus service in the area as shown in Table 4-1. In general, the No Action Alternative bus service is very similar to the bus service provided today for the Study Area. One route is added connecting the Iliff area to the Fitzsimons medical campus and the Stapleton development. The new route is referred to as Route 89. In addition, several of the existing routes have service increases between the existing and No Action alternative. All changes to existing routing or frequency are noted in Table 4-1. Route 11 Mississippi Crosstown 21 Evans Crosstown 35 Hampden Crosstown 66 Arapahoe Road 79 East Florida Ave 89 Potomac Crosstown Table 4-1 Bus Transit Routes for the No Action Alternative (2015) General Route Description/Changes from Existing in No Action Alternative Local Routes Connects Aurora City Center (Centrepoint and Sable) to Lakewood Commons via Mississippi Ave / No Change Connects the Federal Center in Lakewood to the Aurora City Center (Centrepoint and Sable) via Jewell, Evans and Iliff. Short route from Evans Station to Aurora City Center provides peak service / No Change Connects Englewood Station to Nine Mile Station via Hampden / Increased peak and off-peak service Connects Littleton Station to Arapahoe Crossing Shopping Center via Arapahoe Rd / No change Connects the University of Denver Station to the Nine Mile Station via Florida and Quebec Way / Increased off-peak service New route connecting Aurora (Iliff and I-225) to the Fitzsimons campus and Stapleton via Potomac Frequency Existing No Action Peak/Off-Peak 30/30 30/30 15/30 15/30 30/60 15/30 15/30 15/30 30/60 30/30 --/-- 30/60 4-3

4 Route 121 Peoria Crosstown 130 Yale/Buckley 131 East Iliff/Seven Hills 133 Hampden Crosstown 135 Smoky Hill Road 139 Quincy 153 Chambers Crosstown 79L 83L 121L 169L Cherry Creek / Dayton Limited Cherry Creek / Parker Rd Limited Peoria Limited Buckley / Tower DIA Limited Table 4-1 Bus Transit Routes for the No Action Alternative (2015) General Route Description/Changes from Existing in No Action Alternative Connects the Denver Tech Center (Ulster and Tufts) to Montbello via Peoria with a connection to the Nine Mile Station. Early and late service only provided between Nine Mile and Montbello / Increased off-peak service Connects Nine Mile Station with Aurora City Center (Community College of Aurora) via Yale and Buckley / No Change Connects Nine Mile Station to east Aurora via Iliff Ave / Addition of offpeak service Connects Nine Mile Station to Aurora City Center (Centrepoint and Sable) / No Change Connects Nine Mile Station to the Southlands Mall via Smoky Hill Rd / No Change Connects Nine Mile Station to the Smoky Hill park-n-ride via Quincy / Increased peak frequency Connects Arapahoe Crossing Shopping Center to Montebello via Chambers with a connection to Aurora City Center (Centrepoint and Sable). Short route begins at Aurora City Center. Hourly peak service also provided from the Parker park-n-ride / Peak service to the Parker park-n-ride is not included in the No Action alternative Limited Routes Connects Civic Center Station to Nine Mile Station via Leetsdale and Quebec Way. Peak direction only / No Change Connects Civic Center Station to Nine Mile Station via Leetsdale and Parker Rd / No Change Connects Nine Mile Station to Montbello via Peoria / No Change Connects Arapahoe Crossing Shopping Center to DIA via Buckley and Tower. Peak direction only / No Change Frequency Existing No Action Peak/Off-Peak 15/30 15/25 15/30 15/30 30/-- 30/30 15/30 15/30 30/60 30/60 30/60 15/60 30/60 full 30/60 short 60/-- Parker 30/60 full 30/60 short 30/-- 30/-- 15/30 15/30 15/-- 15/-- 3 trips / 2 trips 3 trips / 2 trips 4-4

5 Route Table 4-1 Bus Transit Routes for the No Action Alternative (2015) General Route Description/Changes from Existing in No Action Alternative Frequency Existing No Action Peak/Off-Peak SkyRide Routes AT Arapahoe County / DIA Aurora call-n-ride Source: FasTracks I-225 Team, 2011 Connects Arapahoe Station to DIA with connections at Nine Mile Station and 40 th and Airport park-n-ride. Short trips from Nine Mile to DIA do not stop at 40 th and Airport. Some trips only connect 40 th and Airport to DIA / 40 th and Airport to DIA patter eliminated with addition of East Corridor call-n-ride Service Service area bounded by Nine Mile Station on the South, Peoria St on the west, Chambers Rd on the east, and Mississippi Ave and Alameda Ave on the north / No change 60/60 (frequency at Nine Mile Station) On Demand 50/60 On Demand I-225 MOS Preferred Alternative Rail Operations The I-225 MOS Preferred Alternative LRT operations in 2015 are very similar to the LRT operations today with two exceptions. First, the H Line would terminate at Iliff Station instead of the Nine Mile Station. Second, RTD is in the process of implementing four-car trains into peak period operations. Therefore, the H Line would be served by a combination of three- and four-car trainsets to meet the increasing ridership demand on the H Line. The increase to four-car trains would ensure that there is adequate capacity to handle new riders that would come from extending the H Line to Iliff. The H Line would continue to operate with 15-minute headways all day. To maintain the 15-minute headways, it is likely that an additional trainset would be required on the H Line with the Iliff extension. No changes to other rail lines would be made as a result of the extension to Iliff Station. Table 4-2 shows the planned service hours, service frequency and headways for rail service at the Iliff Station included in the I-225 MOS Preferred Alternative for both 2015 and The I-225 LRT project would operate between 4:00 AM and 2:00 AM. The train would operate 365 days a year on either a weekday or a weekend/holiday schedule. 4-5

6 Table 4-2 I-225 MOS Preferred Alternative 2015 and 2035 Rail Operations Plan (Iliff Station) Span of Service Peak Service Weekdays (6:00 AM to 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM) Off-peak Service Weekdays (9:00 AM to 3:00 PM and 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM) Weekend/Holiday (6:00 AM to 10:00 PM) Line Service Frequency Headway Service Frequency Headway G trains/hr 7.5 min H 4 trains/hr 15 min 4 trains/hr 15 min G & H 4 trains/hr 15 min 12 trains/hr 5 min G trains/hr 10 min H 4 trains/hr 15 min 4 trains/hr 15 min G & H 4 trains/hr 15 min 10 trains/hr 6 min G trains/hr 10 min H 4 trains/hr 15 min 4 trains/hr 15 min G & H 4 trains/hr 15 min 10 trains/hr 6 min Early Service (4:00 AM to 6:00 AM) Late Service (10:00 PM to 2:00 AM) G trains/hr 30 min H 2 trains/hr 30 min 2 trains/hr 30 min G & H 2 trains/hr 30 min 4 trains/hr 15 min Source: RTD, 2011 Note: 2035 service based on buildout of the full I-225 Corridor. Without the full I-225 LRT extension, the 2035 Rail Operations Plan would be the same as Bus Operations The bus transit network included in the I-225 MOS Preferred Alternative would improve on the No Action Alternative transit network in the I-225 MOS Study Area by reallocating resources to create new routes and modify existing routes to serve the new LRT station. The 2015 I-225 MOS Preferred Alternative includes routes that have been planned to accompany the I-225 LRT line as part of the I-225 Corridor EE (Routes 475 and 476). In addition, the 2015 I-225 MOS Preferred Alternative includes three additional routes that are intended to serve the travel patterns that would eventually be accommodated by the implementation of the full I-225 LRT. These new routes are referred to as Routes 477, 478L, and 225X. Table 4-3 provides a summary of the 2015 I-225 MOS Preferred Alternative bus routes in the Study Area and the changes to those routes from the No Action Alternative. 4-6

7 Table 4-3 Bus Transit Routes for the I-225 MOS Preferred Alternative (2015) Route Frequency Changes from No Action in the I-225 No Action Preferred MOS Preferred Alternative Peak/Off-Peak Local Routes 11 Mississippi Crosstown No Change 30/30 30/30 21 Evans Crosstown Connection to the Iliff Station 15/30 15/30 35 Hampden Crosstown No Change 15/30 15/30 66 Arapahoe Road No change 15/30 15/30 79 East Florida Ave No Change 30/30 30/30 89 Potomac Crosstown No Change 30/60 30/ Peoria Crosstown No Change 15/25 15/ Yale/Buckley No Change 15/30 15/ East Iliff/Seven Hills Western terminus moved from Nine Mile Station to Iliff Station 30/30 30/ Hampden Crosstown No Change 15/30 15/ Smoky Hill Road No Change 30/60 30/ Quincy No Change 15/60 15/ Chambers Crosstown 475 Sable Crosstown 476 Abilene - Potomac 477 Sable Fitzsimons 79L 83L Cherry Creek / Dayton Limited Cherry Creek / Parker Rd Limited No Change New route between Nine Mile and Peoria/Smith Commuter Rail Station along Sable Blvd. Would provide local service through the Aurora Town Center and the neighborhood east of the Fitzsimons campus. New route between Iliff Station and the edge of the Fitzsimons campus at Colfax via Abilene and Potomac. New route connecting the Iliff Station to the Peoria/Smith Commuter Rail Station. The route travels on Sable to Colfax and then provides local service through the Fitzsimons campus. Limited Routes 30/60 full 30/60 short 30/60 full 30/60 short --/-- 15/30 --/-- 15/30 --/-- 30/30 No Change 30/-- 30/-- Increased peak direction frequency during the peak period 15/30 15/30 reverse direction 10/30 peak direction 121L Peoria Limited No change 15/-- 15/-- 169L Buckley / Tower DIA Limited No Change 3 trips / 2 trips 3 trips / 2 trips 4-7

8 Route 478L Potomac Limited Table 4-3 Bus Transit Routes for the I-225 MOS Preferred Alternative (2015) Changes from No Action in the I-225 MOS Preferred Alternative New route between the Iliff Station and the Peoria/Smith Commuter Rail Station. Provides service through the Fitzsimons campus. Express Routes Frequency No Action Preferred Peak/Off-Peak --/-- 15/30 225X I-225 Express New route providing express service on I-225 from Iliff Station to Peoria/Smith. This route will serve the Aurora City Center (Centrepoint and Sable) and the Fitzsimons Campus with a stop on Colfax. Would run during the peak period only. --/-- 15/-- SkyRide Routes AT Arapahoe County / DIA Eliminated service provided to the East Corridor via the new routes connecting the Iliff Station to the Peoria/Smith Station call-n-ride Service 50/60 --/-- Aurora call-n-ride No Change On Demand On Demand Source: FasTracks I-225 Team, Transit Impacts The following describes the impacts to the transit system for the No Action Alternative and I-225 MOS Preferred Alternative, including ridership demand, station boardings, station access by mode, travel time, regional vehicle miles traveled (VMT), and vehicle hours of travel (VHT) No Action Alternative Without the I-225 MOS, transit travel to downtown Denver from south-central Aurora would occur by taking a bus to Colorado Station on the Southeast Corridor and transferring to an LRT line for the remainder of the trip to downtown Denver. Under the No Action Alternative, in 2015 traveling by transit from the Iliff Station to the 18th/California Station would take approximately 50 minutes. Without the I-225 MOS, the 2015 Denver Regional Council of Government (DRCOG) model forecasts 5,900 daily LRT boardings at Nine Mile Station. However, the existing Nine Mile park-n-ride is 100 percent utilized, so without additional investment in parking or rail expansion, it will be difficult for ridership to increase to the forecasted level. The model forecasts that over 60 percent of Nine Mile riders access the station by auto. 4-8

9 4.3.2 I-225 MOS Preferred Alternative This section summarizes the transit impacts associated with the I-225 MOS Preferred Alternative. Station Boardings Under the I-225 MOS Preferred Alternative, the 2015 DRCOG model forecasts 4,760 daily LRT boardings at Nine Mile and 1,990 daily LRT boardings at Iliff Station. This equates to a total of 6,750 boardings between the two stations, which is a 14 percent increase beyond Nine Mile boardings in the No Action Alternative. This suggests that in addition to relieving congestion from the Nine Mile Station, the extension to Iliff will attract new LRT riders. The LRT ridership increase between the No Action and I- 225 MOS Preferred Alternative is shown in Figure Figure Daily LRT Boardings Light Rail Boardings Iliff Nine Mile 0 No Action Preferred Alternative Source: RTD, 2011 In 2035, the Iliff Station is forecasted to have the highest level of boardings on the I-225 Corridor excluding the Peoria/Smith Station, which would be a transfer station connecting to the East Corridor commuter rail. Station Access by Mode The type of access to the Iliff Station in the I-225 MOS Preferred Alternative was estimated from the 2015 DRCOG Model. Modes of access from the model include walking/biking, driving, and transfer from bus. The forecasted peak period shares by access mode for Iliff Station are shown in Figure

10 Figure Iliff Station Access by Mode Bus, 19% Drive, 73% Walk/Bike, 7% Source: RTD, 2011 Transit Travel Times Figure 4-3 compares AM peak period transit travel times between the Iliff Station and downtown Denver in The I-225 MOS Preferred Alternative exhibits a 28 percent improvement in transit travel time over the No Action scenario, when comparing 50 minutes to 36 minutes in each direction. Figure AM Peak Period Transit Travel Time from Iliff Station to Downtown Denver Minutes Source: RTD, 2011 Preferred Alternative No Action Scenario 4-10

11 Vehicle Miles of Travel and Vehicle Hours of Travel Vehicle Miles of Travel (VMT) and Vehicle Hours of Travel (VHT) are measures of travel demand and congestion. Table 4-4 shows the impact to VMT and VHT of the I-225 MOS Preferred Alternative (average weekday in 2015) in the I-225 MOS Study Area and the Denver Metro Region. Table 4-4 Impact to VMT and VHT of I-225 MOS Preferred Alternative in 2015 Denver Metro Region No Action Alternative I-225 MOS Preferred Alternative I-225 MOS Preferred Alternative Study Area I-225 MOS No Action Preferred Alternative Alternative VMT 83,260,350 83,256,370 2,182,710 2,181,840 Difference in VMT from No Action -3, VHT 2,317,570 2,317,390 60,250 60,180 Difference in VHT from No Action Source: RTD, 2011 In both the Denver Metro Region and the I-225 MOS Study Area, the I-225 MOS Preferred Alternative shows an improvement over the No Action Alternative for both VMT and VHT. As a result, the I-225 MOS Preferred Alternative would likely have a positive effect on reducing congestion in the Denver Metro Region and in the I-225 MOS Study Area. 4.4 Roadway Systems The I-225 MOS Preferred Alternative is expected to have a direct impact to localized traffic operations on the roadway network within the Study Area. The following provides an overall summary of the traffic conditions with and without the I-225 MOS Preferred Alternative in place Station Area Impacts and Mitigation The 2015 horizon year was used to represent the opening day scenario of the I-225 MOS. Therefore, 2015 traffic analysis was completed specifically to determine RTD required improvements to mitigate traffic related to the LRT operations, including the Iliff park-n-ride. Where impacts are identified, mitigation measure recommendations have been made. Temporary construction impacts and mitigation measures are described in Section 4.6. Parking Demand The FasTracks Plan (2004) estimated and budgeted for 1,800 surface parking spaces along the entire I- 225 Corridor. Through an assessment of travel demand, land suitability, and coordination with planning efforts by the City of Aurora and other stakeholders, these spaces have been allocated at stations through the Alternatives Analysis during the EE process. The allocations were based on RTD s 1,800 planned opening day parking spaces for the entire I-225 Corridor. Based on allocations to the entire I-225 Corridor, it was determined that the Iliff Station would have an opening day parking supply of 600 spaces. Subsequent to the opening of the I-225 LRT extension to Iliff in 2014, RTD will monitor the station area parking demand and work in partnership with stakeholders to identify parking strategies to 4-11

12 meet any additional demand. In addition, if the peak occupancy rate at the RTD park-n-ride is greater than 85 percent, or overflow parking in adjacent parking lots and local streets is observed and problematic to the surrounding neighborhood, RTD will provide the following mitigations. Monitor parking demand Either through specific counts or through regular visual surveys to determine whether and to what extent additional parking is needed. Provide parking education to citizens Advertise transit, bike and pedestrian means of station access through print, Internet and other local media, as well as through coordination with the City of Aurora, the Aurora Chamber of Commerce, and appropriate Transportation Management Organizations. Assess local resources surrounding stations Conduct a survey of adjacent properties near the stations to determine additional parking that could be utilized through inter-agency or other cooperative agreements for shared parking. Implement RTD s parking management program. Station Area Traffic Impacts and Mitigation Measures Traffic generation at the Iliff Station is influenced by transit ridership, the number of available parking spaces, and the mode of arrival at the station. To evaluate potential traffic impacts, 2015 traffic forecasts were developed using: The 2015 DRCOG model to determine the growth in traffic expected between current conditions and The number of parking spaces at the Iliff Station in Trip generation rates from Trip Generation (7th Edition, 2003, published by the Institute of Transportation Engineers). Local data from existing LRT station traffic counts. Resulting peak hour forecasts were then used to calculate LOS at the critical intersections in the vicinity of the station. LOS is described by a letter designation ranging from A to F, with LOS A representing almost free-flow travel, while LOS F represents congested conditions. For signalized intersections, LOS is reported for the entire intersection, while LOS for unsignalized intersections is reported for the worst approach, which must yield right-of-way to other traffic movements. RTD FasTracks policy indicates that mitigation measures should be implemented to achieve at least LOS D or ensure that operations are maintained at the No Action level if already worse than LOS D. Detailed results of the LOS analyses can be found in the Transportation Technical Report (FasTracks I-225 Team, 2011). The Iliff Station would be located just east of I-225 on the southwest corner of the Iliff Avenue/Blackhawk Street intersection shown on Figure 4-4. Access to the proposed station would be provided along Blackhawk Street and Harvard Avenue. In 2015, 600 surface parking spaces are planned for this station. Two intersections were found to operate below the LOS D threshold: Harvard Avenue/Anaheim Street and Iliff Avenue/Blackhawk Street. As such, mitigation measures required for opening day are identified in Figure 4-4 and described below. 4-12

13 Figure Geometric and Traffic Control Improvements Source: FasTracks I-225 Team, 2009 Harvard Avenue/Anaheim Street Intersection Signalize the intersection at the Anaheim Street access (along Harvard Avenue). o Provision of a southbound left-turn lane at this intersection would also improve operations, especially for buses, and is recommended. o The City of Aurora is currently in the process of looking at a long-term solution for operations at this intersection. The City of Aurora is considering changes to this intersection, such as a single-lane roundabout that would allow the intersection to operate acceptably from a traffic standpoint as well as fit within the long-range transit oriented development (TOD) plans for this area. RTD would work with the City of Aurora to develop acceptable mitigation measures for this intersection. RTD understands that mitigation measures may be different than the signal recommended in the EE and this EA. RTD s contribution to the final mitigation measure would not exceed the cost required to signalize this intersection as proposed in this EA. It should be noted that any mitigation measures developed with the City of Aurora cannot result in environmental impacts because they have not been addressed in this EA. 4-13

14 Iliff Avenue/Blackhawk Street Intersection It was determined that an additional northbound left-turn lane would be required to mitigate the 2015 traffic impacts caused by the Iliff Station traffic. RTD discussed with the City of Aurora that this mitigation measure could be accommodated in the short term (opening day) without physically expanding the intersection. o Restripe the Blackhawk and Iliff intersection to include two northbound left-turn lanes, one southbound right-turn lane, and one southbound through lane. This improvement would not preclude the eventual expansion of the intersection to accommodate two southbound through lanes by others. For the 2035 condition with 910 surface parking spaces in place, additional left-turn lanes on the westbound approach and a new right-turn lane on the northbound approach at the Iliff Avenue/Blackhawk Street intersection would be needed in order to achieve the desired LOS. These improvements are not part of RTD s 2015 opening day mitigation commitments, but may be constructed in the future in partnership with RTD. Harvard Avenue would be shifted to the east to accommodate the LRT alignment between I-225 and Harvard Avenue. During construction, Harvard Avenue would be changed to one-way traffic during utility relocations. To avoid extended traffic delays, complete closure of Harvard Avenue would occur during construction of the new Harvard Avenue alignment and new light rail alignment. Closure of Harvard Avenue is anticipated to last several months. Continuous access to businesses along Harvard Avenue will be provided during construction. Detour signs will be installed to provide directions to specific businesses on Harvard Avenue. The detour route will use Abilene Street, Anaheim Street, and Blackhawk Street. Station Area Indirect Impacts The previous section describes the station area impacts directly associated with the development of the I- 225 LRT. It is likely that the station area would also experience some degree of redevelopment in the future. Station areas lend themselves to TOD that generally have an increased density, mix of land uses, and encourage use of transit and other alternative modes of travel. Local street improvements required to accommodate proposed TOD would be the responsibility of the local jurisdiction and developer. Cutthrough traffic in the neighborhood surrounding the station is not anticipated to be an issue because access to the station is direct from major roadways. 4.5 Pedestrian and Bicycle Facilities Impacts and Mitigation Existing Network and Facilities The City of Aurora maintains bicycle and pedestrian facilities throughout the I-225 MOS Preferred Alternative Study Area. The City also has plans for future bicycle and pedestrian facility expansion. These plans include elements from the City of Aurora s station area planning process, the Parks and Open Space Master Plan, the City of Aurora Comprehensive Plan, and the Aurora Bike Plan (City of Aurora, 2007a; 2003; 1998). The pedestrian and bicycle facilities discussed in this section are categorized as transportation facilities, and, therefore, determined to not be classified as Section 4(f) resources. Consultation with local jurisdictions and review of local plans helped identify existing pedestrian and bicycle facilities within the I-225 MOS Preferred Alternative Study Area (City of Aurora, 2007a; City of Aurora, 2007b). A 300-foot buffer of the proposed improvements was used to assess direct and temporary 4-14

15 impacts. Two pedestrian and bicycle resources (trail connectors) were identified within the 300-foot buffer area. Trail connectors are considered small trails or sidewalks that provide a connection between two major trails. The two trail connectors are described in Table 4-5 and shown on Figure 4-5. Map Label Resource ID Name T-1 Unnamed trail connector located between Westerly Creek Trail and Cherry Creek Trail T-2 Unnamed trail connector along Yale Avenue Source: Table 4-5 Pedestrian and Bicycle Facilities Description and Location Multipurpose local trail Separated sidewalk and signed bike route on Ursula. Trail runs parallel to I-225 north of Parker Road and crosses under I-225 south of Parker Road. Multipurpose local trail Sidewalk runs along Yale Avenue and spans I-225 with the Yale Avenue bridge. City of Aurora 2007c, 2008a, and 2008b Size in Acres Owner Relationship to other Recreational Resources NA City of Aurora This trail serves as a connection between the Westerly Creek Trail to the north and the Cherry Creek Greenway Trail to the south. Westerly Creek and Cherry Creek Greenway Trails connect to Utah Park and Cherry Creek State Park respectively. NA City of Aurora The trail connects to an existing bike lane to the east and Westerly Creek Greenway Trail to the west Future Network and Facilities Pedestrian and bicycle access through the I-225 interchange to the station would be provided by existing routes along Iliff Avenue. Pedestrian connections would be provided from the station platform to parking areas and Iliff Avenue. The City of Aurora s Iliff Station Area Plan calls for streets within the station area to include bicycle lanes and wider sidewalks with pedestrian amenities, and pedestrian and bicycle routes are to be extended and connected to the existing and planned routes in the larger surrounding area. RTD allows bicycles on all buses. In addition, RTD allows two bicycles per vehicle on its LRT vehicles without any time restrictions. The FasTracks Plan includes bike racks at stations and bike lockers at parkn-rides, where space is sufficient to accommodate placement. For the storage of bicycles, RTD normally provides a minimum of six dual bicycle lockers and three inverted "U" bicycle racks at transit stations. It is anticipated that RTD would continue to provide bicycle storage at or above these levels at FasTracks stations. The final determination is dependent on the technical feasibility and public input obtained during the EA and public comment obtained during design No Action Alternative The No Action Alternative would not result in direct impacts to pedestrian and bicycle facilities because no I-225 Corridor LRT facilities would be constructed. Other transportation projects included in the No Action transportation network may have impacts to pedestrian and bicycle facilities. The impacts of these other projects have been or will be considered in the NEPA process for each of these projects, and avoidance, minimization, and/or mitigation specified, as appropriate, in the specific NEPA decision documents for each project. 4-15

16 Figure 4-5 Pedestrian and Bicycle Facilities Source: FasTracks I-225 Team,

17 Indirect Impacts The No Action Alternative would not result in indirect impacts to pedestrian and bicycle facilities. Cumulative Impacts Population growth will place additional demands on pedestrian and bicycle facilities. Development under the No Action Alternative likely would be more dispersed than under the I-225 MOS Preferred Alternative. Population increases would result in development of new housing and businesses on vacant lands and increased use of existing pedestrian and bicycle facilities. Consistent with local plans, additional facilities would be provided proportionately to new development I-225 MOS Preferred Alternative The I-225 MOS Preferred Alternative would be compatible with bicycle and pedestrian facilities in the I- 225 MOS Preferred Alternative Study Area. Walk and bike access comprises seven percent of the estimated mode of access at the Iliff Station. The I-225 MOS Study Area contains two trails, as described in Table 4-5. The I-225 MOS Preferred Alternative is anticipated to have no direct, indirect, or temporary impacts to the T-1 trail connector. Impacts to the T-2 trail connector as a result of the I-225 MOS Preferred Alternative are summarized in Table 4-6. Table 4-6 Potential Pedestrian and Bicycle Facilities Impacts Resource Name Direct Impacts Temporary Construction Impacts T-2 Unnamed trail connector along Yale Avenue Source: FasTracks I-225 Team, 2011 This trail connector would be relocated/reconstructed as part of the Yale Bridge reconstruction. The trail is currently detached on a structure separate from the Yale Bridge structure that would be replaced. The new Yale Avenue bridge would include a new combined bicycle/pedestrian facility, which would include separated sidewalks along the north and south sides of Yale Avenue. The existing trail structure would be removed along with the Yale Avenue Bridge structure. Of the overall 24 to 27- month construction period, the likely duration of the trail closure is 6 to 9 months. This closure would occur during the fall and winter timeframe, when there is less trail use overall. Indirect Impacts The I-225 MOS Preferred Alternative would not result in indirect impacts to pedestrian and bicycle facilities. Temporary Construction Impacts Temporary construction impacts are addressed above in Table 4-6. Mitigation for temporary impacts is described in Section 4.6. Cumulative Impacts Cumulative impacts for the I-225 MOS Preferred Alternative would essentially be the same as those described for the No Action Alternative. Implementation of the I-225 MOS Preferred Alternative would provide a stimulus for development of land within 0.5 mile of the station, creating higher density mixed- 4-17

18 I-225 MOS use developments. This would result in a population shift toward TOD. Additional bicycle and pedestrian facilities likely would be provided as part of the TOD. 4.6 Construction Impacts and Mitigation Consultation with the City of Aurora in a meeting held on March 24, 2011 resulted in the development of proposed detour routes to mitigate temporary closure of Yale Avenue and the adjacent T-2 trail connector during construction. The proposed detours for both vehicular and pedestrian/bicycle traffic are shown on Figure 4-6. Figure 4-6 Proposed Trail and Vehicle Detour during Construction of Yale Bridge Source: FasTracks I-225 Team, Roadway Construction Impacts and Mitigation During the construction process, motorists will experience travel delays as traffic that normally uses the Yale Avenue bridge over I-225 would be subject to a detour. The vehicular detour during construction of the Yale Avenue bridge will use major roadways Peoria Street, Iliff Avenue, and Chambers Road for through traffic. Access to local neighborhoods near the bridge will be provided along Xanadu Way and Blackhawk Street via Iliff Avenue (see Figure 4-6). The exact location of detour notifications and 4-18

19 signage will be determined during final design. Near the Iliff Station, vehicular traffic and access to local businesses will be maintained throughout construction using construction traffic control methods to be determined during final design Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities Construction Mitigation The trail detour will use the Ursula Street to Cherry Creek Spillway alignment, as shown on Figure 4-6. This alignment connects Ursula Street and the Spillway Trail with a sidewalk connector along a short portion of Parker Road. The Parker Road connection includes pedestrian crosswalks at all intersections. Special bicycle signage (e.g., Bicyclists Dismount) will be provided at appropriate street crossings to ensure safety of trail detour users. The exact location of the trail detour and specific signage will be determined during final design Additional Construction Mitigation The following mitigation measures are program-wide mitigation measures that RTD has committed to for all FasTracks Corridors. The following sections identify strategies that can be applied to individual FasTracks Corridors to mitigate traffic disturbances during construction activities. Commuter Education and Outreach Communicate with individuals, companies, and communities through diverse media advertising the availability of travel options and services using: Radio ads On-site promotional events Flyers and promotional materials Ads on bus and van panels Speakers bureaus Newspaper ads Project website Project hotline Regional Partnerships and Subsidies Eco Pass Program: Annual bus and light rail pass offered to employees by employers. Individual ValuPass program: Annual bus or light rail pass offered on an individual basis where individuals may apply for a discount (e.g., 12 months for the price of 8 months). Registered Vanpool Program: All riders in a newly-formed vanpool received 50 percent discount for up to 3 months. Commuter Check Program: Employers can purchase commuter checks for employees to use as a transit voucher for a bus pass, light rail pass or vanpool fare. Employer Pass Outlet: Employers can order monthly transit passes to sell on-site. Provide Commuter Information Create an internet-based local information network providing promotional opportunities; realtime transit information; updates on construction, route closures alternative route information and 4-19

20 other transportation information and services (coordinating with state and regional intelligent transportation system [ITS] projects). Other Potential Mitigation Strategies Produce Traffic Management Safety Reports and Traffic Control Plans for each phase of construction and: 1. Take into account the carbon monoxide season (11/1 3/1). 2. Attempt to keep transit operating at existing stops where possible. 3. Keep bike and pedestrian facilities continuous. 4. Ensure that the contractor obtains permits and approvals by local governments for all detours. 5. Provide signing plans must maintain sign continuity and provide advanced warning of any closures at least seven days in advance. 6. Provide pavement marking plans to maintain access and circulation in construction areas. 7. Provide temporary signalization plans in coordination with RTD, local agencies, and utility providers. Develop an Incident Management Plan to ensure that access is maintained for all emergency vehicles and that all closures are coordinated in advance with the State Patrol, police, sheriff departments, fire departments, and ambulance providers. Provide a courtesy patrol to ensure at least one off-duty officer is available at all times to help manage incidents. Provide a secure internet site for sharing information among traffic and emergency management centers. Obtain access permits for permanent driveway changes must coordinate with local governments and address in public outreach efforts. 4.7 Compatibility with Area Plans The No Action and the I-225 MOS Preferred Alternative were evaluated to determine their compatibility with local and regional transportation plans. The plans listed below were reviewed and evaluated for compatibility with the proposed I-225 LRT improvements. Under the No Action Alternative, the effectiveness of the plans listed below would drastically decrease, because the No Action Alternative would not fully support key elements of several local plans. Transportation improvements and mitigation measures identified in this chapter are compatible with these local transportation plans. City of Aurora Comprehensive Plan (City of Aurora, 2003) Aurora Urban Street Standards (City of Aurora, 2007b) Colorado Science + Technology Park at Fitzsimons Infrastructure Master Plan (Fitzsimons Redevelopment Authority, 2007) Fitzsimons Area Wide Multi-Modal Transportation Study (City of Aurora, 2009c) Aurora Strategic Parking Plan and Program Study (City of Aurora, 2009b) Adams County Transportation Plan (Adams County, 1996) 2030 Metro Vision Regional Transportation Plan (DRCOG, 2005) 4-20

21 Denver Regional Council of Government s (DRCOG) preparation and adoption of the 2035 Metro Vision Regional Transportation Plan (Metro Vision Plan) in December 2007 (DRCOG, 2007) I-225 Major Investment Study (RTD, 2001) I-225 Colfax Avenue Interchange EA/FONSI (CDOT, 2005) I-225 Widening from North of Parker Road to North of 6th Avenue (EA July 2000 and FONSI March 2001) (CDOT, 2000; 2001) 4-21

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