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U.S. 36 Transportation Improvements Moving Ahead
Summary:

Progress Forward:  U.S. 36 Transportation Improvements Moving Ahead

The U.S. 36 Preferred Alternative was defined December 2009 and includes a package of multi-modal transportation investments to improve mobility along the U.S. 36 corridor.  The U.S. 36 Preferred Alternative includes HOV/HOT lanes, Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and a corridor-wide commuter bikeway, interchange and bridge replacement and pavement replacement for a total cost of $1.3 billion. 

U.S. 36 will be reconstructed in phases as funding is identified.  Phase One improvements include 6.8 miles of HOV/HOT lanes, commuter bikeway and BRT from approximately Westminster to Wadsworth.  The cost of Phase One is $160 million.  Once funding is confirmed, construction would begin early 2012 and run through 2014. 

The first funding opportunity is the TIGER Grant and TIFIA Loan project.  In February 2010, CDOT won a $10 million Transportation Investments Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant, which was leveraged to receive additional commitments from CDOT, DRCOG and RTD.  $85 million has been achieved so far, with the remaining $55 million contingent upon receiving a federal TIFIA loan. 

36 Commuting Solutions is partnering with CDOT, RTD, DRCOG and U.S. 36 local governments to pursue every available funding opportunity.  For more information, visit www.36commutingsolutions.org .

 

36 Commuting Solutions eNewsletter- August 2010
Summary:
In This Issue:
  • RTD FasTracks Ridership Projections Increase
  • Member Spotlight: Level(3) Communications
  • 120th Avenue Connection Project Nears Completion
  • RTD Board of Directors Election
  • Transportation Impacts of Proposed Legislation Amendments 60, 61 and Proposition 101
  • RTD Addresses $12M Budget Shortfall
  • Beyond U.S. 36
  • Worth Reading
 
 RTD FasTracks Ridership Projections Increase  
Ridership projections for nearly all RTD FasTracks corridors have risen significantly according to the Denver Regional Council of Governments' recently updated regional travel model.  
  
Below are the new RTD FasTracks forecast numbers for average weekday ridership by the year 2035:
 
 
Previously Reported
2035 New Model
North Metro
13,100
24,100
Northwest Rail
8,400
17,400
I-225
17,900
34,200
Southeast Light Rail Extension
16,200
14,800
Southwest Light Rail Extension
4,300
5,700
Central Light Rail Extension
4,900
5,800
U.S. 36 Bus Rapid Transit
10,200
14,600
    
New FasTracks ridership numbers reflect local and regional policy shifts and ongoing model enhancements.  New ridership information will not change the opening day requirements outlined in the FasTracks plan.
  
While higher ridership, in and of itself, does not necessarily translate into more federal funding, what is significant about this new ridership information is that when the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) guidance is released and a new transportation reauthorization occurs, it may help these FasTracks corridors to be identified as candidates for newly established New Starts funding, depending on the new requirements set forth by FTA.  Although most FasTracks corridors have completed their appropriate environmental documents, these documents would be revised if the new ridership numbers allowed the project to contend for any new federal monies that may become available.   

 

Member Spotlight: Level 3 Communications  

Level 3 Communications has been a member of the 36 Commuting Solutions coalition since the organization's inception in 1998.  Year after year, Level 3 demonstrates strong commitment to helping make critical transportation investments a reality for the U.S. 36 corridor.   

  

Level 3 encourages employees to use clean commute options to work, including promotion of the 36 Commuting Solutions 36 Commuter CASH pay-per-performance incentive program.  Level 3 also encourages company participation in Bike to Work Day each year.    

One of the largest U.S. 36 private employers, with approximately 3,000 employees in Colorado, Level 3 strengthens the collective voice of the 36 Commuting Solutions public-private coalition as together we advocate for U.S. 36 transportation funding and improvements.  Thank you, Level 3, for your continued involvement! 

"We strongly support 36 Commuting Solutions' efforts to improve transportation along the U.S. 36 corridor because a well-functioning transportation system is critical to the economic success and vitality of the Northwest Denver/Boulder region," said James Pribyl, VP of Government Relations. 

 

 120th Avenue Connection Nears Completion 

Jointly funded by the Colorado Department of Transportation and the City and County of Broomfield, the 120th Avenue Connection project began September 2009 and is more than 80 percent complete. The design-build team of Edward Kraemer & Sons and HNTB is on schedule to complete the project next month.  

The purpose of the project is to accommodate existing and forecasted east-west through-traffic, reduce out-of-direction travel and alleviate traffic congestion. In addition to a concrete roadway, the project includes sidewalks and bike lanes.  

Construction Progress:

  • Concrete paving for the new 120th Avenue alignment was completed in July 2010.  Sidewalk construction, roadway lighting installation, landscaping, signing and striping will be finished in September.
  • The RTD U.S. 36 & Broomfield park-n-Ride was relocated in May and demolition of the old facility is complete.
  • Reconstruction of the 120th Avenue and Wadsworth Parkway intersection and roadways is underway.

"The 120th Avenue Connection is a critical infrastructure enhancement to the Broomfield area.  The project will provide better connectivity, safer and more seamless travel for motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians," said Debra Baskett, City and County of Broomfield Transportation Manager.  

A ribbon cutting ceremony is planned for the first week in October.  We will keep you posted to the details.   Click here to visit the project website. 

RTD Board of Directors Election 

RTD is governed by a 15-member, publicly elected Board of Directors. Directors are elected to a four-year term and represent a specific district. Elections are staggered so eight seats are open in one general election, seven in the next.  The next election will occur Tuesday, November 2, 2010 as part of the Colorado general election. 

The following U.S. 36 District positions are up for bid this November:

District C (Westminster/Adams County)

Incumbent Director Angie Malpiede and Samantha Dixion, former Westminster City Council member, are candidates.

District J (Westminster)

Current District J Director Bill Christopher is term-limited.  JoAnn Price, former Westminster City Council member, is a candidate.

  

District L (Broomfield/Superior)

Current District L Director Wally Pulliam is term limited.  Lorraine Anderson and Bob Wilson are candidates. 

District O (Boulder County)

RTD District O Director John Tayer is running unopposed. 

Other RTD Districts up for election:

-District B: Christopher Martinez, term limited.  Candidates: Melvin Bush, Barbara Deadwyler, Miller Hudson.

-District K: Noel Busck, incumbent.  Candidate: Kenneth Riley. 

-District N: Bruce Daly, incumbent.  Unopposed.  

 

Transportation Impacts of Amendments 60, 61 and Proposition 101  

Move Colorado, an advocacy organization addressing transportation-funding issues, calls Amendments 60 and 61 and Proposition 101 a "transportation disaster."  According to Move Colorado's research, the proposed ballot measures will have devastating impacts on Colorado's transportation system:  

  • Slash CDOT's budget by nearly 30%, or $296 million.
  • Cause RTD revenue loss of $33 - $36 million per year.  
  • Eliminate or diminish the High Performance Transportation Enterprise (HPTE), established in 2009 by the FASTER bill to accelerate transportation investments.
  • Eliminate the Bridge Enterprise, also established by FASTER and charged with repairing or replacing the 128 structurally-deficient bridges in Colorado.
  • No ability to build, repair or maintain Colorado's transportation systems.
  • More than 5,800 transportation, construction, engineering and related jobs lost and another 28,000 jobs in related infrastructure annually. 

Click here to learn more about proposed ballot measures Amendments 60, 61 and Proposition 101. 

  

Get Involved!

  • Vote NO on Amendments 60 and 61 and Proposition 101 on Tuesday, November 2.
  • Sign the petition.
  • Tell your friends, neighbors and co-workers about these dangerous measures. 

 

RTD Addresses $12M Budget Shortfall 

RTD staff and Board of Directors are looking at a number of ways to solve the 2011 budget shortfall of $12 million. This deficit is largely due to lower than expected sales tax revenues. The RTD Board is considering five options, which are different combinations of these budget-saving measures:

  • Fare increase ($8.2 - $9.2 million/year)
  • Service reductions ($2 - $5 million/year)
  • Fuel savings ($3.5 million/year)
  • Use of the 5% operating reserves ($3.3 - $14.5 million/year)
  • Staff travel reduction ($200,000/year)
  • Elimination of two staff sick days ($400,000/year)
  • Salary freeze ($2 million/year)
  • Furlough days ($300,000/year)

A possible fare increase for 2011 is one of the many budget items that are being considered by the Board. At their monthly meeting August 17, the Board decided to move forward with the public input process to obtain community input regarding the proposed fare increase. The Board will review all public comments before they vote in October whether to approve the fare increase. If approved, the fare increase would be effective January 1, 2011. 

See the public meeting schedule.   Review the proposed 2011 fares.   

 

Beyond U.S. 36 

Denver Union Station is the largest transportation redevelopment project in North America.  Click here to see the future vision for this site.   

RTD August Service Changes occur Sunday, August 22.  Click here to see final changes.   

Use it (transit) to lose it (weight) 

U.S. DOT Announces $8.5 Billion in Requests for High Speed Funds; $2.3 Billion Available  

Why Free Parking Comes at a Price

Worth Reading

Sustainability and Livability: Summary of Definitions, Goals, Objectives and Performance Indicators

This short report summarizes basic definitions and concepts for sustainable and livable transportation planning.

Evaluating Public Transportation Health Benefits

Written by VTPI for the American Public Transportation Association, this report investigates ways that public transportation affects human health, and practical methods for considering these impacts in policy and planning decisions. This research indicates that public transit improvements and more transit oriented development can provide large but often overlooked health benefits. People who live or work in communities with high quality transit tend to drive significantly less and rely more on alternative modes (walking, cycling and public transit) than they otherwise would, which reduces per capita traffic crash and pollution emission rates, increases physical fitness and improves access to medical care and healthy food.

PELOSI, POLIS, U.S. 36 COALITION SHOWCASE
Summary:

PELOSI, POLIS, U.S. 36 COALITION SHOWCASE U.S. 36 CORRIDOR AS NATIONAL MODEL FOR TRANSPORTATION INNOVATION

Highlight Success of $10M TIGER Grant and ARRA Funding

On March 1, 2010, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Congressman Jared Polis (D-CO) joined members of the U.S. 36 Coalition and state transportation officials to highlight the successful impact of funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), including the recently announced $10 million TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) grant for the U.S. 36 Corridor project between Denver and Boulder.  U.S. 36 was one of 51 projects selected across the nation to receive funding, despite over 1,400 applications from all 50 states, and was one of only five projects extended a federal TIFIA (Transportation Infrastructure Finance Innovation Act) loan application.

 

“Under the leadership of Congressman Polis, Colorado has demonstrated that improving and updating U.S.36 can serve as a national model in investing in our infrastructure while greening our nation and creating good-paying jobs,” said Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

“We came here today to show that these recovery funds are not just building a better road and reducing traffic, but are also creating jobs and improving lives up and down the U.S. 36 Corridor,” said Congressman Polis.  “This innovative and ground-breaking project would not have been possible without the incredible collaboration between the U.S. 36 Coalition, area leaders at all levels, and the many communities along the U.S. 36 Corridor.  We worked hard, worked smart, and have transformed the U.S. 36 Corridor into a model for forward-thinking, sustainable transportation policy that the country will follow.”

The U.S. 36 project includes adding one managed lane in each direction on U.S. 36; bus rapid transit operations for the corridor; a commuter bikeway; and an intelligent transportation system for toll collection and incident management.  Improvements to the entire U.S. 36 Corridor are estimated to cost $1.3 billion and would likely be constructed in multiple phases.  The first phase of the project would construct the infrastructure for managed lanes/bus rapid transit at the east end of U.S. 36 in order to reduce congestion and encourage more energy efficient modes of transportation. 

The U.S. 36 Coalition, which includes mayors and commissioners from six local governments and 36 Commuting Solutions (the business side of the Coalition), provided the Speaker and Congressman with details about U.S. 36 Corridor project, which is considered to be a national model for partnership and innovation.

“The City and County of Broomfield has a bold vision to create more primary jobs by becoming the applied research and science capital of the world,” said Broomfield Mayor Pat Quinn.  “We cannot achieve that goal without the multi-modal corridor we envision, and that multi-modal corridor cannot be built without TIGER and other innovative funding, so we are offering our heartfelt thanks to Speaker Pelosi and Congressman Polis today for their support.”

“There are no Republican, Democratic, or Independent highways, and that’s what makes this project so special,” said Westminster Mayor Nancy McNally.  “We greatly appreciate Congressman Polis for the opportunity to brief Speaker Pelosi on the merits of the U.S. 36 multi-modal project and the significant benefits we are realizing from the ARRA funding.”

“The U.S 36 project is a sustainable and environmentally friendly plan that will provide our employees with immediate options for how they get to work each day, and aligns so well with the mission of WhiteWave Foods to reduce our overall footprint on the planet,” said WhiteWave Foods VP of Government and Industry Kelly Shea. 

Colorado hopes to leverage the $10 million TIGER Grant, using innovative financing methods and additional funding through the TIFIA loan program.  This could allow work to begin on a $150 million first-phase project this summer.  It is estimated that this first-phase project would provide over 1,500 construction-related jobs contributing to Colorado’s economic recovery.

“The Recovery Act has had a significant impact on the construction industry in Colorado,” said state Transportation Commissioner Heather Barry.  “Without these funds, it’s clear to us that unemployment in the transportation sector would be much higher and many hardworking Coloradans would be without good paying jobs today.  We hope to continue this momentum with U.S. 36 and with support from our federal partners so we can continue our path to economic recovery while improving Colorado’s transportation system.

U.S. 36 EIS COMPLETED & RECORD OF DECISION ACHIEVED
Summary:

U.S. 36 EIS COMPLETED & RECORD OF DECISION ACHIEVED

From 2003 to 2009, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and the Regional Transportation District (RTD), in partnership with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), studied multi-modal transportation improvements for the U.S. 36 corridor between Denver and Boulder in the U.S. 36 Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).  

The U.S. 36 Final EIS was released for public review in October 2009, and corridor-wide public hearings were held in November 2009 to collect public input during a 45-day comment period. Public comments on the Final EIS were responded to in the US 36 Corridor Environmental Impact Statement/Section 4(f) Evaluation Record of Decision (ROD).

 


In December 2009, FHWA and FTA signed the U.S. 36 Record of Decision, the federal decision document that describes the transportation project, explains the rationale for the project decision, responds to public comments received during the Final EIS comment period, and makes commitments as to how the project will mitigate impacted environmental resources.  

The signing of the Record of Decision completes the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process for the U.S. 36 EIS. The completion of the NEPA process better positions U.S. 36 improvements to qualify for state and federal funding.

WHAT WAS HEARD DURING THE U.S. 36 FINAL EIS COMMENT PERIOD

Over one hundred comments were received from members of the public, corridor jurisdictions, stakeholder organizations, property owners, business representatives, and state and federal agencies.  Comments about the transportation alternatives in the Final EIS were received through the project Web site, e-mail, written letters, and at the Public Hearings held in Boulder County, Broomfield County and Adams County which were attended by 189 members of the public. All comments received during the comment period were addressed and considered prior to the Record of Decision.

Members of the public provided overwhelming support for the Preferred Alternative elements and phasing strategies.  Comments indicated that the Preferred Alternative is a sustainable transportation solution and best meets the mobility, safety, and system-quality needs of the corridor while minimizing impacts.

Please visit the project Web site www.US36EIS.com to see how your comment was addressed.

U.S. 36 RECORD OF DECISION ACHIEVED

The U.S. 36 Project Team is pleased to announce that the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) have signed the U.S. 36 Corridor Environmental Impact Statement/Section 4(f) Evaluation Record of Decision.  It has been published and is available at your city or county’s transportation office, select corridor public libraries, and at www.US36EIS.com

This concludes a significant milestone to complete the corridor planning process, and better positions U.S. 36 for state and federal funding opportunities.

Information that you will find in the U.S. 36 Record of Decision includes:

- The Project Decision: Phased Implementation; What’s included in Phase 1; and the Project Funding Scenario

- Alternatives Considered

- Clarifications to the US 36 Final EIS

- Maps of the Proposed Action for Phase 1

- Responses to your comments from the US 36 Final EIS Comment Period

- US 36 Final EIS Public Comment Summary

- A Summary of Final Design Requests by Segment

- Additional Information about the US 36 Corridor EIS

WHERE TO VIEW THE U.S. 36 RECORD OF DECISION

You can view the U.S. 36 Record of Decision at the following locations:

Denver Public Library Central Branch

10 West Fourteenth Ave Pkwy, Denver, CO 80204

Perl Mack Library

7611 Hilltop Circle, Denver, CO 80221

Westminster Public Library College Hill Branch

3705 W. 112th Avenue, Westminster, CO 80031

City & County of Broomfield Community Development

1 DesCombes Drive, Broomfield, CO 80020

36 Commuting Solutions

287 Century Circle, Ste 103, Louisville, CO 80027

City of Louisville Public Library

951 Spruce Street, Louisville, CO 80027

Superior Town Hall

124 E. Coal Creek, Superior, CO 80027

City of Boulder Transportation Division

1739 Broadway, 2nd Floor, Boulder, CO 80306

Boulder County Transportation

2525 13th Street, Boulder, CO 80304

Longmont Public Library

409 4th Avenue, Longmont, CO 80501

Federal Highway Administration, Colorado Division

12300 West Dakota Avenue, Lakewood, CO 80228

Colorado Department of Transportation, Region 6

2000 South Holly Street,

Denver, CO 80222

The US 36 EIS Web site: Click here to visit the project Web site where you can review and download all sections of the U.S. 36 Record of Decision.

COMPLETING FINAL DESIGN FOR THE US 36 CORRIDOR

In 2010 CDOT will proceed with the final design, engineering, and wetland permitting processes that will enable construction of corridor improvements to begin. 

HOW TO STAY INFORMED:

- Visit the CDOT Web site for current information about the project: www.dot.state.co.us

- Visit the US 36 Project Web site: www.US36EIS.com

- Visit the RTD Web site for current information about the project: www.RTD-FasTracks.com

- Get involved with 36 Commuting Solutions: www.36commutingsolutions.org

- Contact your local government representative

- Contact CDOT Public Relations Office: 4201 E. Arkansas Ave., Denver, CO 80222; (303) 757-9228 or info@dot.state.co.us

- Contact the US 36 Project Team at (720)407-4713. 

Please share this information with your colleagues, friends, and neighbors.

The US 36 EIS Project Team

U.S. 36 Transit Guide Now Available
Summary:

Please click the link below for complete information.

Please click here for theU.S. 36 Transit Guide

 

Newsletter December 2006

Please click here for the Complete Newsletter December 2006.

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