CDOT Parking Proposal

Much time and effort was given by members of PLAN Jeffco and CARE (Canyon Area Residents for the Environment,) in working with OSAC and the Colorado Department of Transportation, (CDOT) on the proposed enlargement of parking space at the intersection of I-70 and U.S. 40 at the entrance to Mt. Vernon Canyon. The proposed design came before these parties because it would involve the purchase of a small parcel of Open Space land. The area involved a prominent part of the mountain backdrop, whose preservation is a stated goal of the counties which border this unique edge of the great plains.

A PLAN Jeffco/CARE Group, responding to an initial proposal which graded out one giant parking lot, raised objections to the visual impact of a large number of parking spaces in the area which is acknowledged to be the Gateway to the Rockies.

CDOT has been studying the parking demands generated by the various types of park and ride users driving the I-70 corridor who often fill the four parking areas at the intersection of U.S. 40 to capacity and who also illegally park along the roadway. The inadequacy of these lots is particularly evident during ski season. In the course of developing plans for the expansion of parking, CDOT’s favored solution included realigning Hwy 40 to the north after it passes Conoco gas station and expanding the RTD parking area into a mega lot for 1300 cars. It would be necessary to purchase 6 acres of land from Open Space which is part of land recently acquired from Lafarge, plus acquire a similar amount from a commercially zoned privately owned parcel adjacent to US 40.

CDOT believes that moving the US 40 North would improve the safety of the intersection. CDOT has the power to condemn the needed Open Space property for the land to be used for the road but not for the parking lot. Open Space land is needed for both purposes.

PLAN Jeffco and CARE prepared an alternate proposal last February. Our proposal moved the parking lot to the north of the realigned U.S. 40, leaving the existing area along I-70 to be landscaped and graded to enhance the Gateway to the Rockies..

OSAC requested CDOT to go back to the drawing board and study the feasibility of the PLAN Jeffco/CARE idea. We were greatly encouraged by this action. Understandably satisfied with what had been a firm directive by OSAC Chairman Greg Stevinson, PLAN Jeffco, and CARE left the matter in the hands of those who were sent back to the drawing board. We mistakenly did not ask to be included in the alternate design studies.

The original scheme was presented again, with few changes. Without any preliminary conferencing, OSAC and PLAN Jeffco/CARE were presented with an alternate solution showing no reduction in the number of parking spaces, a high cost to span Lena Gulch, and a $3 million estimated cost to acquire the additional commercial property required.

One area of question involved the exiting from I-70 to the west. With the U.S. 40 east entry moved to the North, Westbound cars wanting to use US 40, especially in storm conditions or accident pile ups on I-70 would have an awkward sequence: stop-light, turn right-stop-light turn left with very short line-up distance. This did not seem to be the safety improvement touted with the changed configuration. Those present who often use this intersection, stated that there would be unmanageable backups of traffic, both on the exit ramp and in right-left kink to connect to US 40. Once more, the objection was raised against designing the parking lot for the ski season, leaving unnecessary areas of asphalt empty the rest of the year. There is also a heavy traffic mix of LaFarge gravel trucks coming and going through this intersection.

This observer did not feel that this was a "good faith" effort. Public input had been brushed aside and no ingenuity was used to reduce the much higher cost estimate. It should be noted that this project is not to be constructed for an unknown number of years.

For OSAC, the matter at hand was to approve or disapprove of the sale of this small amount of open space land and it appeared that there was nothing to be gained in further arguments about the design. There was some discussion regarding the benefits of new trail connections to be made on all sides of this complicated intersection. OSACs unanimously approved the sale but noted that many had voted approved it only because of the threat of condemnation.

PLAN Jeffco and CARE will try to keep tabs on this project. There is still possible input on final landscaping and signing. Changing what we continue to consider an unsatisfactory design is not likely without more clout than PLAN Jeffco or CARE can command.

By Marilyn Mueller