VALLEY HIGHWAY EIS (LOGAN TO 6TH AVENUE)
CITIZEN’S WORKING GROUP
BICYCLE/PEDESTRIAN MOBILITY

MEETING TYPE: Bicycle/Pedestrian Citizen’s Working Group
MEETING DATE: June 12, 2003
MEETING LOCATION: CDOT Broadway Viaduct Field Office

ATTENDEES:
Tony Gross CDOT Trina Jacobson
Rick Erjavec CDOT Daryl Kinton
Cassie Gouger FHU Tim Heath
Tamara Hunter-Maurer CDOT Tracy Cockran
Gay Page CDOT Ms Shayre Brady
James Mackay CCD Bicycle Cor. Andrew Hornbrook
Steve Harley Cam Luecke

PREPARER: Rick Erjavec
SUBJECT: Bicycle and Pedestrian Mobility in the Valley Highway EIS Corridor

MEETING SUMMARY
Tony and Rick gave a general project update covering the purpose and need for the project as well as the goals and objectives for bicycle/pedestrian compatibility.
  • Rick stated that there were two areas of citizen concern expressed at previous public meetings.
    • East/West mobility is difficult in the corridor due to the need to cross the Platte River, I-25 and the railroads. The City and County of Denver (CCD) Bicycle Master Plan currently shows Alameda as the east/west corridor in the study area. An additional crossing in the area of Bayaud Street is being proposed.
    • Access to the light rail station at I-25 and /Broadway from West Washington Park area is necessary. Although at grade crossings are preferred a grade-separated structure may be a safer alternative.
    • The CDOT is reluctant to construct tunnel crossings for bikes and pedestrians due to the maintenance, environmental and liability issues.
Tony stated that this EIS afforded the opportunity to improve bicycle and pedestrian mobility throughout the corridor.

The following observations and recommendations were noted for the I-25/Broadway RTD light rail station access:

  • If a grade-separated structure is used to cross Lincoln and Broadway at Ohio it should be a design that is not only functional but also aesthetically inviting.
  • Coordination between the CDOT, CCD, RTD and Gates/Cherokee is essential in light of the proposals for redevelopment and the new Central Connector.
  • Another possible crossing people may use will be the crossing to a southeast light rail Louisiana station.
  • New and upgraded connections should be provided by the Cherokee/Gates redevelopment to connect the Home Depot area with the light rail station, across Broadway at Tennessee, and across Santa Fe and the Platte River between Mississippi and I-25.
The following observations and recommendations were noted for the I-25/Alameda crossing and bike corridor:
  • The project should improve the safety of the Alameda crossings with Platte River Drive, Highway on/off ramps and Santa Fe and Kalamath.
  • The proposed Bayaud connection should be constructed as an early action item so that it could be used as a construction detour during the Alameda reconstruction.
  • Although the Bayaud connection is the only proposed connection in the CCD bicycle master plan, a similar connection south of Alameda should not be precluded for the future. The connection may be at Virginia.
  • The CCD master plan goals would be to replace the Alameda corridor with a less traveled automobile corridor such as Bayaud. Alameda is heavily traveled by vehicles, multiple crossings at major arterials are difficult and the existing sidewalks are narrow and substandard.

The next set of public meetings will be in July. These dates are tentatively set for July 23rd and 29th at the Lighting Center on the northwest corner of Alameda and Cherokee.

The next bicycle Citizen’s Working Group meeting will be in December of 2003.