Two public meetings were held by the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) on July 23rd and 29th, 2003, regarding the Valley Highway – Logan to 6th Avenue Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Both meetings were held from 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm at the Lighting Services, Inc. building at 241 South Cherokee in Denver, Colorado.
The following is a summary of the public comments received at those meetings and CDOT’s responses. If you have any questions or comments regarding these responses or would like a Spanish version of this text, please contact:
- Mr. Tony Gross, CDOT Region 6 Senior Project Manager at (303) 972-9112
- Mr. Dean Bradley, Project Manager at (303) 721-1440, or the
- Valley Highway Project phone hotline at (720) 489-7923
Additional project information is also available online at the project website at www.valleyhighway.com.
July 23rd Public Meeting Comments
- Comment: There is also a bottleneck between 6th Avenue and 20th
Street. Will that also be addressed?
Response: Although there are needs north of the Valley Highway Project, the basic project objective is to address the traffic bottleneck and balance the number of lanes through the I-25 corridor between Broadway and 6th Avenue. - Comment: There are discussions to move the railroad freight lines east of Denver and have the coal freight trains bypass the city. Will this affect the project?
Response: The discussions to move the railroad freight lines east of Denver are in the early stages, and a decision has not been made. In addition, there is the issue of other railroad users within the city whose needs would have to be met and the potential use of the tracks for commuter rail. Either way, the constraints of the railroad right-of-way within the project area would still exist and portions of the project like the Santa Fe/Kalamath railroad grade separation will proceed. - Comment: Do all alternatives for the 6th Avenue and Bryant Street interchange reduce or eliminate access to Bryant Street?
Response: Yes, all alternatives reduce or eliminate access to Bryant Street. - Comment: Is the closing of the Bryant Street exit a question of cost or design?
Response: Cost is not a major factor. Cost will be included in the next phase of the screening process but was not used to evaluate the closing of the Bryant Street exit at this time. The closing of the Bryant Street exit is strictly related to the physical distance between I-25 and Federal Boulevard. Based on current Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) design standards related to safety, the distance between I-25 and Federal Boulevard is too limited for the Bryant interchange to exist. - Comment: The closing of Bryant Street will affect businesses that have
located there because of the access.
Response: CDOT will have one-on-one meetings with business owners and as a group to discuss access and design alternatives. - Comment: Is there the possibility of extending Bryant Street to 7th/8th Avenue?
Response: Extending Bryant Street to 7th/8th Avenue would directly affect several businesses within the right-of-way (ROW). - Comment: What will happen to the residences between Santa Fe/Kalamath?
Response: Residences located within the right-of-way will be acquired through the CDOT ROW process, and a one-on-one meeting with CDOT ROW representative (present at the meeting) is recommended to answer specific questions. - Comment: Why is the Santa Fe/Kalamath grade separation alternative not shown in the system alternative?
Response: Detailed alternatives were not depicted in the system alternative, but the alternative is being considered. - Comment: Will the Santa Fe/Kalamath grade separation alternative affect traffic flow through the neighborhoods and affect noise levels?
Response: The Santa Fe/Kalamath grade separation is designed to alleviate the problem of traffic going through the Baker Neighborhood to avoid the crossing. The grade separation will provide a negligible reduction in noise. - Comment: Will Gart Sports warehouse be affected by the Santa Fe/Kalamath grade separation alternative?
Response: Based on the Santa Fe/Kalamath grade separation alternative, the Gart Sports warehouse is located within the ROW and would be affected. The alignment was chosen to reduce impacts to several other businesses. - Comment: Based on several Santa Fe/Kalamath grade separation alternatives, Gart Sports warehouse would be forced to relocate. Have the tax implications of the relocation of the warehouse outside of Denver been included in the alternative analysis?
Response: Tax revenue is not included in the CDOT screening analysis. CDOT will assess this impact during the decision making process. - Comment: What is the timing of the CDOT ROW purchase?
Response: Funding for the EIS is known. Funding for construction of the project has not been determined. A date for the CDOT ROW purchase is not known at this time. - Comment: The City and County of Denver (CCD) is doing some noise measurements. Will these be included in the EIS?
Response: CDOT will coordinate with the CCD on including those noise measurements in the EIS, as applicable. - Comment: The Broadway Interchange Alternative #8 adds unwanted traffic to Exposition Avenue.
Response: This issue will be considered during future detailed safety analysis and design. - Comment: The Santa Fe intersection with Home Depot access should be constructed to accommodate large trucks.
Response: Anticipated truck traffic will be included in the design process. - Comment: Existing left-hand on-ramps from Santa Fe to I-25 may not be a problem.
Response: All Santa Fe alternatives change the I-25 entrance ramps to right-hand on-ramps. The ramps will be designed according to current standards. - Comment: U.S. Welding prefers Systems Alternatives #1 and #3.
Response: These systems alternatives are being carried forward into the next phase of alternative analysis.
July 29th Public Meeting Comments
- Comment: Why has the CCD not been more involved in providing alternatives to closing the Bryant Street exit?
Response: CDOT has worked closely with the CCD on the Bryant Street issue. According to opinion polls and accident statistics, the Bryant Street exit is the most dangerous interchange in Denver. Based on current FHWA design standards related to safety, the distance between I-25 and Federal Boulevard is too limited for the Bryant interchange to exist. Access issues will be discussed in one-on-one meetings with local businesses as a group. - Comment: What are the differences between the system alternatives on how they will impact the South Platte River bicycle trail?
Response: The current system alternatives do not impact the South Platte River bicycle trail. The system alternatives affect connections to the South Platte River bicycle trail. - Comment: If the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is no longer requiring 10 percent of a project be set aside for pedestrian/bicycle mobility issues, how will this affect the project?
Response: The short-term budget crunch requires focusing on top priorities by eliminating the 10 percent requirement. The long-term scope of the Valley Highway Project will not eliminate pedestrian/bicycle mobility issues. - Comment: Will the project be design/build?
Response: It is not known at this point but not necessarily. - Comment: There is a loss of commitment to the EIS process in the TREX project. There is no accountability to the Final EIS document.
Response: The Record of Decision (ROD) is the main document that comes out of the EIS process that requires CDOT accountability. The ROD details the selected interstate and interchange designs, the mitigation, and the monitoring requirements, - Comment: If a project component is included in the Final EIS, will it be built?
Response: If the component is included in the ROD, it will be built; however, it may be constructed over the long-term. - Comment: What are the impacts to the South Platte River? We would like the project to “open up the river” to improved opportunities.
Response: Avoidance of the South Platte River has been a goal of the alternatives process. Along the mainline of I-25, the river is avoided. At the interchanges, we do not have enough design detail to definitely say how the river will be impacted or not. By shifting the highway to the east, the space between the river and the highway will be used to build stormwater management facilities and implement other management practices to limit impacts to water quality in the river. The Citizen Working Group on the South Platte River Corridor is a forum to address specific opportunities related to the river. - Comment: As seen in the T-REX project, how is the CCD involved in the on-going process of project development?
Response: An office was created under the Webb Administration for CCD involvement with the T-REX project. With the change in administration, the future of the office is unknown. The office has been heavily involved with the Valley Highway Project. - Comment: Noise is an issue in the Baker Neighborhood and would like to keep noise as a major issue throughout the project.
Response: A Citizen Working Group on Noise has been formed and recommends those interested in noise issues join the group. - Comment: Are there any handouts on the system alternatives?
Response: No, however, the Valley Highway website (www.valleyhighway.com) will be updated within a month to include the system alternatives. Information packets can be provided by CDOT upon request. - Comment: When will construction start?
Response: Construction on the Broadway Viaduct is underway and should be completed on Phase I by June 2004. For the rest of the project, the EIS is funded; however, funding for actual construction has not been guaranteed. - Comment: Will the Broadway Viaduct extend over Santa Fe?
Response: No, the Broadway Viaduct extends to the western side of the railroad tracks. - Comment: Has the 2nd to 3rd flyover connection been eliminated?
Response: Yes, it has been eliminated from the alternatives. - Comment: Systems Alternative #1 is preferred.
Response: This systems alternative is being carried forward into the next phase of alternative analysis. - Comment: Grade separation replacement of southbound Broadway to southbound I-25 is preferred.
Response: The southbound I-25 grade separation via a tunnel is being carried forward into the next phase of alternative analysis.