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TRANSPORTATION
(TP)
VISION
STATEMENT
Transportation
planning addresses the juncture of orderly population growth
and preservation of the quality of life. The Transportation
Sub-Plan envisions a system of transportation options which
provide for a safe and efficient network that meets the
mobility needs of this rapidly growing community while preserving
and enhancing a healthy and aesthetically appealing environment.
GUIDING
PRINCIPLE
Ensure
a connected, efficient, safe, aesthetically appealing, and
environmentally sensitive transportation system.
BACKGROUND
The County's Major Transportation Corridors Plan was adopted
in 1987. At the time, it projected the County's future transportation
insufficiencies and necessary road improvements. The Plan
identified County Line Road, SH105, Higby Road, Baptist
Road and North Gate Road as east-west arterials, and, Furrow,
Roller Coaster, and Mitchell Roads, as north-south arterials.
Many
of the existing roads in the Planning Area began as one-lane
gravel roads built by ranchers and then were improved as
development occurred. Along some stretches of roadways,
such as Roller Coaster and Furrow Roads, there is not sufficient
right-of-way necessary to make road improvements that meet
the standards as recommended in the El Paso County Transportation
Plan.
Inherent
in residing in the Tri-Lakes Area is relatively long distances
between employment, shopping, schools, and residences. The
residents of the Planning Area rely principally on the private
automobile. Although employment and shopping opportunities
in Monument are continually increasing, many residents commute
to Denver or Colorado Springs to work and shop. Large lot
subdivisions and dispersed land use patterns have resulted
in schools being located a greater distance from residences
than in more compact urban neighborhoods. Almost all students
must be transported to school by bus or car. Youths residing
near schools and parks are often unable to walk or bike
safely to these facilities due to the lack of pedestrian
or bicycle access.
Although
cars provide unprecedented transportation opportunities,
comfort and independence, they also have tremendous land
use impacts. One obvious impact is the land necessary to
accommodate roads. Right-of-way requirements typically range
from approximately 5% of total land area for 5-acre home-sites
up to 50% or more in high-density urban areas. Private land
requirements for parking, driveways and garages contribute
to this disproportional impact. In the unincorporated County,
land use patterns are usually more dispersed, necessitating
roads that extend for miles with relatively light loading.
The traffic for the Planning Area is then funneled to a
few interchanges with I-25.
Upgrading
the overall transportation system as they become necessary
rather than anticipating future transportation needs is
generally more costly and problematic. Once an area becomes
established rising land values, increased infrastructure
costs, environmental concerns, and community resistance
significantly add to the cost of building or improving roads
and intersections.
The
system of roads is fairly well established in the Tri-Lakes
Area but are often incomplete or fragmented. A more efficient
roadway network could result from additional east-west connector
roads, completion of existing east-west roads, along with
improved roadway conditions on existing routes. While the
capacity, extent and condition of the roadways in the Tri-Lakes
area may be enviable compared to many other parts of the
County and State, the increased traffic resulting from growth
have contributed to significant congestion and community
dissatisfaction with road segments within the transportation
system. As the planning area develops to the east, planned
connections such as the extension of Furrow and Roller Coaster
Road, will aid the efficiency of the roadway system.
Table
TR.1 - Major Roadway Designation
Interstate
 I-25
Expressways
SH83
North Powers Boulevard
Extension
Other
Mount Herman
Road
I-25Frontage/Parallel
Roads
Mitchell Road
Beacon Lite Road
Struthers Road
Monument Hill Road
Jackson Creek Parkway
North-South
Roads
Furrow Road
Roller Coaster Road
Beacon Lite Road
Old Denver Highway
SH 105 (Monument-Palmer
Lake)
East-West
Roads
County Line Road
SH 105
Higby Road
Baptist Road
North Gate Road
Financing
of Roadways
The
road system in the Tri-Lakes Area is influenced by a number
of policies, criteria and processes stipulated by the County,
the State and the Towns of Monument and Palmer Lake. Many
roads are funded through a combination of private development
and public transportation dollars. Recently the Baptist
Road Rural Transportation Authority was formed to finance
and construct road improvements along the Baptist Road Corridor.
Currently,
the County's Department of Transportation maintains approximately
190 miles of roads in Tri-Lakes. They are responsible for
building, paving, cleaning and snow removal, which is costly
due to the miles of roadway and the adverse weather conditions
in the planning area. The Towns of Monument and Palmer Lake
maintain their internal roads.
In
addition to the cost for planning, building, and maintaining
roads in the Tri-Lakes Area, there is a cost associated
with patrolling them. The Colorado State Highway Patrol,
the County Sheriff's Department, the Town of Monument Police
Department, the Town of Palmer Lake Marshall and Woodmoor
Public Safety all patrol roads in the planning area. The
limited resources of these organizations coupled with the
large area in Tri-lakes combine to reduce their overall
effectiveness.
ISSUE
TR.1 TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM
Since
the adoption of the 1987 Major Transportation Corridors
Plan, development densities in the Planning Area have increased
and growth has occurred at an accelerated rate causing the
Plan to be outdated. Preserving rights-of-way for transportation
is an essential element of growth and must be accomplished
prior to development.
There
are significant challenges to building roads and reserving
additional rights-of-way once development has occurred and
residential and non-residential land use patterns are established.
Photo:
Characteristic of rural roads
North-South
Roads
Overall, the weakest link in the roadway system
are the north-south roadways, or lack thereof. This is largely
due to the past reliance on I-25 and SH 83 as the principal
north-south arterials in the Planning Area. While these
arterials have adequately served the community in the past,
as both regional and local traffic increases, they have
become less efficient and less safe for use by local traffic.
In the future, when Struthers Road and Jackson Creek Parkway
are built, they will provide improved north-south movement
for local traffic. Other north-south arterial and collector
roads are needed to develop an efficient roadway system.
Additional I-25 frontage roads, Mitchell Road extension,
Old Denver Highway, and the upgrading Beacon Lite, Furrow,
and Roller Coaster Roads, would aid in improving the efficiency
of the north-south transportation system.
Due
to the potential for future development along the Monument
Hill Corridor and access limitations on the existing Monument
Hill Frontage Road, an ad hoc committee made up of landowners,
community representatives and staff was formed to consider
alternatives. The Study Committee recommended a primary
north-south collector roadway right-of-way with connecting
residential loop-type roadways within this corridor. Map
TR.1 indicates designation of a corridor right-of-way. Actual
roadway alignment and design will be determined when a subdivision
and/or development plan is submitted to the Planning Division.
East-West
Roads
More roadway connectivity and efficiency is available in
the east-west roadways. Currently County Line Road, SH 105,
and North Gate Road are continuous between SH 83 and I-25.
When Baptist Road is improved and extended east to SH 83,
it will also provide a major arterial interconnected linkage
in the roadway network. While North Gate Road functions
as an east-west arterial, the alignment and sight distances
are problematic. SH 105 has provided excellent access between
the eastern reaches of the Planning Area and Palmer Lake
for many years. In recent years, SH 105 has become congested
and, in some places, unsafe due to increased traffic and
roadway design. Improvements to SH 105 between Palmer Lake
and Furrow Road are necessary to relieve congestion and
improve safety standards but actual design solutions will
be difficult due to a lack of right-of-way and existing
development.
Baptist
Road Rural Transportation Authority
The Baptist Road Rural Transportation Authority
(BRRTA) was formed in 1997 under State Statute with the
purpose of planning for and financing transportation improvements
along the Baptist Road Corridor and Interchange. The Authority
is sponsoring a sub-regional transportation study and has
endorsed the adoption of a one-time development fee based
on traffic generation combined with a sales tax of 4/10ths
of 1%. As required by the TABOR amendment to the State of
Colorado Constitution, the sales tax will be decided on
by voters in the fall election of 1999.
The
Intergovernmental Agreement, members of the Authority include
the Town of Monument and El Paso County. Each entity is
represented by elected officials appointed by their respective
entities. Meetings are held monthly or as needed.
In
addition to BRRTA, there is a Baptist Road Task Force which
is an advisory group comprised of Monument, El Paso County
and Colorado Department of Transportation staff as well
as special district, and major property owner and/or homeowner
representatives. The purpose of the Task Force is to provide
a coordinated forum for the interests within the Corridor
and to make recommendations to the BRRTA Board.
Roadway
Intersections and Interchanges
Access onto I-25 occurs at North Gate Road, Baptist Road,
SH 105, and County Line Road. Future interchanges are planned
for North Powers Boulevard and Stout Allen Roads. The Town
of Monument has identified Higby Road as a possibility for
a future interchange but a Higby interchange has not been
included in the 2020 Regional Transportation Plan
*.
Most
interchanges and major intersections are congested during
peak traffic periods. The current roads, interchanges, and
intersection were not designed to accommodate the increased
traffic due to growth in the Planning Area. Few intersections
have turn lanes and there are an inadequate number of north-south
arterials and linkages. Often residential lots or small
lot subdivisions have roads that enter onto designated arterial
or major collector roads. This type of access tends to increase
congestion during peak traffic conditions caused by the
traffic that backs up behind vehicles that slowdown to turn.
Roadway
Linkages
New roadways that connect to existing roads are usually
necessary and desirable when new development occurs. One
drawback in a market-driven development environment is that
roads generally end at the property lines of development
and residents who move tend to regard the end of the road
as a cul-de-sac. Later, when adjoining properties develop,
there is often significant resistance to extending the road.
Linkages which are desirable for overall system continuity,
connectivity, and efficiencies of service (including fire
and sheriff's protection, emergency medical, and school
busses), are often hotly contested by residents.
Truck
Weigh Stations
One of two State weigh stations on I-25 is located
at the base of Monument Hill. The CDOT weigh stations in
this location is problematic in that it causes confusing
and conflicting traffic patterns at the SH 105 southbound
exit, loud noise, and air pollution. Trucks avoiding these
weigh stations sometimes travel at high speeds on secondary
roads not designed for such use, such as Beacon Lite. This
causes safety concerns and the potential for accidents.
Airport
and Flight Training Facility
Aardvark Auxiliary Airfield serves as a training facility
for the USAF Academy and parallels I-25. No other airfields
are located or planned for Tri-Lakes. The USAF Academy is
currently updating its 1994 Air Installation Compatible
Use Zone (AICUZ) Study. The AICUZ Study will delineate the
accident potential zones associated with Aardvark and will
provide the Air Force's recommended land uses for the Clear
Zone, and both Accident Potential Zones I and II as indicated
on the Transportation Map.
As
growth continues in Tri-Lakes, uses such as airports and
flight training facilities become at risk due to the potential
for accident and the fact that often residents who live
in the area complain about noise. To protect the long-term
viability of the Aardvark flight training facility, land
use concessions may be necessary.
Railroads
One railroad line is operational through the Planning Area
with as many as 30 freight and coal trains per day. In addition
to the noise associated with the trains, a number of uncontrolled
or at-grade intersections can cause hazards and blockages
of a single access point into a residential subdivision.
GOAL
To
provide an efficient, safe, continuous, and connective transportation
system.
OBJECTIVES
TR.1.1
Identify and prioritize transportation deficiencies and
future transportation improvements.
TR.1.2
Plan for additional north-south arterial and collector roads.
TR.1.3
Improve the connectivity of east-west arterial and collector
roads.
TR.1.4
Encourage the dedication and/or acquisition of additional
roadway rights-of-way.
TR.1.5
Support upgrading or replacing the I-25 Interchanges at
SH 105 and Baptist Road.
TR.1.6
Support removal of the weigh stations or conversion to an
automatic system that does not require trucks to exit the
Interstate.
TR.1.7
Encourage logical and economical road extensions and linkages.
TR.1.8
Encourage cooperative transportation planning efforts among
the State, Douglas and El Paso Counties, the Towns of Monument
and Palmer Lake, and the USAF Academy.
TR.1.9
Support a controlled access from SH 105 into the Safeway
parking lot.
TR.1.10
Support the County's Paving Policy .
TR.1.11
Recognize the designated AICUZ accident potential zone for
Aardvark Auxiliary Airfield and support compatible land
uses. TR.1.12 Support the extension, realignment and reclassification
for North Gate Road, Old Denver Highway, and Mitchell Road.
PROPOSED
ACTIONS
TR.1.13
Fully consider the objectives in this Plan when revising
the Land Development Code, Subdivision Criteria Manual and
Access Code. The revisions to the Code should also consider
revisions to the Paving Policy in urbanizing areas.
TR
.1.14 Update the 1987 Major Transportation Corridors
Plan.
TR
.1.15 Identify and reserve roadway corridors and
linkages necessary to facilitate the efficient flow of traffic
in the Tri-Lakes Area.
TR.1.16
Provide additional north-south arterial and collector roads.
TR.1.17
Require dedicated right-of-way for a north-south Alternative
Corridor as indicated on Map TR.1.
TR.1.18
Re-align, upgrade, and make improvements to North Gate Road.
TR
.1.19 Preserve I-25 corridor for future expansion
and transportation options.
TR.1.20
Amend the 2020 Long Range Transportation Plan to include
an interchange at Higby Road.
TR.1.21
Establish criteria and adopt land use regulations to protect
the future viability of the designated AICUZ accident potential
zones for the USAF Academy's Aardvark Auxiliary Airfield.
TR.1.22
Improve railroad crossings.
TR.1.23
Require a minimum of two independent accesses for new developments.
ISSUE
TR.2 ADVERSE IMPACTS
In addition to being time consuming and irritating, traffic
congestion has secondary impacts which may include road
rage and a shift of traffic onto residential streets. Increased
traffic onto residential roadways contributes to increases
in noise and traffic speed which are often associated with
reduced safety and quality of life.
New
or expanded roadways ordinarily enhance mobility yet these
improvements can consume land, limit access, alter the character
of the area, disturb sensitive environmental areas, contribute
to drainage impacts, and encourage increased development.
In some cases roads cannot be expanded due to a lack of
adequate right-of-way or adversely impact homes adjacent
to the roadway.
GOAL
To
reduce the adverse impacts of existing and future transportation
systems through a combination of careful planning and mitigation
techniques.
Photo:
SH 105 at the I-25 Interchange. Andy de Naray
OBJECTIVES
TR.2.1
Place a high priority on maintaining ensuring safety and
protecting the existing natural environmental conditions
when planning or building roads.
TR.2.2
Place a high priority on those system improvements which
will substantially reduce risks to public safety including,
but not limited to, turn and acceleration lanes.
TR.2.3
Encourage the identification, designation, preservation,
and enhance-ment of scenic transportation routes and vistas.
TR.2.4
Provide for noise attenuation, safety and visual screening
along transportation corridors by incorporating techniques
including setbacks, buffers, berms and vegetation treatments.
TR.2.5
Plan and provide for mitigation of the secondary impacts
of traffic congestion including the protection of air and
water quality and drainage system enhancements.
PROPOSED
ACTIONS
TR.2.6
Improve road condition, maintenance, and surface drainage.
TR.2.7
Identify and improve the design of hazardous and congested
roads and intersections.
TR.2.8
Limit the number of access points on designated arterial.
TR.2.9
When necessary, require that development fund an independent
transportation study and/or plan.
TR.2.10
Establish an I-25 Visual Overlay as outlined in this Plan
and include it as an Element in the County's Master Plan.
If necessary, amend the Land Use Code to ensure that development
is held to a uniform standard.
TR.2.11
Support establishing SH 83 as a Colorado Scenic and Historic
Byway.
ISSUE
TR.3 ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION
It
is recognized that the single occupancy vehicle (SOV) will
continue to play a dominant role in the County's transportation
system far into the future. However, as the population in
the Planning Area increases, the cost of roadway system
expansion escalates, and the technology becomes more attractive
and affordable, alternative forms of transportation may
become a more acceptable and affordable choice.
It
is understood that the impacts of continued reliance on
single-passenger automobiles on land use can be off set
through the use of alternative modes and traffic management
techniques.
GOAL
To
promote the planning and development of transportation modes
offering alternatives to single-occupant automobiles.
OBJECTIVES
TR.3.1
Encourage the development and maintenance of pedestrian
and bicycle networks by identifying and setting aside corridors
early in the planning process and by fully integrating these
functions into land development plans. Where possible, provide
separate corridors for different modes of travel.
TR.3.2
Support transit options that meet the demands of residents
in the planning area.
TR.3.3
Encourage multiple Park-n-Ride facilities at logical locations
on both sides of I-25.
TR.3.4
Encourage development patterns which reduce the need for
and use of the automobile.
TR.3.5
Promote bicycle and pedestrian access in development proposals.
TR.3.6
Consider multi-modal, non-motorized transportation needs
(i.e. bicycle, pedestrian, horse, etc.) when upgrading all
roads and intersections.
TR.3.7
Promote the conservation of energy re-sources through enhancement
of all modes of transportation and telecommunications networks.
TR.3.8
Encourage inter-regional cooperation for the planning and
development of alternative modes of transportation.
PROPOSED
ACTIONS
TR.3.9
Request that at least one form of non-motorized transportation
(in addition to motorized) be built as part of new development.
*
2020 Regional Transportation Plan: On September 9, 1998,
the PPACG (Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments) Board
of Directors and the Urban Area Policy Committee approved
the 2020 Regional Transportation Plan, an important accomplishment
in long-range planning at PPACG for FY 1998. The 2020 Plan
received full support and concensus from all PPACG committees.
In approving the 2020 Plan, the Board of Directors forwards
a record $1.6 billion in transportation improvements over
the next 20 years.
The
2020 Plan establishes policies and strategies that guide
the development of the transportation system and describes
the intermodal components necessary to facilitate the mobility
of people and goods in the Pikes Peak Region. The Plan recommends
a transportation system that meets the needs of persons
with disabilities. It is also fiscally constrained and indicates
funding sources that area reasonably anticipated to be available
to implement transportation system improvements.
**
El Paso County Paving Policy: need DOT's write-up...have
a request in to Dave Watt...will add at a later date.
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