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Title
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Size
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 TIGER Press Release October 6, 2009
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2 pages, 32 KB
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TIGER Grant Application Executive Summary
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2 pages, 750 KB
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TIGER Grant Application
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25 pages, 3.4 MB
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TIGER Grant Application Appendix
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101 pages, 10 MB
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August 26th, 2009 Agenda
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1 page, 15 KB
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August 26th, 2009 Agenda Item Summary
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2 pages, 39 KB
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August 26th, 2009 PowerPoint Presentation
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11 pages, 1.5 MB
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Stakeholder Exhibit
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1 page, 47k
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Accelerated Milestone Schedule
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1 page, 47k
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1601 Schedule
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1 page, 47k
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1601 and EIS Schedule Comparison
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1 page, 47k
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Project Update
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1 page, 47k
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Refined Funding Scenerios
June 5, 2007
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9 pages, 380k
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Plan Summary
April 2, 2008
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8 pages, 3.5m
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Land Use Vision Map
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tabloid, 5.3m
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Activity Center Map
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letter, 1.3m
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CDOTs Preferred Interchange Design
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letter, 1.3m
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Potential Developable Land
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letter, 1.3m
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Project Status
City Council and the Windsor Town Board have held five joint work sessions to discuss the I-25 and State Highway 392 Interchange Improvements and System Level Study (1601 Process). The last joint work session was held on August 26, 2009. The System Level Study (approved by the Colorado Transportation Commission on January 21, 2009) allowed the project to move into the final design phase. The project team has now completed an accelerated design process. Complete construction plans are now finished and the project has a "shovel-ready" status. The project team is now working on a TIGER Grant (a part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act) Application and securing other potential construction funding sources.
1601 Study
The City of Fort Collins and the Town of Windsor will proceed with an accelerated environmental clearance process for the I-25/SH392 interchange improvements. This process will utilize the North I-25 EIS environmental data and “tight-diamond” interchange type. Over the next 6 months, Fort Collins and Windsor staff will work with a consultant team to complete the requirements of the Colorado Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration. Completion of these requirements will allow the project to be designed and ready for implementation when construction funding is available. This process has been initiated to allow the much needed safety enhancements and improved traffic flow at the interchange to be realized as soon as construction funding is available.
Background
There are two options to receive approval for interchange improvements as follows:
1. Wait for the current North I-25 EIS process being conducted by CDOT to be completed. The final EIS and Record of Decision (ROD) are tentatively scheduled to be completed at the end of 2009. According to the EIS Program, even with the completion of the ROD, a 1601 Study and design is still required, along with having financing in place. The earliest construction could begin in late 2011 - early 2012.
2. Pursue a parallel process by submitting to CDOT a Justification for Separate Action; if approved, this would allow the submittal of a CDOT 1601 Policy Directive, estimated to allow construction to begin potentially in late 2009 - 2010, saving critical time.
Based on a request by Metro Acquisitions, LLC (Metro ownership/development interest on properties on both the east and west sides of the Interchange), Windsor and City staff has determined it is more advantageous to pursue the second option. The three parties identified in the first IGA will request a justification for separate action from CDOT and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). The cost for this request will be shared between the Town, City and developer. If approved, the three parties can then proceed with an accelerated 1601 Process using a similar cost sharing arrangement.
Justification for Separate Action
The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires that any "federal action" must undergo a process to assess the environmental impacts of such action. Since the Interchange is on an interstate highway, and because there are currently federal funds being considered for use in this effort, the improvements are considered a federal action.
Further complicating the matter is the fact that CDOT and the FHWA are currently performing a comprehensive Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) of the I-25 Corridor from Denver to north of Fort Collins. The EIS is evaluating a broad range of transportation issues and options, including the need to replace or upgrade the interchange. NEPA technical procedures require that if an element of the comprehensive solution is to be broken out or completed in advance of the final "record of decision", then it must be "separated" from the EIS. The separate action would then have its own planning and environmental process that is essentially what CDOT does for all of the projects in the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). The process to separate involves a formal request to FHWA and a presentation regarding several policy points that insures that an adequate planning and public involvement process occurs along with the appropriate level of environmental analysis.
The I-25 EIS has been ongoing for approximately four years. Although CDOT is currently projecting late 2009 for issuance of a Final EIS (FEIS), and Record of Decision (ROD), observers predict that these will occur in 2010 at the earliest. The process has already been partly conducted for this Interchange, and much of the information previously provided is still relevant. Thus the Justification for Separate Action could take as little as 45 - 60 days. The Town of Windsor has initiated a contract with the consulting firm of DMJM - Harris to prepare the Justification for Separate Action.
CDOT 1601 Study
The 1601 Process is the Colorado Department of Transportation's policy to evaluate new interchanges or major improvements to existing interchanges along interstates and major highways. Since CDOT has earmarked 2 million dollars for the improvement of the I25/SH 392 Interchange, representing a shared funding proposal, the 1601 Process will follow a Type I (Local Agency Initiated Interchange Proposal) approval process, with the Transportation Commission as the approving authority. This process focuses on three issues: environmental clearance (if the project has not already been cleared through a NEPA process); technical feasibility, relates to operational acceptability - FHWA process is the Interstate Access Request (IAR); and identification of funding for the project. More specifically, the 1601 Process will initiate a feasibility study for the I-25/SH 392 Interchange and will include the following steps:
1. Operation and capacity
2. Identify all reasonable and feasible interchange access alternatives
3. Screen all of the alternatives (identify pros and cons)
4. Review environmental conditions in area
5. Work toward a single best alternative
6. Develop a funding plan
The 1601 Process serves as a framework for all of the steps involved in moving an interchange improvement from concept to construction. The purpose of the policy is that it represents a roadmap for local entities and that it will streamline the administrative procedures that must be followed. In this case, since the interchange already exists, and it is known to be functionally obsolete, the approval should be a relatively routine process as compared to developing a new interchange. Most of the discussion will relate to the environmental process and with the proposed public-private funding partnership which has yet to be fully defined.
The City/Town will submit its application for the 1601 Process based upon the recommendation of the North I-25 EIS identifying the I-25/SH 392 Interchange for a "Tight Diamond" configuration as a proposed final solution for reconstruction, avoiding impacts on adjacent aquatic and biological resources. This future conceptual design includes a 4-lane bridge (with turn lanes), ramps and frontage road alignments.
Additional environmental analysis may be necessary which will most likely include an Environmental Assessment (EA). Both the 1601 and the EA will utilize the data currently being collected as part of the EIS and SH 392 EOS, and contained in the Improvement Plan. The 1601 Process would be completed and approved prior to final design of the interchange improvements. It is anticipated that the Justification for Separate Action and CDOT 1601 Process will take approximately six months. Again, if the Justification for a Separate Action is denied, the alternative would be to wait for the North I-25 EIS to be completed in 2009/2010.
At the conclusion of the 1601 Process, the local jurisdictions review the results and recommendations of the consultants, based on the data, public input, and input from the local jurisdictions, and approve, refine, or reject the final report. When the local jurisdictions have approved the final report, it is presented to the CDOT Transportation Commission as part of a Type I approval process. The Commission reviews and approves the report at a public hearing and then the final report is reviewed/approved by the Transportation Commission.
As described in the Resolution, approval of the two IGA's does not commit the City to help fund the construction of the Interchange Improvements.
Staff will schedule work sessions with City Council to review the information developed in the 1601 Process report including design feasibility, environmental analysis and funding. The Windsor Town Board and City Council will hold hearings to approve of the findings of the 1601 Process report prior to approval by CDOT and FHWA.
Additional actions needed over the next two years include development of interchange preliminary design, completion of the North I-25 EIS and other environmental compliance actions by CDOT, and securing funding. Once all of this is completed and in place, reconstruction of the interchange can begin.
Plan Public Process
Request for Separate Action/1601 Study
Outreach meetings are planned throughout the process for both residents and key stakeholders from Windsor and from Fort Collins. Project Staff also plan regular written and in-person updates to the City Council and Town Board at key project milestones.
I-25/SH 392 Interchange Improvement Plan
Throughout each facet of the development of the I-25/SH 392 Interchange Improvement Plan, the process included public involvement and input from the key stakeholders including residents, property owners and businesses in the area. Two municipal websites provided the community with up-to-date information. The planning process was guided by a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), comprised of 29 members, including representatives from the City of Fort Collins, Town of Windsor, Larimer County, Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), Northern Front Range Metropolitan Planning Organization (NFRMPO), and consultants. In addition to the stakeholders meetings, the consulting team and representatives of the TAC also facilitated 2 public open houses to receive additional information, comments and feedback from the public. City staff presented updates and progress to the Planning and Zoning Board, Transportation Board and Land Conservation and Stewardship Board.
Contacts
Rick Richter, Pavement Management Program Manager
970.221.6798
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John Frey, Town of Windsor Project Manager
970-482-0212
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Title
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Size
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I-25/SH392 Interchange Improvement Plan
April 2, 2008
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78 pages, 4.6m
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Plan Summary
April 2, 2008
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8 pages, 3.5m
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Fort Collins and Windsor Make Plans for I25/392 Interchange
The I-25/SH392 Interchange Improvement Plan represents a unique process with a focus on strategic implementation actions and identification of critical next steps in process to fund and reconstruct the interchange. This plan's key components include interchange configuration design, supporting land use in activity center, natural area buffers, west frontage road alternatives and funding scenarios. All of these components will require additional discussions, refinement and coordination prior to finalization, as part of on-going implementation efforts. Download the plan and summary from the list to your right.
In March 2006, the City of Fort Collins and the Town of Windsor entered into an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) which focused on cooperation, land use and development at the I-25/SH392 interchange. The purpose of the IGA includes the need to cooperate among Fort Collins, Windsor, Larimer County, and the North Front Range Metropolitan Planning Organization (NFRMPO) on design and funding interchange improvements.
The 12-month planning process began in the Fall 2006. Fort Collins and Windsor joined together to develop this plan. These communities also partnered with NFRMPO, CDOT, Larimer County, and local property and business owners to determine key actions and funding strategies necessary to move forward towards plan implementation.
The plan was formally accepted by the Windsor Town Board on November 26, 2007. In March of 2008, the Fort Collins City Council, while not prepared to accept the plan, agreed to adopt two resolutions to proceed with implementation including pursuing a Justification for Separate Action, and 1601 Study.
Contacts
Pete Wray, Senior Planner, City of Fort Collins, 970-221-6376
Joe Plummer, Planning Director, Town of Windsor, 970-686-7476
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