SUBJECT: STAFF REPORT
Title
State Highway 287 and Isabelle Road (AKA Erie Parkway) Proposed Improvements.
Body
DEPARTMENT: Public Works
PRESENTER/PREPARER: Gary Behlen, Public Works Director
Russell Pennington, Deputy Public Works Director
Wendi Palmer, Civil Engineer
FISCAL INFORMATION:
Cost as Recommended: $ 0
Balance Available: $ 0
Budget Line Item Number: NA
New Appropriation Required: No
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: NA
Recommendation
End
SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND OF SUBJECT MATTER:
The intersection of State Highway 287 (SH 287) and Isabelle Rd (AKA Erie Parkway) is within the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) Region 4. CDOT completed an Intersection Priority Study for Region 4 in September 2016. This intersection ranked number 4 for needing improvements to address safety and operational concerns.
This study included a recommendation to widen the east and west approaches of Isabelle to provide a full let-turn lane, a through lane, a through/right-turn lane, and bikeable shoulders. The cost estimate for this improvement was $3,890,000. In the event funding is not available for the desired improvements, the study also included a secondary, lower cost, recommendation that included minimal widening to accommodate left and right turn storage. The cost estimate for this improvement was $460,000.
The Town of Erie is currently conducting a Corridor Study for Erie Parkway from SH 287 to the I-25 interchange. Feldberg Holt, Ullevig (FHU) the Town’s consultant performing this study was asked to look at the SH 287 intersection and the CDOT recommendations. The recommendations from FHU were to include the recommendations from CDOT and to include double left turns to the west bound and south bound traffic.
On September 28, 2016, CDOT sent out a notice soliciting applications for Federal Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) project funds for fiscal years (FY) 2018-2021. Applications were due November 30, 2016.
Town Staff has shared information from the Erie Parkway Study and met with both Boulder County and CDOT regarding this intersection. This intersection is within Boulder County jurisdiction and Boulder County has submitted an application for funding to improve this intersection.
Boulder County has made it clear that they will not support improvement that encourage additional traffic to the west due to the congested intersection at 95th Street. The configuration that Boulder County has proposed includes improved right turn and left turns from Isabelle onto SH 287, and bikeable shoulders. Although this improves the safety of the intersection and moderately improved the operation, it does not include the full improvements recommended by CDOT or FHU.
If funding is awarded to Boulder County through HSIP for their proposed improvements, the Local Agency Matching Funds will be the responsibility of Boulder County. This intersection is not in the Town of Erie, nor are improvements included in Erie’s 5-year Transportation Capital Improvement Plan. Town Staff has told both Boulder County and CDOT that Erie does not have funding available for this project. If the Town of Erie desires to add funding to add a double left turn lane during the design phase of the project, the additional funds would most likely be the Town’s responsibility and a funding agreement for the additional improvements would be between the Town of Erie and Boulder County, not with CDOT.
ATTACHMENTS:
a. CDOT Recommended improvements to SH 287 and Isabelle
b. Proposed Boulder County Improvements to SH 287 and Isabelle
c. FHU Recommended improvements to SH 287 and Isabelle