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HomeMy WebLinkAboutapz.res.003-91 JOINT RESOLUTION OF THE ASPEN PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION AND TH~ PITKIN COUNTY PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION RE: HIGHWAY 82 ENLARGEMENT DESIGN RECOMMENDATIONS Aspen Planning and Zoning Commission Resolution No. 91-~ Pitkin Planning and Zoning Commission Resolution No. PZ-91- WHEREAS, the Planning and Zoning Commission of the City of Aspen, Colorado and the Planning and Zoning Commission of the County of Pitkin, State of Colorado are the entities lawfully vested with master planning responsibility and authority in their respective jurisdictions; WHEREAS, both commissions have met jointly and separately on numerous occasions to review corridor and highway and bridge design considerations in connection with the ongoing activities of the Colorado Department of Highways (CDOH) with respect thereto; and WHEREAS, communicate the purpose of this resolution is to identify and important current planning considerations and comments so that they can be incorporated in the design process. Both Planning and Zoning Commissions understand that this design discussion is limited to the area where 4(f) land is impacted, that is between the Airport Business Center and the intersection of Seventh Street and Main Street. Both Planning and Zoning Commissions, there i.e., State however, would like to go on record as stating that are important design issues along the entire corridor, Shale Bluffs and the intersection of Brush Creek Road and Highway 82. The Planning and Zoning Commissions will be prepared to work with the Colorado Department of Highways when the design process begins for land outside of the corridor with 4(f) concerns and have developed ideas for that discussion, i.e., European Snow Shed and modified grade separation. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Aspen Planning and Zoning Commission and the Pitkin County Planning and Zoning Commission that: 1. Adopted Plans and Requlations. The commissions wish to note that the County has adopted the State Highway 82 Master Plan, and both the City and County have adopted the Aspen Area Comprehensive Plan: Transportation Element. Further, each jurisdiction has land use regulations which will be applied throughout the process. In the County, special attention should be applied to Section 5-407 of the Pitkin County Land Use Code, which addresses activities of State and Local Interest, such as interchanges and highways. Additionally, the CDOH should be aware of existing County regulations such as the 200 foot set back requirement from SH 82. The following reflect the commissions' views of modifications which will more closely conform the highway design (as only partially disclosed at this time) to adopted master plans, land use regulations and standards 2 and to improve compatibility of community goals and objectives. the new highway with official II. Preserve the Ability to Incorporate Rail and Mass Transit. Highway design shall include the structural reinforcement of bridges to accommodate rail transit, as well as the identification of adequate right-of-way throughout the corridor to accommodate a separate transit way (rail or other). III. Design to Facilitate Bus Transit. Ail design must incorporate all features necessary to give convenient priority access to present and foreseeable future bus transit functions. This effort shall be guided by and coordinated with the Roaring Fork Transit Agency General Manager. In particular: ae Ail intersections shall be designed to permit convenient transfers between buses, minimizing the need for buses to leave the highway. Breakdown and other lanes shall be designed to permit safe stopping and merging of buses at all bus stops and transfer points. Safe pedestrian access should be provided for all bus patrons to and from trails on both sides of the highway, and for crossing the highway. Pedestrian underpasses (or overpasses which do not require stairs or extensive ramps) should be incorporated at all major intersections and other major bus stop locations. Design shall accommodate areas for bus shelters, waiting areas and connecting pedestrian ways. IV. Trails and Pedestrians. providing residents and visitors motorized vehicles, the highway Given Aspen's commitment to with travel options other than design must include trails on both sides of the highway throughout the corridor; and not impede pedestrian (bicycle, cross country skier, pedestrian) movement or cause the trail system to be discontinuous. In particular: Ail major intersections and transit stops shall be designed with safe and attractive underpasses (or overpasses which do not require stairs or extensive ramps) for safe pedestrian travel from one side of the highway to another. Continuity in the trail system will be provided through underpasses (or overpasses which do not require stairs or extensive ramps). The design of these underpasses (or overpasses which do not require stairs or extensive ramps) shall be 4 attractive, lighted, and large enough to accommodate the trail maintenance vehicles (summer and winter) used for maintenance of the trail system. The design of the highway must allow easy access to bus stops from the trail system. V. SPecific Locations. The following recommendations for improvements are made for these specific locations: Airport Area. The AABC, RFTA, BMC and airport activities, including high occupancy vehicles, shall be served through grade separation, see figure 1. All service to the ABC/Airport area shall be through frontage roads; however, transit stops shall be permitted on the highway, as well as off the highway in this location. Pfister/Buttermilk Area. Tiehack, Stage Road, Grand Champions, Pomegranate and Pfister Ranch access roads shall be consolidated with and accessed through the proposed or relocated and redesigned Pfister grade separated intersection, see figure 2. The Owl Creek, and Buttermilk access roads shall be consolidated and served by a different grade separated intersection, see figure 3. 5 Maroon Creek Bridqe. Box girder single bridge design of the type previously described is acceptable. All CDOH designs appear to have good sensitivity to minimization of temporary destruction and restoration of the Maroon Creek ecosystem. The Commissions find that the new bridge should be 93' wide: one - 16' median, four - 12' travel lanes, two- 10 foot shoulders, one - 7' sidewalk on the north side of the bridge, and two - 1' guard rails. This design can be converted to accommodate transit 13' transit lane by utilizing median space. by creating a and shoulder Comments as to accommodation of rail and other present and future transit capabilities apply to this bridge. See also comments as to utilization of the new bridge to underpass Truscott Place vehicles, to create a right on/right off intersection rather than a signalized intersection. The Commissions find that it is the CDOH's responsibility to ensure that the existing bridge is and continues to be safe for future use, if any. The Commission request information on bridge condition and 6 its expected useful life considering possible future uses (rail, trails) of the bridge and how the issue of liability and future maintenance will be addressed by the CDOH. Until all of these questions can be addressed identifying future uses for the bridge is not possible. Truscott Place Area. Modest grade separated intersection (right on, right off) shall be designed which is incorporated with the east end of the Maroon Creek bridge, if not then provide a controlled 4-way intersection. Ze Pyramid Peak View Plane. The Maroon Bells view plane (identified in the SH 82 Corridor Master Plan) shall not be obstructed by any highway improvements and there shall be a modest, pull-off from the highway to safely accommodate photographers and others. Maroon/Castle Creek Intersection. The Commissions have a number of concerns and ideas for this intersection. The Commissions finds that a signalized, at-grade crossing is appropriate at this location because of the need to platoon traffic into town and into the intersection at Seventh and Main. This platooning concept is important because it will prevent constant 7 and lengthy back-ups at the Seventh and Main intersection which would effect the residents that live in this area. The Commissions also find that this is a critical intersection for transit and pedestrian interface and request that the highway be designed with transit amenities and two pedestrian underpasses (Maroon Creek Road and SH 82) so that transit and pedestrian traffic will not impede or be impeded by highway traffic. Entry to Aspen. The most southerly alignment at the east end of the Marolt Property is preferred for the following reasons: it places the new highway and attendant noise and air pollution as far as possible from the existing Villas of Aspen development and is consistent with the alignment described on the ballot issue voted upon by City voters. Historic pre- servation requirements of the foundation for the old reduction mill should be accomplished in connection with the new Castle Creek bridge design which may require it to be slightly curved in order to maintain required distance from the historic site without reducing the right-of-way's distance from the Villas of Aspen. 8 While crossing the Marolt Park area, the highway right-of-way should be the minimum width possible in order to preserve park land. Pedestrian and cross country trails shall be provided and main- tained in locations which are feasible and acces- sible without creating conflicts with highway traffic. The highway should be depressed as much as possible and appropriate landscaping, berming, etc. shall be required to minimize the noise and air pollution impacts of the highway to the park and its users. Said landscaping shall also mitigate vehicular light impacts on residential development which is adjacent to the park. Because the segment easterly of Castle Creek between the Villas of Aspen and Seventh Street will have sig- nificant noise, visual, air pollution and other impacts in an existing residential neighborhood, additional mitigation steps are required: a. The highway should be depressed below existing grade as it crosses between the easterly bank of Castle Creek and Eighth Street as necessary to fully mitigate visual, noise, and air pollution impacts to the Villas of Aspen. The use of sound barriers with appropriate landscaping and berming will be used to avoid a "urban 9 wall" effect as viewed from the Villas of Aspen looking southerly. If necessary, the bridge crossing Castle Creek shall be depressed below grade in order to accomplish the depression easterly of its location without excessive grades. b. Between Eighth Street and Seventh Street the highway should continue to be depressed with its grade eventually reaching natural grade at Seventh and Main. Significant landscaping, berming and sound barrier structures shall be utilized in this section to fully mitigate the visual, noise, and air pollution impacts of backed up and accelerating traffic at the Seventh and Main intersection as these impacts will adversely affect existing residential uses. Additional right-of- way shall be acquired for use in the placement of these mitigation measures. c. Comprehensive noise and air pollution evaluation shall be undertaken as part of the final EIS in order to adequately assess these impacts on the Marolt Park area and the residential neighborhood between Seventh Street and the easterly bank of Castle Creek. Mitigation measures shall be designed to respond to these evaluations and avoid harmful environmental, aesthetic, and health effects from the placement of the 10 highway in this location. d. The visual impact on the entrance to Aspen between Seventh Street and the easterly bank of Castle Creek shall be mitigated by the acquisition of sufficient right-of-way to place landscaping. e. The grade from Seventh Street/SH 82 intersection to west end of new bridge shall not be more than two percent. The significant sound attenuation effect will be to reduce noise under load of vehicles entering (will be decelerating uphill) and leaving (will be accelerating down hill). VI. Construction ManaGement. In order to mitigate impacts on county roads and maintain mass transit schedules, two lane detours are requested wherever feasible. Those highway sections which require any stopping of traffic should be scheduled to begin in mid April and completed in the most expeditious manner possible. In order to ensure that the highway corridor and not the County road system mitigates construction impacts, the CDOH shall provide priority transit/HOV bypasses where construction is likely to cause traffic disruption. VII. Corridor Desiqn and LandscaDinq. The Commissions find that it is important to minimize the amount of land taken by the 11 highway. Therefore, the Commissions find that the median should be 16' throughout the entire corridor except across the Marolt- Thomas property where the median shall be as narrow as possible without utilizing a jersey barrier; the shoulders shall be 6' except where a wider shoulder is required to accommodate the transit system; a curb and gutter design shall be extended to the Maroon Creek bridge in order to bring landscaping closer to the roadway; the existing Maroon Creek bridge shall be part of the trail system; and the entire corridor shall be extensively landscaped. VIII. Future Desiqn Review. The Planning and Zoning Commissions thank the Colorado Department of Highways for the opportunity to guide the design efforts for this very important roadway. The Commissions request that the Department allow the Commissions to review design drawings as they become available. APPROVED by the Aspen Planning and Zoning Commission and the Pitkin County Planning and Zoning Commission at a special meeting on February 5, 1991. ATTEST: Deputy City Cl~fk ATTEST: Deborah Skehan, Office Manager ASPEN PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION ~i?;clt~_. .... n, Chalrp n , PITK~ PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION Suzanne Caskey, Chairperson 12