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Home My WebLink Aboutagenda.apz.19901218 AGENDA '.--..- --------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------- ASPEN/PITKIN COUNTY PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION JOINT MEETING December 18, 1990, Tuesday . 5:00 P.M. 2nd Floor Meeting Room city Hall HIGHWAY 82 DESIGN ( ~.aJM ..~ ~ Pt- Z- Cku42U ~L f31~P~f-7-~L) MEMORANDUM TO: Aspen Planning and Zoning Commission Pitkin County Planning And Zoning Commission FROM: Tom Baker, Assistant City Manager RE: SH 82 Design Resolution DATE: December 18, 1990 PURPOSE: The purpose of this meeting is to continue our discussion of the resolution' that the subcommittee developed regarding SH 82 design. The resolution has been redrafted; however, I am still reviewing the tape recording of the meeting to ensure that I incorporate all- of P&Zs comments. At the meeting I will review all changes and bring additional information -about trails. Once we has agreed on resolution language, we can then sketch our ideas on the map and incorporate specific design information into the resolution. Note: Staff will update P&Z on the Railroad process and determine if either body wishes to develop a position on the alignment question. sh82.reso.memo 3 ------- draft incorporating joint drafting committee comments--- JOINT RESOLUTION OF THE ASPEN PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION THE PITKIN COUNTY PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION 199 HIGHWAY 82 ENLARGEMENT DESIGN RECOMMENDATIONS November , 1990 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. 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. The purpose of this resolution is to identify and communicate important current planning considerations and comments so that they can be incorporated in the design process. I. Adopted Plans and Regulations. The commissions wish to note that the County has adopted the State Highway Master Plan, and 1 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 3-906 of the Pitkin County Land Use Code. 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 and to improve compatibility of the .new highway with official community goals.and objectives. II. Preserve the Ability to Incorporate Rail and Mass Transit. The highway right of way, bridges and other improvements must include the land area and easy, cost effective capability to install and incorporate rail and other mass transit facilities. III. Design to Facilitate Bus Transit. All 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: A. All intersections shall be designed to permit convenient transfers between buses, minimize the need for the buses to leave the highway; . B. Breakdown and other lanes shall be designed to permit safe stopping and merging of buses at all existing and potential future bus stops and transfer points. C. 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 and/or overpasses should be incorporated at all major intersections and other major bus stop locations. D. Design shall accommodate areas for bus shelters, waiting areas and connecting pedestrian ways. IV. Trails. V. Specific Locations A. Airport Area. The AABC, RFTA, BMC and airport activities, including high occupancy vehicles, shall be served through grade separation. B. Pfister/Buttermilk Area. Tiehack, Grand Champions, Pomegrante and Pfister Ranch access roads shall be consolidated with and accessed through the proposed or relocated and redesigned Pfister grade separated intersection. The Owl Creek, Stage Road and Butter- milk access roads shall be consolidated and served by a 3 different grade separated intersection. C. 'Truscott Place Area. Modest grade separated intersection shall be designed. Controlled 4-way intersection, on grade, unless proposed bridge structure can be utilized to provide grade separation for entering vehicles. Note the possibility of incor- porating this improvement with Maroon/Castle Creek recommendations following. D. Maroon/Castle Creek Intersection. The commissions make the strongest possible recommendation that a consolidated, grade separated solution be analyzed for this location. We are not persuaded by the assertions that this cannot be considered either because the structures would violate local government prohibitions against this type of improvement. Local governments should examine other solutions while there is still time. We are also not persuaded by assertions that the improvement must be where the present intersection is. We believe that the necessary elevation, cut and fill, 4 topographic, vegetative screening opportunities would exist, open space takings would be minimized, and con- struction disruptions minimized, if the new highway and intersections were realigned southerly of the existing highway. Such a solution will also create important opportunities for the Maroon and Castle Creek roads and neighborhoods, and also perhaps Truscott Place. E. F. Maroon Creek Bridge. Box girder single bridge design of the types previously described is acceptable. All CDOH designs appear to have good sensitivity to minimization of temporary destruction and restoration of the Maroon Creek ecosystem. 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. Southerly relocation of the highway to accommodate critical Maroon/Castle intersection objectives will require relocation of the bridge to the southerly side 5 of the present bridge, and acquisition of private pro- perty for the approached and the Maroon/Castle inter- section. This solution is more compatible with the requirement to minimize public open space than the originally proposed northerly bridge location. The commissions feel that the cost of removal of the present Maroon Creek Bridge should be considered a highway cost pending a decision to retain this bridge for some useful purpose not yet identified. The con- dition of the bridge is such that it has limited utility, represents a large public liability, and a visual intrusion, which should not be accepted without a clear source of funding. Except as noted, the decision of what will be done with the bridge can be deferred for further study. G. Entry to Aspen. After reconsideration, 'the most southerly alignment is preferred for the following reasons: It places the new highway and attendant noise and air pollution as far as possible from the existing Aspen Villas development. Historic preservation requirements of the foundation for the old reduction mill should be accomplished under and in connection with the new Castle Creek Bridge design. R Since the 7th and 82 location will have significant future noise, visual and other impacts at a critical location, additional mitigation steps are necessary: 1. Depress the highway to 5-7 feet below grade at Aspen Villas. Enlarge the height of the resulting view and sound buffer by using excavated material, and add heavy evergreen landscaping to further screen for noise and visual purposes. 2. Grade down from 7th and 82 to west end of new bridge (not more than 2%). The significant sound attenuation effect will be to reduce noise under load of vehicles entering (i.e. will be decelera- ting uphill) and leaving (i.e. will be accelera- ting down hill). 7