36 Commuting Solutions: Northwest Rail Corridor Update

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36 Commuting SolutionsNorthwest Rail Corridor
Update

• September 8, 2009

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Northwest Rail Corridor

• 41-mile corridor
• Serves Denver, Adams County, Jefferson County,
  Westminster, Broomfield, Louisville, Boulder and
  Longmont
• Commuter rail technology

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Northwest Rail Stations

• 11 stations total (4 unfunded)
• South Westminster/71st
• Westminster/88th
• Walnut Creek
• Broomfield/116th
• Flatiron
• Downtown Louisville
• East Boulder
• Boulder Transit Village
• Gunbarrel
• Twin Peaks
• Longmont

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Where are we in the process?

• 1st Public Meetings July 2007
• Alternatives analysis completed February 2009
• Environmental work completed August 2009
• Draft EE release October/November 2009
• Final EE release December 2009
• FONSI March 2010

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Railroad Negotiations

• Signed MOU with BNSF, for property transaction in
  January 2010
• Operating agreement for expected Summer 2010

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NWR Environmental Resources Analyzed
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Key Resources with Impacts

• Noise
• Acquisitions and Relocations
• Transportation and Traffic

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• Noise Analysis

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Noise Impacts Pre/Post Mitigation All-Stations
Scenario 2035
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Proposed Mitigation Noise

• Quiet zones to eliminate train horn noise at all
  but
• 112th Avenue in Broomfield
• Dillon Road in Louisville
• 55th Street in Boulder
• 63rd Street in Boulder
• N. 83rd Street in Longmont
• Ogallala Road in Longmont
• Private Driveway in Longmont
• Total of 3,200 linear feet of 10-foot high sound
  barriers at
• W. 72nd Avenue to W. 78th Avenue
• South Boulder Road to Baseline Road
• N. 95th Street to Main Street

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Noise Analysis Summary

• With quiet zones, all severe noise impacts would
  be eliminated.
• Quiet zone also applies to existing freight horn
  noise.

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• Property Acquisitions Relocations

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Property Acquisitions and Relocations

• Avoided and minimized impacts, where feasible.
• Few residential relocations.
• Impacts primarily at station sites (except Denver
  Section).
• Direct coordination with local jurisdictions on
  station design footprints.

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• Transportation and Traffic

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Transportation and Traffic
2035 A.M. Peak Hour Travel Time (Longmont to DUS)

• The Preferred Alternative would provide a
  reliable transit option to congested roadway
  travel and offer improved travel times.

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Transportation and Traffic
2035 A.M. Peak Hour Travel Time (Boulder to DUS)
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Transportation and Traffic

• 2035 Ridership
• 8,400 (FasTracks stations)
• 12,100 (All stations)
• 2015 Parking (4,900 total spaces)
• 2,960 FasTracks spaces
• 1,940 Unfunded spaces
• 2035 Parking (additional 435 spaces)
• at Downtown Longmont
• Traffic mitigations proposed near stations and
  at-grade crossings

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Example Proposed Station Area Traffic Mitigation
at South Westminster/71st Avenue

• Left turn at 71st Ave/Federal Blvd will be
  eliminated (2035).
• Southbound right turn lane at Federal Blvd/70th
  Avenue will be converted to a shared
  through/right (2035).

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Example Proposed Rail Grade Crossing Traffic
Mitigation at 72nd/Bradburn
- Add one westbound through lane - Convert the
two-way left-turn lane (TWLTL) to westbound
left-turn lane - Add one eastbound left-turn lane
Change the westbound left-turn phase from
permissive to protected/ permissive
Add one left-turn lane of 150 feet storage
- Add one westbound through lane - Convert the
two-way left-turn lane (TWLTL) to westbound
through lane
Interconnect and optimize signals
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Next Steps

• NWR Agency Workgroup and Governments Team
  meetings held September 3, 2009
• Release Draft Environmental Evaluation
• November 2009
• Public Meetings at 3 locations in corridor
• Submit Final EE to USACE - Early 2010
• Request FONSI to conclude EE process - 1st
  Quarter 2010

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• Questions?

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How Can You Stay In Touch?

• Contact
• Nadine Lee
• nadine.lee_at_rtd-fastracks.com
• [phone]