HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 07/05/2016 - SECOND READING OF ORDINANCE NO. 073, 2016, AUTHORIAgenda Item 8
Item # 8 Page 1
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY July 5, 2016
City Council
STAFF
Dean Klingner, Engineer & Capital Project Manager
SUBJECT
Second Reading of Ordinance No. 073, 2016, Authorizing the Acquisition by Eminent Domain of Additional
Lands Necessary to Construct Public Improvements as Part of the Prospect Road and College Avenue
Intersection Improvements Project.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Note: Additional information has been added as follow-up to discussion and questions since First
Reading on May 17, 2016.
The purpose of this item is to obtain authorization from City Council to use eminent domain, if necessary, to
acquire property interests needed to construct improvements to the intersection of Prospect Road and College
Avenue. This authorization is for the two residential properties at the east end of the project.
Ordinance No. 043, 2016 was adopted on Second Reading on April 19, 2016, allowing City staff to begin the
property acquisition process for the preferred alternative on the six commercial properties at this intersection.
Staff delayed the residential properties approximately six weeks to allow additional design work and
discussions with the property owners.
The following work has been done recently in regards to the residential properties:
Council Work Session presentation and discussion on April 12, 2016, resulting in:
o Majority support for dual westbound left turn lanes
o Request to provide follow-up on additional design questions
Meeting with Mayor Pro Tem Horak, City Manager, City staff and affected property owners to discuss
property owners requested design (April 25, 2016).
Memo to Council providing detailed analysis of the impacts and benefits of moving the roadway south
to avoid wall impacts.
Support from Transportation Board and Bicycle Advisory Committee on staff’s preferred alternative.
Timely acquisition of the property is necessary to meet the anticipated construction schedule. Staff will
negotiate in good faith with the affected owners and is optimistic that all property negotiations can be
completed prior to the start of the Project. Staff is requesting authorization of eminent domain for all property
acquisitions for the Project only if such action is necessary in order to keep the project on schedule.
Ordinance No. 073, 2016 was adopted on First Reading on May 17, 2016 by a vote of 5-2 (Nays: Cunniff,
Overbeck).
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends adoption of the Ordinance on Second Reading.
Agenda Item 8
Item # 8 Page 2
BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION
The following information is provided in response to Council and citizen questions that have been
asked since the first reading on this Ordinance on May 17, 2016.
Council Questions:
1. During the June 7, 2016 Council Meeting, staff was asked to evaluate designs that used a combination of
(a) eliminating the eastbound left turn from Prospect to Remington, (b) 10’ interior lane widths and 11’
outside lane widths, (c) narrower sidewalks and medians, and (d) lower design speed to allow shorter
curve radii. The stated goal was a design that allows the tree in front of 1535 Remington to stay, maintains
the congestion relief benefits, and minimizes additional costs and other property owner impacts.
The design team has already used flexibility in lane widths and sidewalk width and has considered
removing the Remington turn lane. However, the only way to achieve the goals stated above is to
compromise the minimum curve radii through use of a lower design speed. In February, the team
developed and eliminated a design concept that does this for safety reasons. Staff agrees that lower
accident severity is correlated to lower operating speeds. However, introducing sub-standard curves
for a short section of roadway will not reduce operating speeds and therefore will compromise the
safety of the design. This conclusion is supported by industry design guidelines and research. Detailed
information about this issue and the eliminated design alternative can be found in Attachment 2 – Design
Speed Memo.
2. Council has asked how the public process and outreach for this project has differed from similar projects in
the last few years, including improvements to Prospect/Timberline, Horsetooth/Timberline, and
College/Harmony.
This project has had substantially more public process compared to the projects listed above. This has
included pre-design inclusion of the project in numerous plans over the last several years, an Open House
for the CSU Medical Center where the improvements were discussed, a Bicycle Advisory Committee and
Transportation Board meeting, a Council work session, and four Council meetings. In addition, the City
has maintained a project web site with project and contact information and contacted all affected property
owners for multiple individual meetings. Staff believes that all stakeholders have had adequate
opportunities to engage in the process and provide thoughts and comments. As the design continues,
additional outreach will continue with the property owners, neighborhoods and travelling public.
Citizen Questions
1. A citizen has asked about lane widths, suggested that we use 10’ lane widths for all lanes on this project,
and noted that the current concept for the West Elizabeth Corridor Plan proposes 10’ lane widths near
Shields.
Industry standards for urban arterial lane width suggest a range of 10-12’ depending on conditions. The
City has a wide variety of lane widths throughout town. New arterials tend to be 12’, while constrained
areas tend to be narrower. Within the College and Prospect preferred alternative design lane widths are
proposed between 9 and 11’. Staff is familiar with research that concludes that narrower lane widths
(down to 10’ of asphalt) do not result in higher accident rates. Lane widths must be considered in the
context of other design parameters and roadway conditions. In this case, because of the low curve radii,
large intersection offset, high traffic volume, and accommodation for trucks and buses, staff has
recommended 11’ lanes where they do not create significant property impacts and narrower lanes along
the east end of the project to minimize the residential property impacts. Reducing lanes to 10’ in width
through the intersection will not result in significantly less impact to either of the two residential properties
at the east end of the project.
Agenda Item 8
Item # 8 Page 3
2. A citizen has asked about a proposed raised median down the center of Prospect on the west leg of the
project and the impacts this will have to circulation in/out of the commercial area on the SW corner of the
intersection.
The implementation of access control west of the intersection through the use of a median is being done
primarily to reduce crash frequency. In this area, there are four commercial access points within 400 feet
of a major intersection. The driveways are within the area of a typical backup from College and left turns in
and left turns out often occur between and through stopped vehicle queues. In the last three years (2013-
2015) there have been 32 crashes in the block west of the College and Prospect intersection. This is more
crashes than would be expected compared to other comparable urban/suburban arterials with similar
traffic volumes. The high number of crashes is directly attributable to the number and location of access
points.
The use of medians along arterials is a very typical installation all around Fort Collins and across the
nation. It is a proven crash countermeasure. The median on the east side of the College/Prospect
intersection was installed to limit left turns at the alley and commercial driveways (Lewan and Taco Bell).
Another recent example is North College that was rebuilt last year with medians. Where medians are
present, drivers can access driveways as right-in, right-out, and those needing to head the other way (left
turn out) are allowed to make U-turns at adjacent intersections. Staff does not anticipate that this change
will add any substantial traffic onto a neighborhood street.
3. A citizen has asked if it is necessary to complete the Enhanced Travel Corridor (ETC) Plan for Prospect
from College to I-25 prior to proceeding with the intersection improvements.
Staff does not think this is necessary. The proposed Prospect and College Intersection Improvements
reduce congestion and improve safety at a bottleneck location. Multi-modal improvements are prioritized
because of the key connections between Remington, MAX, CSU, neighborhoods, and large destinations
(medical center and commercial areas). The ETC designation confirms the importance of the corridor as a
critical transportation link for all modes of travel. All improvements have been designed in the context of a
constrained corridor to minimize impacts to adjacent properties. Transfort currently runs a bus route east-
west through this section of Prospect, so the design also includes accommodation for Transit (11’ lanes
where possible and a new bus pullout at the Medical Center).
It has been common practice for the City to continue to implement improvements on ETCs before the ETC
planning process is complete. Examples of major projects constructed on ETC corridors prior to an ETC
Plan include Harmony Road intersection improvements (College, Lemay, Timberline) and completion of 6-
lane widening; Timberline Intersections (Horsetooth and Prospect), North College (completion of
substantial improvements between Jefferson and Willox), and Prospect (Bridge widening west of I-25,
development of conceptual design for I-25 and Prospect Interchange, Prospect/Timberline improvements,
and pavement maintenance).
The following information is unchanged from the May 17, 2016 Agenda:
City Council approved the second reading of Ordinance No. 043, 2016 on April 19, 2016, allowing staff to
being the property acquisition process on the six affected commercial properties at this intersection. In order
to construct the preferred alternative for the Project, the City needs to acquire property from the two residential
properties on the east end of the Project as well.
The Prospect and College intersection has some of the highest traffic volumes in the entire City in addition to
high numbers of crashes, significant congestion in peak travel times, substandard bicycle and pedestrian
facilities and insufficient turn lanes. Turn lane improvements and improved signal timing will be implemented to
reduce congestion, while re-designed medians and bicycle and pedestrian facilities will update the look, feel
and functionality of the intersection for all modes of transportation
Multiple planning efforts and projects over the last several years help inform and set the stage for the proposed
improvements at Prospect and College. These are summarized as follows:
Agenda Item 8
Item # 8 Page 4
2011 Master Street Plan and Transportation Master Plan designated Prospect from Mason Street to I-
25 as an Enhanced Travel Corridor (ETC) and as a Gateway Intersection.
The Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) (Appendix D to the 2011 Transportation Master Plan) lists
intersection improvements to Prospect and College as a High priority project. Roadway improvements
to Prospect Avenue from College to Lemay are listed as a Medium priority project.
The 2011 Arterial Intersection Prioritization Study identified Prospect and College as a top priority for
congestion and safety improvements
The West Central Plan (adopted in 2015) eastern limit is College Avenue. However, improvements to
Prospect and College are sited as a Short-Term project (0-10 years) and the location is noted as “High
crash location, high vehicle delays, and review for multi-modal improvements.”
ETC’s are identified as the most desired area of focus for the Transportation Master Plan and future
transportation investments. ETC’s are designated as routes that provide connections between major activity
centers such as downtown, CSU, Midtown, employment centers, shopping destinations and neighborhoods.
Enhanced Travel Corridors are defined as uniquely designed corridors that are planned to incorporate high
frequency transit, bicycling, and walking as part of the corridor.
Key elements of gateway intersections include extensive landscaping and urban design to highlight entryways
into the city. This vision would include:
A safe and comfortable corridor for all modes of travel;
Safe crossing;
An attractive gateway to campus, downtown, and midtown; and
A seamless connection to transit, including MAX.
The Project is recognized as being in a constrained area where proposed improvements may have property
impacts to adjacent businesses and residents. Designing in this area requires a context sensitive approach
with potentially narrower roadway elements than are typically required, while still meeting minimum safety and
operational considerations.
City staff presented a preferred alternative for the intersection improvements at the April 12, 2016 City Council
Work Session. Staff provided background information on the current design of the improvements. The
preferred design concept is included as an attachment.
After an April 25 meeting with Mayor Pro Tem Horak, the City Manager and affected property owners, City staff
prepared an alternative that would move the road sufficiently south to avoid impacts to the wall in front of 1535
Remington and maintain the westbound dual left turn lanes (the “Southern Shift” alternative). This alternative is
discussed in detail in the attached Memo to Council. In summary, the alternative is not recommended for the
following reasons:
Impacts are shifted to multiple properties
Most substantially, this requires a full purchase of 1601 Remington, demolition of the house and
garage structures and restoration of the property (filling the basement, restoring the landscaping, etc.)
Additional property acquisition from the fueling station and convenience store on the SW corner of
Prospect and College to the extent that damages to the business operation are expected.
Extension of the project limits to the east of Remington to include two right of way acquisitions that to
this point have not been included in any discussions.
Additional construction costs associated with the extended project limits, reconfiguration of the
Remington and Prospect intersection, and full reconstruction of the roadway where an asphalt overlay
is no longer feasible.
These impacts in total are estimated to add at least $1.3M in additional costs to the project above and
beyond the cost savings from 1535 Remington.
Agenda Item 8
Item # 8 Page 5
This “Southern Shift” alternative does not provide any additional operational or safety benefits compared to the
preferred alternative. It does provide the opportunity to build a detached wide sidewalk along 1601 Remington
after the house is removed. The “Southern Shift” has the following key design differences:
All the lanes on the west side of the intersection would be 10’ wide. This is a design that City staff
does not support in this context for safety reasons.
The “Southern Shift” would fail to improve the existing condition of a 6-foot sidewalk adjacent to a
narrow lane along the 1535 Remington property.
Medians would be narrower than the minimum necessary to plant trees.
The “Southern Shift” alternative would preserve 3 mature trees on the north side of the road, but would
require the removal of 3 mature trees on the south side. Both alternatives impact the same number of
trees -- 15 trees in total.
Based on a thorough evaluation of all possible design alternatives, the City recommends proceeding with the
preferred design alternative as presented in the April 12 Work Session.
The staff-preferred design provides the following benefits:
Dual left turn lanes westbound, extended right turn lanes, landscaped medians, porkchop islands and
sidewalks to accommodate bicycles and pedestrians
20-25% reduction in overall delay and congestion at the intersection
Multimodal improvements with safety and operational benefits for all modes
Urban design and landscaping for this Gateway Intersection
This alternative does require relocation of the retaining wall and removal of the tree at 1535 Remington Street.
The City has met with the property owner numerous times and looked at all alternatives that leave the existing
wall in place. This wall will need to be relocated as part of the preferred design alternative. The City Forester
has evaluated the affected tree to be in “Fair” condition. The Forester has also noted that moving the wall at
all, even a few feet, would require removal of the tree. Through negotiations the City will propose to mitigate
and restore the wall and landscape areas on the property.
Staff’s preferred design alternative was presented to both the Bicycle Advisory Committee and the
Transportation Board. Both groups supported staff’s preferred design alternative.
The necessary property interests include right-of-way and permanent and temporary easements. Given the
construction schedule for the Project, timely acquisition of the property interests is necessary. Staff has begun
meeting with the affected property owners to discuss the project design and the potential impacts to their
property. Staff will continue to work with property owners prior to the acquisition to address individual site
considerations while still achieving the improvements goals of the Project. At our meetings, the property
owners were notified that City staff would be requesting authorization to use eminent domain to acquire
necessary property interests, if needed. Staff fully intends to negotiate in good faith with all affected owners;
however, if an agreement cannot be reached with the owners, and in order to ensure that the Project can
proceed in an efficient and timely manner, the City may consider the use of eminent domain.
The affected property owners were notified by certified mail of this request to Council for authorization of
eminent domain prior to First Reading of this Ordinance.
ATTACHMENTS
1. First Reading Agenda Item Summary, May 17, 2016 (w/o attachments) (PDF)
2. Design Speed memo (PDF)
3. Dual Left Turn Lanes-Sketch Overall (PDF)
4. Proposed Right-of-Way Exhibit (PDF)
5. Powerpoint presentation (PDF)
6. Ordinance No. 073, 2016 (PDF)
Agenda Item 19
Item # 19 Page 1
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY May 17, 2016
City Council
STAFF
Dean Klingner, Engineer & Capital Project Manager
SUBJECT
First Reading of Ordinance No. 073, 2016, Authorizing the Acquisition by Eminent Domain of Additional Lands
Necessary to Construct Public Improvements as Part of the Prospect Road and College Avenue Intersection
Improvements Project.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The purpose of this item is to obtain authorization from City Council to use eminent domain, if necessary, to
acquire property interests needed to construct improvements to the intersection of Prospect Road and College
Avenue. This authorization is for the two residential properties at the east end of the project.
Ordinance No. 043, 2016 was adopted on Second Reading on April 19, 2016, allowing City staff to begin the
property acquisition process for the preferred alternative on the six commercial properties at this intersection.
Staff delayed the residential properties approximately six weeks to allow additional design work and
discussions with the property owners.
The following work has been done recently in regards to the residential properties:
Council Work Session presentation and discussion on April 12, 2016, resulting in:
o Majority support for dual westbound left turn lanes
o Request to provide follow-up on additional design questions
Meeting with Mayor Pro Tem Horak, City Manager, City staff and affected property owners to discuss
property owners requested design (April 25, 2016).
Memo to Council providing detailed analysis of the impacts and benefits of moving the roadway south
to avoid wall impacts.
Support from Transportation Board and Bicycle Advisory Committee on staff’s preferred alternative.
Timely acquisition of the property is necessary to meet the anticipated construction schedule. Staff will
negotiate in good faith with the affected owners and is optimistic that all property negotiations can be
completed prior to the start of the Project. Staff is requesting authorization of eminent domain for all property
acquisitions for the Project only if such action is necessary in order to keep the project on schedule.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends adoption of the Ordinance on First Reading.
BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION
City Council approved the second reading of Ordinance No. 043, 2016 on April 19, 2016, allowing staff to
being the property acquisition process on the six affected commercial properties at this intersection. In order
to construct the preferred alternative for the Project, the City needs to acquire property from the two residential
properties on the east end of the Project as well.
ATTACHMENT 1
Agenda Item 19
Item # 19 Page 2
The Prospect and College intersection has some of the highest traffic volumes in the entire City in addition to
high numbers of crashes, significant congestion in peak travel times, substandard bicycle and pedestrian
facilities and insufficient turn lanes. Turn lane improvements and improved signal timing will be implemented to
reduce congestion, while re-designed medians and bicycle and pedestrian facilities will update the look, feel
and functionality of the intersection for all modes of transportation
Multiple planning efforts and projects over the last several years help inform and set the stage for the proposed
improvements at Prospect and College. These are summarized as follows:
2011 Master Street Plan and Transportation Master Plan designated Prospect from Mason Street to I-
25 as an Enhanced Travel Corridor (ETC) and as a Gateway Intersection.
The Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) (Appendix D to the 2011 Transportation Master Plan) lists
intersection improvements to Prospect and College as a High priority project. Roadway improvements
to Prospect Avenue from College to Lemay are listed as a Medium priority project.
The 2011 Arterial Intersection Prioritization Study identified Prospect and College as a top priority for
congestion and safety improvements
The West Central Plan (adopted in 2015) eastern limit is College Avenue. However, improvements to
Prospect and College are sited as a Short-Term project (0-10 years) and the location is noted as “High
crash location, high vehicle delays, and review for multi-modal improvements.”
ETC’s are identified as the most desired area of focus for the Transportation Master Plan and future
transportation investments. ETC’s are designated as routes that provide connections between major activity
centers such as downtown, CSU, Midtown, employment centers, shopping destinations and neighborhoods.
Enhanced Travel Corridors are defined as uniquely designed corridors that are planned to incorporate high
frequency transit, bicycling, and walking as part of the corridor.
Key elements of gateway intersections include extensive landscaping and urban design to highlight entryways
into the city. This vision would include:
A safe and comfortable corridor for all modes of travel;
Safe crossing;
An attractive gateway to campus, downtown, and midtown; and
A seamless connection to transit, including MAX.
The Project is recognized as being in a constrained area where proposed improvements may have property
impacts to adjacent businesses and residents. Designing in this area requires a context sensitive approach
with potentially narrower roadway elements than are typically required, while still meeting minimum safety and
operational considerations.
City staff presented a preferred alternative for the intersection improvements at the April 12, 2016 City Council
Work Session. Staff provided background information on the current design of the improvements. The
preferred design concept is included as an attachment.
After the April 25 meeting with Mayor Pro Tem Horak, the City Manager and affected property owners, City
staff prepared an alternative that would move the road sufficiently south to avoid impacts to the wall in front of
1535 Remington and maintain the westbound dual left turn lanes. This alternative is discussed in detail in the
attached Memo to Council. In summary, the alternative is not recommended for the following reasons:
Impacts are shifted to multiple properties
Most substantially, this requires a full purchase of 1601 Remington, demolition of the house and
garage structures and restoration of the property (filling the basement, restoring the landscaping, etc.)
Additional property acquisition from the fueling station and convenience store on the SW corner of
Prospect and College to the extent that damages to the business operation are expected.
Extension of the project limits to the east of Remington to include two right of way acquisitions that to
this point have not been included in any discussions.
Agenda Item 19
Item # 19 Page 3
Additional construction costs associated with the extended project limits, reconfiguration of the
Remington and Prospect intersection, and full reconstruction of the roadway where an asphalt overlay
is no longer feasible.
These impacts in total are estimated to add at least $1.3M in additional costs to the project above and
beyond the cost savings from 1535 Remington.
This “Southern Shift” alternative does not provide any additional operational or safety benefits compared to the
preferred alternative. It does provide the opportunity to build a detached wide sidewalk along 1601 Remington
after the house is removed. The “Southern Shift” has the following key design differences:
All the lanes on the west side of the intersection would be 10’ wide. This is a design that City staff
does not support in this context for safety reasons.
The “Southern Shift” would fail to improve the existing condition of a 6-foot sidewalk adjacent to a
narrow lane along the 1535 Remington property.
Medians would be narrower than the minimum necessary to plant trees.
The “Southern Shift” alternative would preserve 3 mature trees on the north side of the road, but would
require the removal of 3 mature trees on the south side. Both alternatives impact the same number of
trees -- 15 trees in total.
Based on a thorough evaluation of all possible design alternatives, the City recommends proceeding with the
preferred design alternative as presented in the April 12 Work Session.
This design provides the following benefits:
Dual left turn lanes westbound, extended right turn lanes, landscaped medians, porkchop islands and
sidewalks to accommodate bicycles and pedestrians
20-25% reduction in overall delay and congestion at the intersection
Multimodal improvements with safety and operational benefits for all modes
Urban design and landscaping for this Gateway Intersection
This alternative does require relocation of the retaining wall and removal of the tree at 1535 Remington Street.
The City has met with the property owner numerous times and looked at all alternatives that leave the existing
wall in place. This wall will need to be relocated as part of the preferred design alternative. The City Forester
has evaluated the affected tree to be in “Fair” condition. The Forester has also noted that moving the wall at
all, even a few feet, would require removal of the tree. Through negotiations the City will propose to mitigate
and restore the wall and landscape areas on the property.
Staff’s preferred design alternative was presented to both the Bicycle Advisory Committee and the
Transportation Board. Both groups supported staff’s preferred design alternative.
The necessary property interests include right-of-way and permanent and temporary easements. Given the
construction schedule for the Project, timely acquisition of the property interests is necessary. Staff has begun
meeting with the affected property owners to discuss the project design and the potential impacts to their
property. Staff will continue to work with property owners prior to the acquisition to address individual site
considerations while still achieving the improvements goals of the Project. At our meetings, the property
owners were notified that City staff would be requesting authorization to use eminent domain to acquire
necessary property interests, if needed. Staff fully intends to negotiate in good faith with all affected owners;
however, if an agreement cannot be reached with the owners, and in order to ensure that the Project can
proceed in an efficient and timely manner, the City may consider the use of eminent domain.
The affected property owners were notified by certified mail of this request to Council for authorization of
eminent domain prior to First Reading of this Ordinance.
Agenda Item 19
Item # 19 Page 4
CITY FINANCIAL IMPACTS
The Project is funded with local funds. Council appropriated $2,700,000 through a mid-budget offer in 2015 for
the design, right-of-way and construction of this Project. City of Fort Collins Utilities is planning significant
stormwater improvements as a part of the Project. Colorado State University has financial responsibility for
coordinated improvements generally related to the NW corner of the intersection. The purchase of this right-
of-way will allow staff to move forward with final design and construction.
BOARD / COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION
The project was presented and discussed at the April 20, 2016 Transportation Board Meeting. Letter of
Support from the Transportation Board is attached.
The project was presented and discussed at the March 28, 2016 Bicycle Advisory Committee.
PUBLIC OUTREACH
This project has been included as a part of the Prospect Corridor Outreach Plan.
The project team has held over 20 individual meetings with the eight adjacent property owners.
.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Location Map (PDF)
2. Sustainability Assessment Summary (PDF)
3. Proposed ROW Exhibit (PDF)
4. Preferred Alternative Design Concept (PDF)
5. Memo to Council May 3, 2016 (PDF)
6. Transportation Board Letter of Support (PDF)
7. Staff Presentation (PDF)
Engineering Department
281 North College Avenue
P.O. Box 580
Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580
970.221.6605
970.221.6378 - fax
fcgov.com/engineering
Planning, Development & Transportation
DESIGN TECHNICAL MEMORANDUM
Date: June 23, 2016
To: Project File
From: Dean Klingner, Capital Projects Manager
Dan Woodward, Civil Engineer II
Re: College and Prospect Intersection Improvements
Design Speed Discussion
Summary: The design team was asked to look at a design option that lowers the
design speed, maintains dual westbound left turns and does not impact the wall at 1535
Remington Street. Attached to this memo is an alternative that meets these
requirements with a 25MPH design speed that was developed early in the concept
phase. This alternative was eliminated from consideration because it does not
meet acceptable engineering standards for the City.
Additional Detail: The intent of this memo is to provide additional information regarding
design speeds and operating speeds on an arterial street within the City.
The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)
definition of design speed is a selected speed used to determine the various geometric
features of the roadway. The assumed design speed should be a logical one with
respect to the topography, anticipated operating speed, the adjacent land use, and the
functional classification of the roadway.
The context sensitive design speed of 35MPH for Prospect Road was chosen for the
following reasons:
- Prospect Road is designated as an arterial roadway. City standard is a
50MPH design speed for 4-lane arterial roadways.
- The average operating speed for westbound traffic on Prospect near College
is between 35-40 MPH
- The existing and planned land use does not support lower design or posted
speeds
- Minimize impacts to adjacent properties
Although lower speeds decrease crash severity and may reduce crash frequencies,
research shows that changing the posted speed limit and design speed for a small
section of roadway does not reduce speeds. Research also suggests that crash risk
increases with increasing speed differentials due to varying posted, operating and
ATTACHMENT 2
design speeds between adjoining sections of roadways. A 35MPH minimum design
speed is consistent with current operating speeds along the Prospect Road corridor.
The City’s engineering consultant Wilson and Co. prepared a white paper on the
relationship between operating speed, design speed and safety. Their paper is
attached to this memo for your reference.
Based on the evaluation of the City Engineering team, City Traffic Department and
Wilson and Company’s Engineering team, City staff does not support using a design
speed any lower than 35MPH.
Attachment: “Wilson and Co. Memorandum – Design/Posted Speed Evaluation”
“25 MPH Design Speed Concept Drawing”
“Design Differences Table”
References: “FHWA Office of Safety - Mitigation Strategies for Design Exceptions –
July 2007”
“National Cooperative Highway Research Program Report 504 – Design
Speed, Operating Speed, and Posted Speed Practices”
Memorandum
To: Dan Woodward – Project Manager; Dean Klingner – Manager of Capital Projects
From: Scott Waterman, PE/Steve Gomez, PE, PTOE
Date: June 20, 2016 File Number: WCI - 1610000400
Re: College and Prospect Intersection Improvements Design / Posted Speed Evaluation
The purpose of this technical memorandum is to address comments from the City of Fort Collins City
Council regarding the design of proposed intersection improvements at the College Avenue/Prospect
Road intersection. The proposed intersection improvements consist of the following:
x Providing two left turn lanes on eastbound and westbound Prospect Road
x Extending the westbound rightǦturn lane and the eastbound right-turn lane on Prospect Road
x Providing median channelized right turn lanes on all intersection approaches with the exception
of the northbound College Avenue approach
x Reconfiguring curb returns on all approaches to accommodate large truck turning (WB-67)
x Maintaining and/or widening current sidewalks within the intersection area
A layout of the proposed intersection improvements is attached. The design of the proposed
improvements were based on the current uniform posted speed along Prospect Road which is 35 MPH,
which is consistent for the entire roadway corridor within the City.
The City of Fort Collins City Council asked if it would be appropriate to reduce the speed limit on Prospect
Road, in the immediate vicinity of College Avenue, to below 35 mph and if so, could the intersection
design improvements be refined to reduce impacts to adjacent businesses and properties, by reducing
the design speed accordingly.
Establishing Posted Speed and Design Speed
Posted Speed
According to the Federal Highway Administration, all states and most local agencies use the 85th
percentile speed of free flowing traffic as the basic factor in establishing posted speed limits. The City of
Fort Collins is no exception. The City does factor into the equation the number of pedestrians, bicyclists,
and adjacent land uses prior to the establishment of a posted speed limit. As noted previously the City
established speed limit for Prospect Road at College Avenue is 35 MPH.
Design Speed
Design speed is the fundamental criterion upon which the geometric design of roadways is based. Design
speed is generally based on the 85th percentile speed, the land use, topography, and function of the
roadway, then adding a factor of safety. In urban conditions similar to Prospect Road, this relationship
results in the design speed being established 5 mph above the posted speed. The geometric elements
of the roadway are then selected based on this design speed to ensure geometric consistency of a
roadway. By utilizing consistent geometric criteria based on the established design speed, it is intended
that the alignment of the roadway will match the driver’s expectations.
Arizona
California
Colorado
Kansas
Louisiana
Missouri
Nebraska
New Mexico
Texas
Utah
Context Sensitive Design Speed
Where design constraints are numerous, and a context sensitive design is deemed necessary to reduce
adjacent impacts, a reduction in design speed is considered in the design development. In no case should
an overall reduction be considered where the design speed is reduced by more than 5 mph, or where
the design speed is reduced to a value less than the posted speed. For this project, a design speed of
35 MPH was used in designing the identified intersection improvements.
Benefits of Maintaining the Current Uniform Established Corridor Speed Limit
Maintaining the current uniform established Prospect Road corridor posted speed limit of 35 MPH within
the intersection area would be beneficial for thefollowingreasons:
a. Speed compliance is maximized - the majority of drivers will drive the corridor at, or above the
normal posted speed limit in advance of, and following the intersection.
b. Consistent speed enforcement – consistent corridor posted speeds will allow typical enforcement
by City police.
c. Reduced crash potential – speed compliance in a corridor with a consistent speed posting, and
associated design speed, will provide consistent driver expectations for all of the geometric
transitions a driver must make. Consistent expectations will likely result in lower crash potential.
Implications of Not Maintaining the Current Uniform Established Corridor Speed Limit
Reducing the current uniform established Prospect Road corridor speed limit to below 35 MPH within the
intersection area could have the following implications:
a. Speed compliance is minimized – lowering the posted speed limit in this isolated segment will
have a minor effect on actual vehicle speeds.
b. Difficult speed enforcement - a short segment of reduced posted speed will make enforcement
difficult and not consistent with the remainder of the corridor, nor other corridors in the City.
c. May increase crash potential - drivers traveling significantly faster OR slower than 85th percentile
speed are at a greater risk for being in a crash. Variation of speed through the corridor will increase
accident potential.
Conclusion
It is Wilson & Company’s recommendation to maintain a posted speed of 35 mph through this segment.
The reduction in posted speed limits will likely not result in actual reduction in vehicle speeds. This
recommendation is based on years of professional practice, utilizing design approaches that are
consistent with transportation engineering practices and the study research that has established and
continuously evolves this profession. By utilizing these industry established practices for this project and
all others, the transportation engineering profession does its best to provide a high level of safety and
driver expectations for the travelling public. Also, by utilizing these industry established practices, the
Engineer of Record, in this case Wilson & Company, is not exposed to subjective liability for not
attempting to provide the same level of safety and driver expectations.
CollegeandProspectIntersectionImprovementsͲDesignDifferencesTable
June,2016
CostDifference* ROWImpacts
Target
Construction
Season
DesignDifferences Safety
MeetsAcceptable
EngineeringStandards
LeftTurnStorage
CongestionImprovement
comparedtoPreferred
Alternative(%)
+$1.3M,Approx.
2/3duetoROW
Additional$800kͲ
$1Mtomatch
preferredoption
designstandards
*AllcostscomparedtoPreferredAlternativecost
ROWͲRightofWay
ͲExistingnarrowwalk
ͲNotreesinmedians
ͲNarrowerlanes,safetyand
operationalconcerns
ͲAdditionalconstruction
Ͳ10'lanes,safetyconcerns
duetodesignspeed,traffic
volumeandgeometry
ͲNarrowsidewalkalong
1535Remingtonlesssafefor
pedestriansandother
alternatemodes
ͲAdequategeometry,
sidewalks
ͲLandscaping/treesinmedians
SouthernShift
Preferred
Alternative
ͲͲ ͲRelocateswallandremovestreeeastofHarperdriveway 2017
ͲAdditionalROWon8properties,2newproperties
ͲFullpurchaseof1601Remington,demolitionandrestoration
ofproperty
ͲBusinessimpacts
ͲLikelyresistancefrompropertyownersonSWcorner
ͲRemovalof3largematuretreesonsouthsideofroadway
ͲCommercialpropertiesneedtocomebacktoCouncilfor
eminentdomainauthorizationwithnewlegaldescription
2018
LowerDesign
Speed
Ͳ$60k ͲExistingwallandtreeremaininplace 2017
ͲSubstandarddesignspeed,
safetyandoperational
concerns
ͲPoorgeometryforexisting
roadwaycharecteristics
ͲͲ
Similartopreferred
alternative
DUAL LEFT OPTION
ATTACHMENT 3
1
College and Prospect –
Proposed Intersection Improvements
7-5-16
ATTACHMENT 5
Tonight’s Proposed Council Action:
• 2nd Reading to Authorize eminent domain, if necessary,
on portions of two residential properties
• Requires ~10 months of good faith negotiation prior to
any court action
• Based on the Recommended Concept (dual westbound
left turn lanes)
2
Timeline
• June 2015 – CSU Medical Center Open House
• October 2015 – 2016 Funds Appropriated for Improvements
• January 2016 – Initial contact with property owners
• Jan – July 2016 – On-going dialogue with property owners
• April 2016 – Council Work Session
• April - May 2016 – Commercial Properties authorized; 1st reading
passed for residential
3
Other Options Considered
(1) Single Westbound Left Turn Lane
ü Does not impact 1535 Remington east of driveway
ü Similar cost
X Significantly reduces congestion benefit
(2) Southern Roadway Shift – requested at April 25th
meeting
ü Does not impact 1535 Remington east of driveway
ü Nearly identical operationally
X 6’ sidewalk + narrow lane remains at 1535 Remington
X Narrower lanes + medians
X Additional tree and property impacts on south side
X Adds 50% to City project cost ($1.3m)
4
Other Options Considered
(3) Lower Design Speed
ü Does not impact 1535 Remington east of driveway
ü Similar cost
X Does not meet engineering standards
(4) No Build
ü Does not impact 1535 Remington east of driveway
X Eliminated congestion, safety, multi-modal, and gateway benefits
5
Draft Recommended Concept
Key Project Benefits:
• Congestion Relief (~25%)
• Improved Safety
• Upgraded infrastructure
(utilities, sidewalks, etc.)
• Context Sensitive Design
• Gateway Amenities
6
-1-
ORDINANCE NO. 073, 2016
OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS
AUTHORIZING THE ACQUISITION BY EMINENT DOMAIN OF
ADDITIONAL LANDS NECESSARY TO CONSTRUCT PUBLIC
IMPROVEMENTS AS PART OF THE PROSPECT ROAD AND
COLLEGE AVENUE INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT
WHEREAS, the City is scheduled to begin construction on the Prospect Road and
College Avenue Intersection Improvements Project (the “City Project”) in 2017; and
WHEREAS, the City Project will construct needed road and intersection improvements,
multimodal transportation enhancements, utility improvements, and access control
improvements; and
WHEREAS, Colorado State University is also required to build certain improvements at
the same intersection in conjunction with the construction of its new medical center (the
“Medical Center Project”); and
WHEREAS, it is necessary for the City to acquire certain property interests for the City
Project in a timely manner in order to coordinate construction of the City Project with the
Medical Center Project; and
WHEREAS, on April 19, 2016, the City Council adopted on second reading Ordinance
No. 043, 2016, authorizing the acquisition of certain lands necessary for construction of the City
Project; and
WHEREAS, the City has identified certain additional real property interests needed for
the City Project, as described on Exhibits “A” through “D”, attached hereto and incorporated
herein by this reference (the “Property Interests”); and
WHEREAS, the Property Interests include real property to be acquired either in fee
simple for right-of-way or for temporary construction easements; and
WHEREAS, the City will negotiate in good faith for the acquisition of the Property
Interests from the owners thereof; and
WHEREAS, the acquisition of the Property Interests is desirable and necessary for the
construction of the City Project, is in the City’s best interest, and enhances public health, safety,
and welfare; and
WHEREAS, the City is authorized under Article XX, §1 of the Colorado Constitution
and Article V, §14 of the City Charter to use the power of eminent domain to acquire real
property as reasonably necessary for public improvements such as the City Project; and
WHEREAS, the acquisition of the Property Interests may, by law, be accomplished
through eminent domain.
-2-
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
FORT COLLINS as follows:
Section 1. That the City Council hereby makes and adopts the determinations and
findings contained in the recitals set forth above.
Section 2. That the City Council hereby finds and determines that is necessary in the public
interest to acquire the Property Interests described herein for the purpose of constructing the City
Project.
Section 3. That the City Council hereby authorizes the City Attorney and other
appropriate officials of the City to acquire the Property Interests for the City by eminent domain
proceedings.
Section 4. The City Council further finds that, in the event acquisition by eminent
domain of any of the Property Interests, or any portion of them, is commenced, immediate
possession of the same is necessary for the public health, safety and welfare.
Introduced, considered favorably on first reading, and ordered published this 17th day of
May, A.D. 2016, and to be presented for final passage on the 5th day of July, A.D. 2016.
_________________________________
Mayor
ATTEST:
_______________________________
City Clerk
Passed and adopted on final reading on the 5th day of July, A.D. 2016.
__________________________________
Mayor
ATTEST:
_______________________________
City Clerk
EXHIBIT "A"
EXHIBIT "B"
EXHIBIT "C"
EXHIBIT "D"
~10%less
ͲIncreaseinaccident
potentialduetolowered
designspeed
ͲNarrowsidewalkalong
1535Remingtonlesssafefor
pedestriansandother
alternatemodes
YES 330'
YES 330'
NO 180'
ͲSidewalkonnorthsideto
accommodatebikesand
pedestrians
ͲAdequategeometry