HomeMy WebLinkAboutLONGVIEW MARKETPLACE @ SHENANDOAH - PDP - 47-95B - CORRESPONDENCE - (20)Steve Olt Longview Marketplace at Sh ndoah Page 1
From: Garold Smith
To: Olt, Steve; Wamhoff, Sheri
Date: 12/ 19/02 12:26 P M
Subject: Longview Marketplace at Shenandoah
Steve and Sheri:
As you are aware, VF Ripley Associates have proposed a location for the Transfort stop at the southern
end of the Marketplace site. Following discussions with Steve Olt and Tom Reiff regarding pedestrian flow
and activity centers of the Marketplace, Transfort recommended that the bus stop be relocated to the area
east of proposed building "E" at the end of the now -extended sidewalk and south of the main entrance to
the Marketplace. Because of the steep grade (8%) and the requirement of upwards of 14' of retaining
walls, we further recommended the integration of a handicap ramp leading from the public sidewalk up to
the pedestrian walkway on the site. In response to our recommendation, VF Ripley and others from their
development team suggested that this request was not feasible because of grading issues and inability to
place a handicap access ramp given the constraints. They seemed to feel that it was sufficient to place
the transit stop in the southern location and force disabled persons to navigate a very circuitous route into
the center via College, Avondale and the parking lot. We agreed to research the issue and "get back to
them."
Following the meeting with VF Ripley Associates on Monday, I did some research on ADA accessibility
and transit stop locations. According to the FTA's "Accessibility Handbook for Transit Facilities," "In order
to provide equal access to people with disabilities, the accessible entrance (of a public facility) should be
just as much a part of the main flow of pedestrian traffic as any other entrance." I believe that a stop at
the southern end of the site would not facilitate this policy whereas our proposed location would. In
addition, I had a conversation with Marlys Sittner, Transfort Operations Manager, regarding the issue. We
are in agreement that the location VF Ripley has proposed is not acceptable from either an ADA or
Transfort operations policy standpoint. In order to provide equal access to disabled riders wishing to
access the Marketplace, we believe that the Transfort stop should be located at the location we discussed
with Steve and Tom. Marlys has directed me to usher our position through the Development Review
process to ensure that we arrive at an equitable solution.
Before we enter into more specific conversations on this issue with the developer, I did want to make sure
that our request is feasible... from an engineering standpoint. Can we, in fact, place a handicap access
ramp at the location we have recommended for the Transfort stop? Do we have the ROW to place a
ramp? How will that affect any utility easements? How will we compensate for the 8% grade in a
relatively constrained area? Also, since we will require a bus pull-out off of College, will we need an
easement from CDOT? What other issues do you fdel we should cover before we get back with VF
Ripley?
I will wait to hear from you before I contact Linda Ripley and I will keep you all in the loop of our
conversations. Thank you for your assistance in this matter.
Please contact me with any questions
Garold Smith III
Planning Specialist
Tran sfort/D ial-A-Ride
City of Fort Collins Transportation Services
6570 Portner Road
Ft. Collins, CO 80525
(970) 224-6195 direct
(970) 222-5911 cell