HomeMy WebLinkAboutHARMONY TECHNOLOGY PARK-CELESTICA - ODP - 12-97 - CORRESPONDENCE - CITY HALL'.e
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alternatives to meet the pedestrian LOS standards.
It is important to note that Transportation staff has already allowed the HTP project to
deduct 30% from the estimated vehicle trip generation rate for the overall project due to
HTP's proposed plan to design each phase to incorporate features and business
practices similar to those of Hewlett Packard to promote the use of alternative modes.
Given that the City has already allowed HTP to factor in this aggressive trip reduction
rate, staff is concerned that if direct pedestrian connections are not provided between
HTP and HP, then employees will be more inclined to drive between the sites for
meetings, as well as to/from work since they will need their cars for mid -day trips, thus
leading to an increase in vehicle trips. That situation would invalidate the 30%
reduction in trip generation rate.
Transportation staff has also requested that the HTP project look into expanding
Transfort's Southside Shuttle into their site and we will continue to work the HTP
consultant team to determine the feasibility of this service.
In addition, Engineering staff is working with HTP's consultant team and the Colorado
Department of Transportation (CDOT) to help facilitate the project's request for an
access permit for the proposed signalized intersection at Harmony Road and
Technology Parkway. This process can be lengthy and cumbersome, so staff is
working to help expedite this requirement. If a signalized intersection can be
constructed at this point, it may significantly improve the vehicular and pedestrian
access to and from the site.
Transportation staff has requested more detailed information from the HTP consultant
team to further evaluate the overall transportation impacts. Our complete list of
recommendations will be prepared by July 23.
CC: Darin Atteberry, Assistant City Manager
Frank Bruno, Assistant City Manager
Eric Bracke, Traffic Operations
Mike Herzig, Engineering
Kathleen Reavis, Transportation Planning
Dave Stringer, Engineering
MEMORANDUM
DATE: July 18, 1997
TO: John Fischbach, City Manager
FROM: Ron Phillips, Director of Transportation Services
RE: Harmony Technology Park
The Transportation development review team has provided the following brief on the
status of the Transportation Services review of the Harmony Technology Park (HTP)
project:
Traffic Operations, Engineering, and Transportation Planning are continuing to review
the submitted Transportation Impact Study, with collective comments due back to
Current Planning on Wednesday, July 23.
Based upon preliminary evaluation of the project with the City's recently adopted Level
of Service (LOS) standards for pedestrians, Transportation and Current Planning staff
are concerned about provisions for direct pedestrian access between the Harmony
Technology Park site and Hewlett-Packard (HP). Comments from HP staff indicate
there will be frequent employee trips between the two sites for meetings, project
coordination, training, etc. thus creating a significant need to provide safe and direct
pedestrian walkways and street crossings. Based upon Harmony Road being a major
arterial with high traffic volumes and travel speeds, staffs initial recommendation was
for the HTP project to build a pedestrian overpass across Harmony Road in the vicinity
of HP's west entrance, connecting the two properties.
The overpass cannot be required, but is suggested to improve safety for pedestrians
and minimize vehicular delay on Harmony Road. This recommendation has been met
with opposition from Tom Peterson as a representative of the HTP project, and perhaps
he may have misunderstood that this is only a recommendation, not a requirement.
Another option being discussed is to enhance the proposed signalized intersection of
Harmony Road and Technology Parkway to provide a safer pedestrian at -grade street
crossing. Transportation staff is continuing to work with Matt Delich, HTP's Traffic
Consultant, to determine how a pedestrian crossing at this point could be
accommodated. At this point, staff and the HTP consultant team are still evaluating