HomeMy WebLinkAboutVariance Requests - 08/15/2025
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August 15, 2025
Engineering Development Review
City of Fort Collins
281 N. College Avenue
Fort Collins, CO 80524
Project # 892-002
Gateway at Prospect BDR200010 – Modified Major Collector without Parking Street Section
Variance Description:
This memo serves as a notice of variance to the standard street section of a Collector without Parking contained in
Chapter 7, Fort Collins Figure 7-4F of the Larimer County Urban Area Street Standards (LCUASS Fort Collins) for the I-25
Frontage Road.
The I-25 Frontage Road is currently within CDOT ROW and is a CDOT road and it will remain a CDOT road within CDOT
ROW. As such it is subject to CDOT review as well as review by the City of Fort Collins. The Frontage Road is listed as a
Collector in the City of Fort Collins Transportation Master Plan and as such it is being designed to meet general Collector
standards.
The proposed street section meets the standard Collector section with minor adjustments to better meet the needs of
this particular roadway and the proposed roundabout access. Additionally, the roadway cross-section is being modified
to provide for the future ultimate improvements necessary to serve future increased traffic loading as delineated in the
traffic impact study “Gateway at Prospect Transportation Impact Study” Dated April 2020 by Delich Associates.
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Technical Design Criteria:
Each street that is under the classification of collector without parking must conform to Figure 7-4F. This approved
requirement is stated below:
Chapter 7.3 Street Classifications
“Each classification used must conform with the Local Entity TMP, when applicable, and meet all of the criteria for the
specific classification.”
Below is Figure 7-4F of the LCUASS standards showing the required street section for a collector without parking in Fort
Collins:
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Identifying the issue:
The Frontage Road is currently and ultimately will be a CDOT facility. The development team was tasked with creating a
cross-section that would work for both the City of Fort Collins and CDOT. The CDOT design manual does not provide strict
standards related to street cross-section, but rather the street cross-section is defined by the needs of the transportation
facility and any constraints that may exist.
The main access to the Gateway project site from the Frontage Road is shown as a Roundabout. General design guidance
for roundabouts includes larger lane widths at the entrances and exits of a roundabout. CDOT allows lane widths
between 10’-12’ wide, but the LCUASS standard is shown as 11’ for a Collector Road. Utilizing an 11’ through lane width
upstream and downstream of the roundabout would create greater and/or sharper transitions in and out of the
roundabout.
Additionally, the TIS indicated a dual southbound leAD turn lane onto Prospect Road would be necessary in the ultimate
condition. The Frontage Road/Prospect Intersection design has been designed with anticipation of that ultimate
buildout. In the interim, a single southbound leAD turn lane is shown with the future second leAD turn lane striped out.
While LCUASS does not directly speak about the treatment of dual leAD turn lanes, this improvement will require a larger
cross-section than a typical Collector Street without Parking. As such, it is being noted in this memorandum as a variance
from the typical Collector cross-section.
Alternatives Considered:
1. Alternative 1: Design Frontage Road with LCUASS Standard 11’ Through Lanes
a. This alternative would require a greater change in lane width to enter and exit at the roundabout. It was
determined that this greater change in lane width could create a less streamlined roundabout entry and
exit for vehicles.
2. Alternative 2: Design Frontage Road with 12’ Through Lanes prior to and aADer Roundabout (Chosen Alternative)
a. This alternative provides smoother entry and exit for vehicles through the roundabout than the 11’
standard through lanes. The overall change in lane width is less and therefore it will have a more
continuous feel.
Justification for Modified Collector Street Section:
The design team has chosen to provide 12’ lane width upstream and downstream of the roundabout. This allowable per
CDOT design standards. The lane transitions back to the LCUASS standard width of 11’ north of the roundabout. From
that point, the Frontage Road follows the standard LCUASS cross section for a Collector Road without Parking.
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It should be noted that there is no section of the proposed Frontage Road that will have a smaller section than the
standard section. All modifications are an addition of width compared to the standard. See table below for a side-by-side
comparison of the required street section and the modified ones described above. Green indicates an increase to the
standard:
Frontage Road
Standard Section
(LCUASS at Intersections)
Prospect Road Intersection
(10+90’SR’ to 13+48’SR’)
East of Access G
(15+34’NER’ to 19+08’NER’)
Bike Lane 5’ 5’** 5’**
Bike Lane Buffer 3’ 3’ 3'
Drive Lane 11’ 12’ 11’
Parkway 8.5’ 8.5’ 8.5’
LeAD Turn Lane 12’ 12’ (two lanes) 12’
Walk 5’ 5' 5'
Utility Easement 9’ 9' 9’
Total FL-FL 50’ 79’-90’* 54’
Total ROW 77’ 106’-117’ 81’
*Includes right turns on both sides. Around 12+67, Southbound begins taper and northbound is full width
**Starts at lip of gutter instead of flowline.
Conclusion
We do not feel that this variance will increase risks to public health, safety, or welfare, nor will it reduce the design life of
any public roadway or cause the City of Fort Collins additional maintenance costs.
Furthermore, the proposed variance maintains a reasonable balance between compliance with regulatory standards and
practical considerations, ensuring that the development remains in harmony with the City’s objectives while still meeting
the necessary criteria for functionality and safety.
Please call if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Stephanie Thomas, P.E.
Project Manager