June 13, 2016

Update to the Stadium Advisory Group (SAG) for the CSU Multi-Purpose Stadium

Tonight’s Agenda• 5:30 pm - Meeting called to order• Public Comment (up to 30 minutes)• Stadium Updates Doug Wilson, Project Manager, ICON Venue Group

• Construction Updates Fred Haberecht, CSU Assistant Director of Facilities Management and Campus Planner Cass Beitler, CSU Assistant Director of Construction and Project Management

• Proposed Shields Underpass Presentation Fred Haberecht, CSU Tim Kemp, City of Fort Collins Capital Projects Engineer Joe Olson, City of Fort Collins Head of Traffic Operations

• SAG Post-Presentation Discussion• Creating a More Accessible, Multi-Modal Campus (Time Permitting)• Discussion and Agenda Items for Next Meeting• 7:30 pm – Meeting Adjournment

Public Comments

SAG Process/Procedures for Discussion, Consensus and

Recommendations

Stadium Updates

Stadium Construction Updates• Progress To Date• Anticipated Progress to Next SAG Meeting• Current Challenges

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Stadium Construction Updates

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Construction Updates

Campus Construction Updates: June - July 2016•Prospect & Center Ave. Underpass –Aug. 2016 Completion• Sidewalk to be installed end of June to early July

•Aggie Village Redevelopment - Aug. 2016 Completion

• Substantial completion for South Bldg. was week of May 30;

• Substantial completion for West Bldg. = week of June 13; North Bldg. = week of June 28

• Furniture and appliance deliveries have started (as early as 3:30 p.m., offload by 9:00 p.m., everyone gone from site by 10:00 p.m.) Goes on for 3 weeks

• Anticipate move-in starting Aug. 8

•New S. College Ave. Parking Garage –Aug. 2016 Completion• Main part of garage should be open in July.

•New Chemistry Research Building• 2nd floor deck completed

•New Biology Building • Approved completion of 4th floor interior work on

June 8

•New CSU Health & Medical Center

• Building 1st floor structure, steel started being erected• Planning intersection work on Prospect and College.

The CSU portion (NW corner, right turn lane, southbound on college) will begin end of July/beginning of August 2016. One west bound lane on Prospect will be blocked. Completed in November 2016.

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Proposed Shields Street Bike/Pedestrian Underpass

City’s Past Efforts– West Central Neighborhoods Plan

(1999)– Elizabeth Improvements

Constructed (2004)– Transportation Master Plan (2011)– Pedestrian Plan (2011)– Arterial Intersection Prioritization

Study (2012)– City’s Student Housing Action Plan

(2013)– City of Fort Collins Bicycle Plan

(2014)– West Central Area Plan (2015) 11

• Keep through traffic on arterials (minimize cut-through)• Enhance safety for all travel modes• Improve function and operations to minimize

congestion, emissions• Better accommodate crossings of arterials to and from

CSU• Support bikes and pedestrians and separate modes

where possible • Enhance the intersection to allow better accessibility to

the surrounding businesses

Recurring Themes for This Area

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Recent Studies at Shields / Elizabeth

Bicycle Master Plan• Second Ranked Priority Intersection on 2020

Network

Student Housing Action Plan• Recommends grade separation at Shields/Elizabeth

Top Tier Project• Congestion, Safety, Multi Modal Conflicts

West Central Area Plan• Identified as “Short-Mid Term” Intersection Project

• Reviewed potential for grade-separation

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At Shields / West Elizabeth:• Vehicle congestion• Challenging for pedestrians / bikes to

cross Shields• Long delays for bikes/pedestrians• More crashes than expected

West Elizabeth Enhanced Travel Corridor

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Study of Crossings along Shields Street

Laurel Street

Plum Street

Elizabeth Street

Between University Ave and South Drive

Lake Street

Between Springfield Dr and Pitkin Street

31 (60)

259 (311)

310 (323)

20-30

45 (28)

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Location Bike/Ped Demand *

Feasibility/CommentsCost

$

$$

$$$

$$

$$

$

Existing crossing accommodates need

High demand - Not feasible as removal of structures is required

Underpass feasible – Highest existing and future demand – Highest conflict area – Major Gateway to CampusLow demand

Existing crossing accommodates need

At grade signalized crossing already funded

Entering Vehicles

3,229

2,950

3,846

2,775

2,937

2,775

Peak Hour

* Bike/ped demand from original West Central Area Plan (most current counts)

Current Conditions and Anticipated Challenges

• 50,000 vehicles per day enter the intersection (up 20% since 2009)

• Generally heavy congestion on Shields

• Northbound left turn at Level of Service F in peak hour (creates cut-through traffic in neighborhoods)

Shields looking north

Shields at West Elizabeth – Vehicles

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• Heaviest vehicular / bike / pedestrian corridor in City of Fort Collins

• More than 2,000 bikes per day cross Shields (up 40% increase since 2009)

• In a peak hour, 120 bikes and 200 pedestrians cross Shields

Shields at West Elizabeth – Bikes / Pedestrians

West Elizabeth looking west

2010-2014 (five years) • 154 total crashes - 28 injury crashes (more than expected)• 3 bike crashes• 2 pedestrian crashes

2015 • 30 total crashes – 5 injury crashes• 3 bike crashes

Shields at West Elizabeth – Safety

• Accessibility for Campus Community: – 7,500 – 10,000 students currently live west of campus in this

corridor– Improve access between campus and the surrounding businesses

and neighborhoods on a daily basis and during events on campus (at Moby Arena, etc.)

• Stadium Game Day: – In the peak hour after a game, more than 1,000 bikes/pedestrians

will need to cross Shields at West Elizabeth– Concurrently with heavy vehicular volumes along Shields and in

Moby parking lot

Planning for the Future

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At Shields / West Elizabeth:• Heavy bike and pedestrian volumes• Poor Levels of Service for vehicles• Recommends improvements

including additional lanes

The CSU Parking and Transportation Master Plan is incorporated into the CSU Physical Master Plan, approved by Board of Governors April 2014.

Available online:https://www.fm.colostate.edu/files/forms/Parking_Transportation_Master_Plan_Study.pdf

CSU Parking and Transportation Master Plan April 2014

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• Seats 41,000 people• Transportation framework includes

strong multi-modal element with a focus on better access to campus

CSU On-Campus Stadium

• City and CSU entered into Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) that outlines infrastructure improvements needed for the Stadium

• Goal of improvements is to address game day needs that cannot be addressed operationally

• Ensure that improvements are good investment and also support daily needs 22

Part C: Transportation Improvements:

CSU agrees to construct or to fund the following improvements to be completed ….

prior to the first Major Event held at the Stadium:

Lane improvements at Elizabeth and Shields

IGA Dated April 13, 2015, Section C “Transportation Improvements,” Page 8

How Shields/Elizabeth is Listed in IGA

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Part D: Additional and Ongoing Study:

The Parties [CSU and City] are fully committed to implementing the following projects as soon as practicable:

Grade-separated pedestrian and bike crossings or other improvements to address crossing issues on

Shields Street between Laurel Street and Bennett Court.

IGA Dated April 13, 2015, Section D “Additional or Ongoing Study,” Page 9

How Shields/Elizabeth is Listed in IGA

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CSU Infrastructure Projects

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Proposed At-Grade Intersection Improvements

Proposed At-Grade Intersection Improvements

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Proposed At-Grade Intersection Improvements

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Spring 2016 Feasibility Study Addressed:

– What problems are we trying to solve?– Overpass vs. underpass– Floodplain – Best location for a grade-separated crossing (including

Plum St. vs. Shields St.)

Grade-Separated Crossing Feasibility Study

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Proposed Underpass Project

Proposed Underpass Project – Concept Plan

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View Looking East Towards Shields on South Side of Elizabeth

Proposed Underpass Project – Concept Plan

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View Looking West Towards Shields on South Side of Elizabeth

Proposed Underpass Project – Concept Plan

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• Improved intersection function and operations: – Reduced overall delay by 25%

• Increased safety: – Reduced number of conflict points among modes– Reduction in overall delay reduces rear-end crashes

• Eliminated crossing delay for bikes / pedestrians• Increased comfort and safety for active modes of travel• Gateway opportunity for Colorado State• Aesthetic improvements to area

Benefits of Grade Separation

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Only initial concept has been completed. Once design team is selected critical issues to be addressed include:

– Business access changes and improvements

– Preservation of parking

– Trail crossing of Campus West access and West Elizabeth

– Timeline (When this project may start construction)

– Construction impacts

Critical Issues To Be Addressed

For At-Grade Improvements and Underpass Project:

– Start date dependent on right-of-way acquisitions– Duration anticipated at 10-month total– Construction would be phased and would be

planned to not keep the entire area closed for that duration

– Goal is to minimize disruption to businesses during construction

Estimated Construction Timeframe

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– Neighborhood meeting held May 25, 2016 and comments received were shared with three potential design-build teams and recorded by City Staff

– Follow-up Underpass Neighborhood Meeting: Tentatively Scheduled for August 2016

Additional Informational Opportunity:– Open House for West Elizabeth Enhanced Travel Corridor:

June 16, 6 – 8 pm, Westminster Presbyterian Church

Proposed Public Process for the Intersection Improvement and Underpass Projects

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Neighborhood Meeting on May 25, 2016:• Conflict zone between bikes/pedestrians and vehicles

at Elizabeth Street driveway• Parking impacts during and after construction• Potential access changes and potential Elizabeth Street

median reconfigurations• How to safely move westbound bikes across Elizabeth

Street• Phased construction to minimize business impacts

What We’ve Heard

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Process for Intersection Improvements & Potential Underpass

City Planning Alternatives

Selection of Alternative Location

Feasibility Study of Selected Location

Public Outreach

Design Development

Neighborhood Meeting

Site Plan Advisory Review (SPAR)

Planning & Zoning Hearing

Start Construction

• Neighborhood Meetings

• W. Elizabeth Corridor Plan

• City Council Approval

2014 - 2015

2017 - 2018

City Staff Review Neighborhood Meeting Comments to Ensure Final Design Aligns

We Are Here

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– Open House for West Elizabeth Enhanced Travel Corridor: June 16, 6 – 8 pm, Westminster Presbyterian Church

– To Provide Feedback on the West Elizabeth ETC:• fcgov.com/westelizabeth

– CSU Construction Updates:• http://source.colostate.edu/construction-and-parking/

– To Provide Feedback on CSU Construction Projects:• http://source.colostate.edu/we-want-to-hear-from-you/

Ways to Obtain Information and Comment on Related Construction Projects

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SAG Post-Presentation Discussion

Discussion and Agenda Items for Next Meeting