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W. 72nd Avenue - Kipling Street to Simms Street Frequently Asked Questions and Response Project Design Questions Has the railroad approved the underpass? The approval of the underpass is not at a point in time, it is a process. Within this process, there are many stipulations that have to be met throughout the design of the three different components of the underpass project, the bridge, temporary vehicular bypass, and the railroad shoofly or train bypass. Each of these components are at different stages of design and phase approval. There is no ultimate approval, just approval of each phase of each component. Union Pacific Railroad and our design team meet regularly to address and discuss design issues of all components to move us closer to the beginning of construction of the underpass.. The underpass will be constructed during construction package 3. What role does the Owner's Representative play on this project? The City of Arvada hired Ulteig to serve as an owner's representative on this project. An owner's representative helps provide oversight and management of the project.. They help ensure that the City's interests are appropriately represented and protected. Is noise reducing asphalt being considered for this project for the benefit of nearby residents? The asphalt that will be used on the project is a polymer-based asphalt. It is quieter than some rubber or non-polymer based asphalt so while it will provide a quieter ride, it is not technically a noise reducing asphalt. What plans for 72nd Avenue are in process from Swadley CT. west to Indiana? At this time, there are no plans in process for W 72nd Avenue west of Swadley Court. It is typical for roadway projects like this to be developed in sections as funding becomes available. Will the bike lane surface be concrete as in a sidewalk or asphalt like the roadway? The bike lanes will be adjacent to the sidewalks and will match the sidewalk material - concrete. What kind of safety precautions will be installed in the new design for the school kids walking to Lincoln and Oberon? A new traffic signal will be installed at Quail Street, which is the main route that goes to Oberon Middle School. There will also be an enhanced crosswalk that will stop traffic when actuated. A rectangular rapid flashing beacon - a sign that flashes when pedestrians approach - along with a designated crosswalk will be installed near Lincoln Academy’s new entrance on Oak Street. Why can’t you improve W. 72nd Avenue all the way to Indiana Street rather than stopping at Simms Street? Doesn’t this just move the “bottleneck” to Simms Street? The cost to increase the W. 72nd Avenue project to go from Kipling Street to Indiana Street (rather than to Simms Street) would be $98.5 million as opposed to $64.5 million. The City simply does not have the bonding capacity to fund the entire project. Virtually all roadway widening and improvement projects are built in phases due to limited resources. Strategic planning of how the phases occur is key to efficiently moving traffic. Motorists will have the advantages of the extra capacity within the limits of these new improvements while still having the option to exit on Oak, Quail, Routt or Simms. The City has stopped the project just west of Simms Street to optimize directional movement options to Updated June 2, 2021 ---PAGE BREAK--- W. 72nd Avenue - Kipling Street to Simms Street eliminate the possibility of a bottleneck. The enhancements to the 72nd Avenue corridor will allow better movement and safety of multimodal traffic within the range of these new improvements. In addition, this project eliminates all delays due to the at-grade RR crossing, and provides much better safety based on a grade-separated crossing for motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians, including students at both Oberon Middle School and Lincoln Academy. Why is this portion of W 72nd Ave not going to match the portion east of Kipling to Sheridan? The eastern portion of W 72nd Ave project is different because a road was being built where no road existed. Adding a road versus widening a road brings a different level of project variances. Will the speed limit remain the same or be lowered? The speed limit will remain the same when the project is complete. How will the left hand turn from Routt Street onto W 72nd Avenue be handled when crossing 2 lanes of traffic? Routt Street access will be maintained as it is now. There will be an additional through lane on W 72nd Ave. Drivers will still be able to take a left out of the subdivision from Routt Street heading westbound. Drivers will encounter a receiving lane and a left turn lane pocket that can also be used to then merge into the traffic. Will the nursery at W 72nd Avenue and Oak Street be relocated? There are no plans to relocate the nursery. It is private property. Will access to W 70th Drive still be off of W 72nd Avenue? Yes, this access point, as it is the only access to that neighborhood, will remain open. Will we still have access to 72nd Ave from Pierson Ct? No. Pierson Ct. will be closed permanently at W 72nd Avenue. Local traffic will have to enter and exit from W. 71 Place at Oak Street. Construction Condition Questions Will W 72nd Avenue be open during construction? W 72nd Avenue will mostly remain open through construction with one lane of traffic in each direction. There will, however, be times during construction when intersections or the corridor will need to be closed. An example would be shifting the traffic alignment from one side to the other. The project team will provide safe detours and will try to schedule any closures to happen during weekends or off-peak times. The project team will share planned closure information through the project email list and the City project web page. Will construction activity affect the Common Earth Community Garden? The project team is working closely with the church to ensure that any impacts to the garden will be minimal. As a cyclist, would you recommend cycling through the construction zone? There will be pedestrian and cycling access through construction. However, the cycling experience may be affected due to construction materials, equipment and activity. When will the project be completely finished? Updated June 2, 2021 ---PAGE BREAK--- W. 72nd Avenue - Kipling Street to Simms Street The project is currently projected to be finished in the beginning of 2024. Weather and other unforeseen conditions may cause delays. All residents are encouraged to sign up for email updates to stay informed about the construction schedule throughout the project. Environmental and Noise Questions What work has been done to address air quality? Our project team is aware of environmental and air quality regulations. Although an air quality analysis is not required as a part of the guidelines for this type of project, we will be closely following all local and state regulations. We have posted the air quality and noise quality memo on the project web page. All relevant regulations regarding environmental impact were, and are, being followed. Has the City done any investigation into this project’s potential impact on springs, streams and wetlands in the area? Yes. The City has done extensive investigations through the project. In doing so, there was one particular spring that came to our attention east of Oak Street. This spring runs from north to south, and potentially recharges multiple ponds and cisterns south of W. 72nd Avenue. In order to maintain the integrity of the spring, the project has added a plan to add a redirect french drain to relieve the buildup pressure from the spring water impoundment against the railroad underpass’s north wall. The construction of a french drain will redirect spring water through the project area to recharge ground water south of the underpass, thus recharging the cisterns and ponds. What is an environmental impact study and when are they required? An environmental impact study is required when federal dollars are involved in a project. The W. 72nd Avenue project is not receiving federal dollars; therefore, the federal National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process is not required. The City applied for and received a Corps of Engineers Nationwide 14 permit. In order to receive a permit on this project, the City submitted an application with details of the project to the Corps of Engineers Nationwide 14 Permit division who reviewed the impacts to wetlands in and just outside of the project boundaries. The City will also be working under the umbrella of Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) permitting related to any discharge into the storm sewer systems and ultimately to streams. The project provides ‘Water Quality’ treatment at First United Church of Arvada and Lincoln Academy for the two different drainage basins affiliated with stormwater discharge for this project. The new Water Quality ponds will improve local water quality through their improved design. What information has been reviewed to consider the environmental impact to the residents closest to the street? All relevant regulations regarding environmental impact were followed in the planning and design phase of this project. You can find an air quality memo and noise study memo on the project website. Project Finance Questions Does the City currently have the funds to cover $5.5 million a year to repay the bond? The bond payment will come from the required annual contribution to the City’s capital projects fund. The requirement is located in the City Code Section 98-101 and states, “It is hereby declared that the revenues be appropriated annually to the capital improvement fund and/or debt service fund in an amount equivalent to not less than 60 percent of the proceeds of $0.01 Updated June 2, 2021 ---PAGE BREAK--- W. 72nd Avenue - Kipling Street to Simms Street of the sales tax” This contribution is currently budgeted at a little over $10.7 million per year in our 10-year model. City Council voted to increase by $1 million the contribution to the debt service to fund these projects out of these resources. This was done in conjunction with a recommendation from the 2015 Citizens Capital Improvement Projects Committee. How can the project be funded with no new taxes? In 2018, the City finished paying off a previously issued bond, freeing up $4.5 million in annual payments already accounted for in the City’s current budget. “Debt re-authorization” means voters agree to allow the money from the previous bond to be applied to a new bond whose funds would be used for the new capital improvement projects. The two major transportation projects being completed require $79.8 million: ● Ralston Road between Yukon and Garrison St.: $15.3 million ● W. 72nd Avenue between Kipling St. and Simms St.: $64.5 million The cost of the bond repayment would be $5.5 million per year. Because $4.5 million per year is already in the budget, and the source for the additional $1 million per year has already been identified, no new taxes were required to complete these two big projects. Has the COVID-19 pandemic caused changes to the City’s budget such that the City can no longer fund bond payments? No, there is no impact to the City’s ability to make bond payments. Project Update Questions Where can I access recordings of virtual public meetings? You can access a recording of this meeting on the project page and the City's YouTube channel. Arvada.org/w-72nd-avenue-project Do you plan to hold more community meetings going forward? The project team will hold meetings at important milestones of this project. They will be either virtual or live as public health conditions dictate. Sign up for email notices to be notified of upcoming meetings. Updated June 2, 2021