Welcome! Public Open House (Study Introduction) Southern Mountain - PDF document

Southern Mountain Loop Highway 12 Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) Study Welcome! Public Open House (Study Introduction) Southern Mountain Loop Planning and Environmental Linkages Study September 18, 2019: 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm No Formal Presentation

Southern Mountain Loop Highway 12 Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) Study Study Background: PURPOSE OF PROJECT The purpose of the project is to improve safety, provide a regional and local multi-use trail, and improve connections and access to recreational facilities and communities along the Colorado Scenic Highway of Legends Byway (US 160 and SH 12) between Walsenburg and Trinidad. INTERSTATE 25 LATHROP Legend WALSENBURG STATE PARK Railroads HUERFANO SHOL Byway Highway County Boundaries State Parks/Lands 160 BLM National Wilderness Area LA VETA U.S. Forest Service City Boundaries Study Area INTERSTATE 25 LYNN East AGUILAR Spanish Peak Napolean CUCHARA West Peak Spanish Peak Trinchera Peak NORTH LAKE LAS ANIMAS 239 JANSEN TRINIDAD 238 WESTON COKEDALE 12 STONEWALL GAP VALDEZ NORTH SEGUNDO 2.5 5 10 TRINIDAD STARKVILLE Culebra STATE PARK Peak MILES 0

Southern Mountain Loop Highway 12 Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) Study What is a PEL Study? n Planning-level study for transportation issues and environmental concerns along a corridor . n Decision-making tool for “projects” . n Enables CDOT and local agencies to advance projects into next steps based on priorities and funding. Note: Next steps would include funding, NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act) Studies, public meetings, design, and permitting, before construction of a project could begin. Kinds of Decisions in Study n Scope and limits of projects n Environmental setting and issues n Plan for implementation Types of Analyses within Study n Travel characteristics and demand n Economic development and land use n Natural and manmade environment n Agency and public involvement

Southern Mountain Loop Highway 12 Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) Study Study Process and Schedule: Agency/Public Information HOW TO ST AY INFORMED n Stakeholder Meetings n Study Intro – June/July 2019 n Coffee Chats n Existing Issues – Aug/Sept 2019 n Public Open Houses n Alternatives – Dec/Jan 2020 n Project Website n Recommendations – April/May 2020 n eNewsletters n Implementation Plan/Report – July 2020 n Social Media n Press Releases n Presentations YOU ARE HERE SOUTHERN MOUNTAIN LOOP PEL STUDY Study Schedule V.1 / June 2019 2019 2020 FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL TASK DESCRIPTION EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 1.0 ASSESMENT 2.0 ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS 3.0 PEL REPORT MANAGEMENT AND 4.0 COORDINATION 5.0 PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT STEERING COMMITTEE 5.A MEETINGS 5.B GENERAL PUBLIC OPEN HOUSES TECHNICAL COMMITTEE 5.C MEETINGS STAKEHOLDER COMMITTEE 5.D MEETINGS LANDOWNER 5.E WORKSHOPS/MEETINGS 5.F OFFICIAL BRIEFINGS GENERAL COMMUNICATIONS 5.G (MEDIA/WEBSITE/NEWSLETTERS)

Southern Mountain Loop Highway 12 Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) Study US 160 and SH 12 T raffic and Safety INTERSTATE 25 HUERFANO WALSENBURG MP 305 MP 280 MP 300 Legend MP 295 MP 285 MP 0 SHOL Byway MP 290 160 Highway 1. City Boundaries 0-2’ Paved Shoulder MP 5 3-5’ Paved Shoulder LA VETA 6-8’ Paved Shoulder 9-10’ Paved Shoulder NORTH MP Mile Post 0 2.5 5 10 Roadway Section MP 10 MILES LYNN MP 15 The corridor has highly variable AGUILAR CUCHARA C INTERSTATE 25 shoulder widths ranging from MP 20 0-feet to 10-feet MP 25 MP 30 LAS ANIMAS MP 35 TRINIDAD MP 70 COKEDALE E WESTON W STONEWALL JANSEN 12 MP 65 MP 45 VALDEZ VALDEZ MP 40 STARKVILLE MP 50 S SEGUNDO MP 60 MP 55 2. Traffjc Volumes Current and projected traffjc volumes do not exceed roadway capacities. *Does not include possible future truck traffjc from New Elk Mine. 3. WEIGHTED CRASH RATE US 160 Crash History Based on historical records from WEIGHTED CRASH RATE US 160 January 2013 through December 2017

Southern Mountain Loop Highway 12 Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) Study Multi-Use T rail COLORADO FRONT RANGE TRAIL Planned trail by Colorado Parks & Wildlife along Front Range from Wyoming to New Mexico. LEVEL OF TRAFFIC STRESS FOR BICYCLISTS Traffjc volumes, number of lanes, pavement markings, shoulder widths, and posted speed limits affect stress levels for bicyclists. CONNECTIONS AND ACCESS n Local communities and resorts n State Parks (Lathrop and Trinidad Lake) n Trailheads and Trails n State Wildlife Areas o Wahatoya o North Lake o Bosque del Oso n San Isabel National Forest n Spanish Peaks National Wilderness Area

Southern Mountain Loop Highway 12 Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) Study Scenic Byway Features SCENIC HIGHWAY OF LEGENDS BYWAY One of the fjrst highways designated (1989) as a Colorado Scenic and Historic Byway. T otal Spending (2017) = $15.3 Billion IMPACT OF TOURISM IN COLORADO Tourism is a signifjcant contributor to the state’s economy. Existing Interpretive Sites INTERSTATE 25 1. Highway of Legends HUERFANO LATHROP WALSENBURG STATE PARK 2. Trinidad Lake State Park 3. Cokedale Pull-off 9 4. North Lake Pull-off 5. John B. Farley Memorial Wildflower Overlook MP 0 A 6. Blue Lake/Bear Lake 160 7. Devil’s Staircase 8. La Veta Public Library MP 5 LA VETA Fancisco Fort Museum 8 9. Lathrop State Park INTERSTATE 25 MP 10 7 LYNN AGUILAR MP 15 CUCHARA 6 BYWAY INTERPRETIVE SITES 5 MP 20 The byway includes a number of MP 25 4 existing and planned pull-offs with MP 30 LAS ANIMAS MONUMENT B PARK MP 70 interpretive signs for tourists to MP 35 1 TRINIDAD 3 COKEDALE 2 STONEWALL JANSEN 12 MP 65 MP 45 VALDEZ enjoy the surrounding scenery and MP 40 C TRINIDAD STARKVILLE MP 50 STATE PARK SEGUNDO MP 60 MP 55 learn about the area’s rich history. LEGEND Existing Interpretive / Scenic Sites MP Mile Post Planned Interpretive Sites NORTH 0 2.5 5 10 MILES

Southern Mountain Loop Highway 12 Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) Study Environmental Resources n Archaeology n Environmental Justice n Farmlands n Floodplains n Geologic Resources and Soils n Hazardous/Solid Wastes n Historic Resources n Land Use and Ecoregions n Noise n Public Lands and Recreation Resources n Socioeconomics n Threatened and Endangered Species, Other Special-Status Species, and Wildlife n Visual Resources n Wetlands and Other Waters of the US

Southern Mountain Loop Highway 12 Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) Study Thank you for attending! Public Open House Southern Mountain Loop Planning and Environmental Linkages Study September 18, 2019: 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm Comments may be provided: n Comment form n Email — SouthernMountainLoop@gmail.com Stay Connected: n https:/ / www.codot.gov/library/studies/ co-12-sml-pel or n https:/ / www.colorado.gov/pacifjc/sccog Click on Development link to access additional information about the SML PEL Study . Questions? n Call: 719-427-1078 n Email: SouthernMountainLoop@gmail.com