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Westside Avenue ActionAlert October 2016, Corrected
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Welcome to the Westside AvenueAction Alert enewsletter. Future enewsletters will be sentperiodically with project updates,and other useful information aboutthe plan.
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Public Open HouseNOTE: date of contractor selectionhas been corrected from prior
October 2016 issue of enewsletter
Once the contractor has been selectedby El Paso County (late 2016 or early2017), an open house will be scheduledprior to the start of construction for thepublic to hear construction details andschedule specifics. View summaries and materials fromprior stakeholder and public meetingshere. Documents
Westside Avenue Project Moves Closer to Construction
The multijurisdictional project (map) for long awaitedimprovements to the section of Manitou and Colorado avenuesbetween the US 24 Interchange and 31st Street is moving closer toconstruction with several milestones. El Paso County has issuedtwo Requests for Proposals; one seeking a construction contractorand one seeking a construction management engineering firm tooversee construction. "Those who are familiar with this area knowhow much these improvements are needed for public safety,mobility and economic revitalization," said Sallie Clark, the El PasoCounty Commissioner serving District 3. "Our priority is to get acontractor and construction management firm onboard by the end ofthis year as a milestone, with utility relocations and majorconstruction in 2017. It's important to make good on the promiseto citizens that this collaborative and voterapproved projectgets underway."
Property Impacts: The county has been working with owners ofimpacted properties in Segment 1 of the project (US 24 interchangeto Crystal Hills Blvd.) in which easements, access, and rightsofwayare needed for the project. A series of meetings with owners ofimpacted properties in Segments 2 and 3 (Crystal Hills Blvd. to 31stSt.) will take place the end of October. Owners of propertiesimmediately adjacent to the roadway who have not been contactedby postcard should email ([email protected]) BradRodenberg at TRS Corp, acquisition specialist for the project, toschedule a meeting.
Major Project Elements: The Westside Avenue Action Planstudy, conducted over the past three years with extensivecommunity involvement, resulted in a design for the new roadwaythat will create a "slow and social" feel to this important section ofroadway between the two historic districts of Old Colorado City andManitou Springs. The road will be reconstructed with one lane ineach direction and a dedicated center turning lane. "The numerousaccidents along the corridor today largely are rearenders fromtraffic stopping to wait for clearance to make left turns," said SteveMurray from the project engineering design firm of Felsburg, Holt &Ullevig. "This configuration addresses the year 2040 trafficprojections and is designed to greatly reduce the mid block rearend
Goals and Objectives ofWestside Avenue Action Plan
Agency Sponsors
El Paso CountyCity of Colorado SpringsCity of Manitou SpringsColorado Department of Transportation Agency representatives have made ahigh level, regional commitment to worktogether and with area residents,businesses, community groups, andother stakeholders to develop a citizendriven plan based on community valuesfor the muchneeded improvementsalong this vital corridor.
Multijuridiction ProjectCLICK HERE to enlarge
Current Status and Schedule
CLICK HERE to enlarge
Completed in 2014: Preliminarydesign and community decisionto name new bridge as AdamsCrossingCompleted in 2015:Intergovernmental Agreement(IGA) between El Paso Countyand CDOT* signed anddevolution completed of W.Colorado/Manitou Avenuestransfer of 1.3 mile road rightofway from east of the U.S. 24interchange to the 31st Streetintersection
accidents."
Other aspects of the project include:
Underground electricUnderground storm sewerSidewalk with curb and gutter both sidesConnection of the Midland Trail, with the addition of apedestrian bridgeStreet lighting
Two main road intersections will also undergo full reconstruction atRidge Road and at the Columbia Street Bridge/Adams Crossing(see related story on the history of Adams Crossing).
Ridge Road Improvement: The north leg of Ridge Road atColorado Avenue will close with a culdesac and a new trafficsignal at the proposed "T" intersection. This modification providesan opportunity for the addition of a Trail Plaza accommodate pedestrian and bicycle facilities as well as a queue jump bus stop(facilitates Mountain Metro busses to easily exit and reenter traffic).A new aesthetic wall constructed between Pikes Peak and Coloradoavenues will delineate the Trail Plaza area.
Current Conditions CLICK HERE to enlarge
Proposed CLICK HERE to enlarge
Columbia Road/Adams Crossing Improvements: Thealignment of Columbia Road will shift to the north to the old historictrolley alignment. A new raised bridge (Adams Crossing) will be constructed accommodating a 100year flood condition andenabling the extension of the Midland Trail under the bridge. Toenable the construction of the new bridge and accommodate thenew roadway, bike lanes and sidewalks, 1000 feet of FountainCreek will be relocated approximately 50 feet to the north of itscurrent location. In addition, a new wall will be constructed along thenorth side of Colorado Avenue as well as a new pedestrian bridgeover Fountain Creek near the Manitou sign arch.
Feb. 2016: 90% designcomplete, begin propertyacquisition processWinter 2016: Begin utilityrelocation, where possible,ahead of construction start
(*Colorado Department of Transportation)
Adams Crossing Bridge: ARose By Any Other Name
Tom Daniels, archivist for the OldColorado City Historical Society(OCCHS) would not agree withJuliet's words in Shakespeare'sRomeo and Juliet, "A rose by anyother name would smell as sweet."When it comes to the 1930's eraFountain Creek bridge on ColoradoAvenue at Columbia Road, hebelieves names matter a great deal."The Adams Crossing Bridge of the1800's was originally named tohonor a great U.S. citizen CharlesAdams. But the name got lost inhistory and today he is notremembered for the deeds he didfor our community and the nation,"Daniels said.
Adams lived from 18451895. Hewas a Civil War veteran, BrigadierGeneral of the Colorado Militia in1870, an Indian agent, Post OfficeDepartment special agent andMinister to Bolivia appointed byPresident Rutherford B. Hayes. Hisfriendship with Chief Ouray and wifeChipeta of the Uncompahgre Uteshelped him negotiate the release ofthree women and two childrencaptured by Ute Indians after theMeeker Massacre in 1879. Adams
Current Conditions CLICK HERE to enlarge
Proposed CLICK HERE to enlarge
Manitou Avenue Overlay Now Underway(A CDOT project in cooperation with Westside Avenue Action Plan Project)
If you've driven along Manitou Avenue recently, you probably couldnot help noticing the asphalt overlay project underway. You mayhave even been detoured to get around the construction. TheColorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), working with theCity of Manitou Springs and community representatives, has startedan asphalt overlay of Manitou Avenue as well as ADA (American'swith Disabilities) ramp improvements at the US 24 interchange.CDOT has jurisdiction over the US 24 Interchange so it is makingthe improvements there as noted in the Westside Avenue ActionPlan (WAAP) study. The asphalt overlay has been inCDOT's plans for sometime, butit coordinated with El PasoCounty and the WAAP projectteam to move the overlay projectup and get it completed ahead of next year's WAAP projectconstruction. "This is another excellent example of how well themultiple jurisdictions have been collaborating throughout thisproject," said Manitou Springs Mayor Nicole Nicoletta. "CDOT andthe overlay project team have been working closely with ManitouSprings and keeping the community informed about impacts fromthe project. There is never an ideal time to impact traffic," she said."However, the team was sensitive to the community by identifyingthe least impactful time period a slower tourism season andbefore winter weather."
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also established the Colorado CityGlass Works and was listed early onas one of the town of Monument'sprimary owners. His home oncestood in what is now the Garden ofthe Gods RV Resort and he isburied in Manitou's Crystal ValleyCemetery.
(The Fountain Creek Bridge atColumbia Road, now renamedAdams Crossing Bridge, will berebuilt as part of the WestsideAvenue Action Plan project. More tocome on the history of AdamsCrossing in next enewsletter.)
including closure and detour information is availableat: https://www.codot.gov/projects/us24eastmanitouspringsoverlay. A telephone hotline is also available at 7194723031.
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