Print
E-mail
Comment
Budge woes force county to pick up slack for CDOT
Douglas County has budgeted $500,000 for transportation improvement projects the Colorado Department of Transportation won't pay for because of state budget cuts.
By By: Tamra Monahan
Douglas County has budgeted $500,000 for transportation improvement projects the Colorado Department of Transportation won't pay for because of state budget cuts.
Larry Corcoran, Douglas County traffic engineer manager, expects the county to pay more.
The intersection at University Boulevard under C-470 needs double left-turn lanes in all directions, and the intersection at Broadway under C-470 needs more room to accommodate the increasing number of vehicles waiting to get onto the highway, Corcoran said.
This year, Douglas County has budgeted $250,000 each for both projects. Corcoran said this amount will pay for part of each project and expects the final cost to be higher.
Both intersections fall under the jurisdiction of the Colorado Department of Transportation because they involve traffic exiting and entering a state highway, C-470.
However, Corcoran said, CDOT has not given these projects priority for this year.
Spokeswoman Stacey Stegman said CDOT's funding has dropped from $915 million last year to $785 million this year, which has to be spread out for projects all over Colorado.
Projects are prioritized based on need, and some of the more local projects are lower on the list.
"We have the pot of money that goes through our bonding program and then also from our Senate Bill 1 revenue, which was general fund revenue," she said. "We have big projects all over the state, like Parker Road and Interstate 225, in that pot. Then we have what's called other regional priority money that goes to other projects that are selected at the local level. Budget cuts are not specific to any one project. We're seeing cuts all over the board statewide, and that's just simply because the money's not there."
However, Douglas County officials feel the traffic problems in these two intersections cannot be put off any longer, so the county has decided to go ahead and pay for most, if not all, of the needed improvements.
Corcoran said the county had hoped to get other funding from the Highlands Ranch Metro Districts and Littleton for the Broadway intersection, but he is doubtful that the money will come through.
In addition to the two projects, Corcoran said the county might take on a third CDOT project at the intersection of County Line Road and University Boulevard.
The intersection also needs double left-turn lanes in all four directions in addition to the existing double lanes on County Line Road turning onto University, Corcoran said.
In addition to new left-turn lanes, Corcoran said the intersection needs new signals, replacing the old wire strung lights with pole-arm signals. Corcoran said he doesn't know how much this project will cost and, so far, hasn't put the project in the 2003 budget.
However, Corcoran is confident that Douglas County has enough money budgeted to redesign the intersection in 2003 and begin construction in 2004.
For this intersection, Douglas County was able to get some additional money from the Denver Regional Council of Governments because University north of Dad Clark Drive is a state highway.
Even though this means that CDOT is responsible for improvements on University, the project is not a CDOT priority although it is a Douglas County priority.
Corcoran said the other jurisdiction involved is Centennial, which also is short of money for road improvements.
Spending Douglas County money on intersections that do not fall under the jurisdiction of the county with no help from neighboring municipal agencies seems unfair, and Corcoran admits that he wishes there was more help available.
But he said that Douglas County residents are experiencing the brunt of the problems at these intersections, which justifies the expenditure.
"[Douglas County taxpayers] are the ones who are suffering from the traffic problems in these areas, so if we can get in and do some improvements, it will help the residents in northern Douglas County," Corcoran said. "We're very comfortable doing improvements on University at County Line as part of our County Line improvements, and maybe in the long run CDOT can help us, but right now they don't have any funds for these projects."
Corcoran said although there is a budget crunch elsewhere in the state for road improvement funding, Douglas County is fortunate to have enough development still going on that continues to add to the county's coffers for road and bridge projects.
County officials have always tried to make developers pay their share of road construction and improvements because more development means more impacts on the county's infrastructure, Corcoran said.
Even though building in Douglas County has slowed, developers continue to build houses and office buildings, bringing in more revenue for roads.
The increase in population adds to this as well through sales tax revenue earmarked for roads in Douglas County.
Other Douglas County road improvements in Highlands Ranch this year are independent of CDOT control. They include the installation of traffic signals at three intersections along Colorado Boulevard - Siskin Avenue, the entrance to the South Suburban BMX bike track and one block north of University at the eastern entrance of the Whole Foods Marketplace Shopping Center.
Corcoran said a signal is needed at the BMX track entrance because the South Suburban Park and Recreation District is building soccer fields next to the track, which will increase vehicle and pedestrian traffic in this area when the fields are in use.
The widening of Colorado Boulevard at C-470 is also on the county's improvement list but a lack of funding still plagues this project as it has for years. Corcoran said design for the project is done, but Douglas County still does not have enough money for the actual construction.
However, Corcoran is confident that he and his staff will be able to pull together funding left over from other projects to enable the Colorado Boulevard widening project to go ahead hopefully this year.
"It's still short some funds," he said. "Basically it needs $250,000 more in the budget to go. The county's position is that we're evaluating all our projects and from small amounts of money left on other projects that are complete or other projects that might be delayed and can wait, we can put together the $250,000 needed. We just feel that we have to find the money to do it."
Douglas County also plans to improve the intersection of University and Highlands Ranch Parkway by creating double left-turn lanes in all four directions. In addition, a full traffic signal, to replace the existing blinking red light, will be installed at the intersection of Quebec Street and McArthur Ranch Road in August, and another signal will be installed at the same time at the entrance to the new high school and middle school located just south of this intersection on Monarch Boulevard.
Larry Corcoran, Douglas County traffic engineer manager, expects the county to pay more.
The intersection at University Boulevard under C-470 needs double left-turn lanes in all directions, and the intersection at Broadway under C-470 needs more room to accommodate the increasing number of vehicles waiting to get onto the highway, Corcoran said.
This year, Douglas County has budgeted $250,000 each for both projects. Corcoran said this amount will pay for part of each project and expects the final cost to be higher.
Both intersections fall under the jurisdiction of the Colorado Department of Transportation because they involve traffic exiting and entering a state highway, C-470.
However, Corcoran said, CDOT has not given these projects priority for this year.
Spokeswoman Stacey Stegman said CDOT's funding has dropped from $915 million last year to $785 million this year, which has to be spread out for projects all over Colorado.
Projects are prioritized based on need, and some of the more local projects are lower on the list.
"We have the pot of money that goes through our bonding program and then also from our Senate Bill 1 revenue, which was general fund revenue," she said. "We have big projects all over the state, like Parker Road and Interstate 225, in that pot. Then we have what's called other regional priority money that goes to other projects that are selected at the local level. Budget cuts are not specific to any one project. We're seeing cuts all over the board statewide, and that's just simply because the money's not there."
However, Douglas County officials feel the traffic problems in these two intersections cannot be put off any longer, so the county has decided to go ahead and pay for most, if not all, of the needed improvements.
Corcoran said the county had hoped to get other funding from the Highlands Ranch Metro Districts and Littleton for the Broadway intersection, but he is doubtful that the money will come through.
In addition to the two projects, Corcoran said the county might take on a third CDOT project at the intersection of County Line Road and University Boulevard.
The intersection also needs double left-turn lanes in all four directions in addition to the existing double lanes on County Line Road turning onto University, Corcoran said.
In addition to new left-turn lanes, Corcoran said the intersection needs new signals, replacing the old wire strung lights with pole-arm signals. Corcoran said he doesn't know how much this project will cost and, so far, hasn't put the project in the 2003 budget.
However, Corcoran is confident that Douglas County has enough money budgeted to redesign the intersection in 2003 and begin construction in 2004.
For this intersection, Douglas County was able to get some additional money from the Denver Regional Council of Governments because University north of Dad Clark Drive is a state highway.
Even though this means that CDOT is responsible for improvements on University, the project is not a CDOT priority although it is a Douglas County priority.
Corcoran said the other jurisdiction involved is Centennial, which also is short of money for road improvements.
Spending Douglas County money on intersections that do not fall under the jurisdiction of the county with no help from neighboring municipal agencies seems unfair, and Corcoran admits that he wishes there was more help available.
But he said that Douglas County residents are experiencing the brunt of the problems at these intersections, which justifies the expenditure.
"[Douglas County taxpayers] are the ones who are suffering from the traffic problems in these areas, so if we can get in and do some improvements, it will help the residents in northern Douglas County," Corcoran said. "We're very comfortable doing improvements on University at County Line as part of our County Line improvements, and maybe in the long run CDOT can help us, but right now they don't have any funds for these projects."
Corcoran said although there is a budget crunch elsewhere in the state for road improvement funding, Douglas County is fortunate to have enough development still going on that continues to add to the county's coffers for road and bridge projects.
County officials have always tried to make developers pay their share of road construction and improvements because more development means more impacts on the county's infrastructure, Corcoran said.
Even though building in Douglas County has slowed, developers continue to build houses and office buildings, bringing in more revenue for roads.
The increase in population adds to this as well through sales tax revenue earmarked for roads in Douglas County.
Other Douglas County road improvements in Highlands Ranch this year are independent of CDOT control. They include the installation of traffic signals at three intersections along Colorado Boulevard - Siskin Avenue, the entrance to the South Suburban BMX bike track and one block north of University at the eastern entrance of the Whole Foods Marketplace Shopping Center.
Corcoran said a signal is needed at the BMX track entrance because the South Suburban Park and Recreation District is building soccer fields next to the track, which will increase vehicle and pedestrian traffic in this area when the fields are in use.
The widening of Colorado Boulevard at C-470 is also on the county's improvement list but a lack of funding still plagues this project as it has for years. Corcoran said design for the project is done, but Douglas County still does not have enough money for the actual construction.
However, Corcoran is confident that he and his staff will be able to pull together funding left over from other projects to enable the Colorado Boulevard widening project to go ahead hopefully this year.
"It's still short some funds," he said. "Basically it needs $250,000 more in the budget to go. The county's position is that we're evaluating all our projects and from small amounts of money left on other projects that are complete or other projects that might be delayed and can wait, we can put together the $250,000 needed. We just feel that we have to find the money to do it."
Douglas County also plans to improve the intersection of University and Highlands Ranch Parkway by creating double left-turn lanes in all four directions. In addition, a full traffic signal, to replace the existing blinking red light, will be installed at the intersection of Quebec Street and McArthur Ranch Road in August, and another signal will be installed at the same time at the entrance to the new high school and middle school located just south of this intersection on Monarch Boulevard.
Submit a Comment
|
You must be logged in to post a comment.
|
Not yet a registered member?
Click here to become one. |
