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Northwest RailEnvironmental Evaluation

Governments Team Meeting

July 2007

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Agenda

•Welcome and introductions•Project overview•Role of Governments Team•Summary of July public meetings•Commuter rail technology discussion•Next steps

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Introductions – Northwest Rail Governments Team

•Who do you represent?•What has been your involvement in the NWR corridor to date?•What issues will be important to you during the NWR study?•What hopes and concerns do you have about the NWR study?

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Project study area

•41-mile corridor•Uses BNSF line from Denver Union Station to Longmont•Serves Denver, Adams County, Westminster, Broomfield, Louisville, Boulder, and Longmont•Commuter rail technology

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Project history

•A tale of two corridors......

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Project history

2003

•US 36 EIS starts; Longmont rail portion separated out of project; to be incorporated in separate Feasibility Study

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Project history

2004

•US 36 EIS proceeds; initial alternatives include commuter rail for Denver-Boulder segment; initial cost estimates and environmental analyses completed

•Longmont Feasibility Study completed; determined initial station sites, alignment options, capital and operating costs, ridership

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Project history

2005

•US 36 EIS continues; 10% design completed for rail segment between Denver and Boulder; environmental analysis refined

•Longmont Environmental Evaluation initiated; initial scoping meetings held in December

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Project history

2006

•US 36 EIS continues; RTD and CDOT decide to separate rail and highway elements

•Longmont Environmental Evaluation completed; 10% design and cost estimates completed, station concepts refined

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Project history

2007

•US 36 EIS draft to be released in August, focused on highway/BRT elements only with commuter rail in “No Action”

•Northwest Rail Environmental Evaluation to begin under auspices of Corps of Engineers, will complete environmental documentation for entire Denver-Boulder-Longmont rail corridor

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Why are we doing this?Suggested Purpose and Need statement (to be reviewed by Corps of Engineers and Governments Team at its next meeting):

Purpose: The Purpose of the Northwest Rail Project is to implement fixed-guideway transit service between Denver, Boulder, and Longmont with the least-environmentally-damaging, practicable alternative.

Needs:•Improve mobility•Address increasing congestion•Provide effective transit service

•Provide multimodal travel options•Increase trip capacity

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FasTracks Program Evaluation

How Did We Get Here?•FasTracks developed in 2002 and 2003 based on best information available at the time (including previous major investment studies)•Since then, RTD has faced financial challenges:

Major increases in construction materials costs

Railroad coordination and design issuesSales tax revenue lower than forecast

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FasTracks ProgramEvaluation

RTD's Number One Goal:•A commitment to delivering the FasTracks program within the general scope, timeframe and financial capacity afforded by the voters of the District in 2004.

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FasTracks Program Evaluation

•Northwest rail corridor: capital cost increased from $565 million to current estimate of $685 million (year of expenditure dollars)

•Our challenge through environmental and design process: meet original budget and schedule

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FasTracks ProgramEvaluation

•Cost reduction measures proposed by RTD staff:

Single-track alignment between Boulder and Longmont

Potential cost-sharing with Gold Line

Value engineering during course of project for additional cost containment

Retain original seven stations funded under FasTracks

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FasTracks Program Evaluation

•Original FasTracksplan: included 7 stations

Westminster: 71st/Lowell, US 36/ Church RanchBroomfield: Flatiron/96th

LouisvilleBoulder: 30th/PearlAlong SH-119 near NiwotLongmont

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FasTracks Program Evaluation

US 36 EIS and Longmont Feasibility Study:•extended end-of-line to downtown Longmont (no net cost)•moved SH-119 station to Gunbarrel area•added 3 stations at request of jurisdictions:

WestminsterCenter

116th in BroomfieldEast Boulder

E. Boulder

116th

WestminsterCenter

Downtown Longmont

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FasTracks Program Evaluation

•FasTracksprovides funding for original number of FasTracks stations, but project will likely conduct environmental analysis for stations added during the previous phases of the project

E. Boulder

116th

WestminsterCenter

Downtown Longmont

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Where do we go from here?

2007•Initial meetings•Refinement of station location and design/community review•Updated ridership modeling and operating plans (2030 and opening year)•Identify preferred alternative•Begin preliminary engineering

2008•Draft document/Public meeting•Completion of 50% design documents•Final document•Request Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) from Corps of Engineers

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Where do we go from here?

2009-10•Complete final design•Complete railroad negotiations•Initiate purchase of land needed for stations

2011-2014•Construction

Early 2015•Open for business!!!

West Alignment Temporary

Construction Impact Area

East Alignment Temporary

Construction Impact Area15’

15’

West Alignment Temporary

Construction Impact Area

East Alignment Temporary

Construction Impact Area15’

15’

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Decision-Making Process

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Decision-Makers

•RTD: Applicant agency and decision-maker for Environmental Evaluation•US Army Corps of Engineers:Lead federal agency and decision-maker for the Environmental Assessment (NEPA study)

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Decision-Making

•SAFETEA-LU passed (2005) to enhance transportation decision-making and provide process predictability•RTD to implement goals and principles of SAFETEA-LU for Northwest Rail EE•Goal is to move the EE forward by implementing a clear path to develop, consider, and finalize study recommendations•Public involvement and local, state, and federal agency involvement/consultation process are linked to and inform one another

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Decision-Making

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Role of NWR Governments Team: Purpose

•Identify, discuss, and resolve issues of importance to the local NWR communities•Provide input into the study recommendations proposed by RTD decision-makers at key milestones•Review and provide input into the study’s technical analysis provided by the Project Team•Consider the public input gathered by the Project Team

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Role of NWR Governments Team: Representation•One elected official and one technical staff from each NWR community (key contacts)•Alternates•Other agencies:

–US Army Corps of Engineers–Federal Transit Administration–Colorado Department of Transportation–Denver Regional Council of Governments–North Front Range Metropolitan Planning Organization–36 Commuting Solutions

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Development of Study Recommendations: Key Milestones

•Milestone meetings will take place at the following EE key decision points:

–Technology–Stations and alignment–Selection of a Preferred Alternative/Least Environmentally Damaging, Practicable Alternative (LEDPA)–Impacts and Mitigation

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Development of Study Recommendations: Key Milestones

•Project team will implement procedures to facilitate the participation of NWR Governments Team representatives at milestone points•Other meetings will be held for the purpose of providing updated information and discussing it•Additional meeting procedures

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Summary of July Public Meetings

•July 9, 2007 – Boulder: 140 participants•July 11, 2007 – Westminster: 163 participants•July 12, 2007 – Longmont: 69 participants

Outcome:•Total participants = 372•Comments received (verbal and written) = 200

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Summary of July Public Meetings

Themes•Technology selection (DMU vs. EMU)

–fuel source and supply (short and long term)–air quality and other environmental impacts–relationship to operations

•Noise Impacts–horn noise at grade crossings–frequency of trains (compared with today)–mitigation options

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Summary of July Public Meetings

Themes (cont.)•Stations

–116th (Broomfield)–different location suggestions (Diagonal/Longmont)

•Travel time and ridership•Connectivity

–accessing rail system–relationship to bus service in corridor–to other transportation systems

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Commuter Rail Technology ReviewVehicle Technology Review •2004: FasTracks plan assumed diesel commuter rail•2005: US 36 EIS identified commuter rail for corridor•Summer 2006: RTD meets with corridor stakeholder groups – civic organizations, neighborhood associations, and advocacy groups –to present information about DMU and EMU and to gather public input •2007: RTD developed cost comparisons between EMU and DMU•July 24, 2007: RTD Board deliberated on technology recommendations for FasTrackscorridors

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Commuter Rail Decision-Making Process

Ongoing environmental analysis of noise, airquality, and visual impacts of EMU and DMU

Public Outreach(Small group

meetings)

•Gather public input on DMU/EMU•Provide most current info•Discuss criteria for technology decision

NW RailGovernments

Team

PublicWorkshops

NW RailGovernments

Team

•Review criteria•Review public input•Preview environmental analysis•Present preliminary technology recommendation

•Present criteria•Present information•Present preliminary recommendation•Input to recommendation

•Apply criteria to decision•Assess support for preliminary recommendation•Development of final recommendation

RTD Board

•Technology recommendation for corridor

August2007

September2007

October/November

2007

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Review of Public Input on Technology

•64 comments received (verbal and written)•Comments received from residents of all NWR communities

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Discussion

•What have you been hearing from the public discussion of commuter rail technology in your community?•What concerns and needs have you heard or do you have?•What issues have people talked about?•What information have people requested?•Do you have any thoughts about our decision-making process for this issue?

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How can you stay in touch?

Governments Team:•Julie McKay, CDR Associates303-442-7367 x 204jmckay@mediate.org

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How can you stay in touch?

Public:•Web site: www.rtdnorthwestrail.com•E-mail: nwrail@rtd-fastracks.com•Call 303-299-2000•Fax 303-299-2425•Mail comments to RTD:

Karen MoralesNorthwest Rail ProjectRTD FasTracks1560 Broadway #700Denver, CO 80202