TC Res. No. 2010-13 CDOT Enhancement Grant Application for REC TrailTOWN OF AVON
RESOLUTION NO. 10 -13
Series of 2010
A RESOLUTION OF SUPPORT FOR A COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION (CDOT) ENHANCEMENT GRANT APPLICATION FOR
CONSTRUCTION OF RECREATIONAL TRAIL IMPROVEMENTS ALONG U.S.
HIGHWAY 6 BETWEEN AVON ROAD, AND THE EAGLE -VAIL INTERSTATE 70
INTERCHANGE, TOWN OF AVON, EAGLE COUNTY, COLORADO
WHEREAS, the Town of Avon acknowledges the value of a regional core recreation trail
system, known as The Eagle Valley Trail, and has supported its construction and maintenance
elsewhere in Avon; and
WHEREAS, Policy G.1.3 of the Town of Avon Comprehensive Plan states to "Require that
commercial, public, and other uses that generate significant traffic are served by transit and
linked by pedestrian bicycle paths to minimize their dependence on automobile travel;" and
WHEREAS, Policy G.1.5 of the Town of Avon Comprehensive Plan states to "Identify and
participate in cost - effective transit partnerships with local resorts and other governmental entities
to include transit connections, buses, and other transportation services and facilities;" and
WHEREAS, Policy G.1.17 of the Town of Avon Comprehensive Plan states to "Acquire
alternative funding sources for operations and capital improvements to the transportation system:
federal /state grants, public /private cost sharing opportunities, etc.;" and
WHEREAS, the Town of Avon Comprehensive Transportation Plan, adopted in October of
2009, recommends that sidewalks or separate paved trails should be incorporated along US
Highway 6; and
WHEREAS, a portion of US Highway 6 between Avon Road and the Eagle -Vail Interstate -70
Interchange has been identified as providing inadequate and potentially unsafe bicycle and
pedestrian facilities; and
WHEREAS, the project has been divided into two phases: Phase I from Avon Road to Post
Boulevard and Phase III from Post Boulevard to the Eagle Vail Interchange; and
WHEREAS, the Town of Avon wishes to participate and prioritize improvements in Phase I of
the project; and
WHEREAS, the Town desires to improve the safety and recreational experience of that portion
of US Highway 6 for its residents and visitors; and
WHEREAS, the Town intends to submit a joint application with Eagle County Regional
Transportation Authority (ECO Trails) for Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT)
Enhancement Grant Funding to construct the project as Phase I of the three -phase project; and
WHEREAS, ECO Trails, upon approval by the Eagle County Regional Transportation
Authority Board and Board of County Commissioners, appropriates matching funds for core trail
expansion and improvement projects; and is participating in this grant application with the Town
of Avon for Phase I, and requests CDOT funding for Phase II as future availability allows; and
WHEREAS, the Town has appropriated discretionary funds in its 5 -year Long -Range Capital
Improvements Program budget for construction of bicycle and pedestrian projects adequate to
meet the matching funds requirements from local jurisdictions for the grant.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE TOWN COUNCIL OF THE TOWN
OF AVON, that the Town Council of the Town of Avon hereby supports the construction of
additional Eagle Valley Trail between Avon Road and the Eagle -Vail Interstate 70 Interchange
on US Highway 6 and wishes to obtain CDOT Enhancement Grant Funding, in partnership with
ECO Trails, to assist with the implementation of Phase I of the proposed project.
ADOPTED April
'9GO� TOWN COUNCIL
TO OF AVON, COLORADO
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AADO Ronald C. Wolfe, Ma r
ATTEST:
oFF PCL 210307331001
PCL 210307314007
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210307,
PCL 2103074070071
TOWN OF AVON
RESOLUTION NO. 10 -13
Series of 2010
A RESOLUTION OF SUPPORT FOR A COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION (CDOT) ENHANCEMENT GRANT APPLICATION FOR
CONSTRUCTION OF RECREATIONAL TRAIL IMPROVEMENTS ALONG U.S.
HIGHWAY 6 BETWEEN AVON ROAD, AND THE EAGLE -VAIL INTERSTATE 70
INTERCHANGE, TOWN OF AVON, EAGLE COUNTY, COLORADO
WHEREAS, the Town of Avon acknowledges the value of a regional core recreation trail
system, known as The Eagle Valley Trail, and has supported its construction and maintenance
elsewhere in Avon; and
WHEREAS, Policy G.1.3 of the Town of Avon Comprehensive Plan states to "Require that
commercial, public, and other uses that generate significant traffic are served by transit and
linked by pedestrian bicycle paths to minimize their dependence on automobile travel;" and
WHEREAS, Policy G.1.5 of the Town of Avon Comprehensive Plan states to "Identify and
participate in cost - effective transit partnerships with local resorts and other governmental entities
to include transit connections, buses, and other, transportation services and facilities;" and
WHEREAS, Policy G.1.17 of the Town of Avon Comprehensive Plan states to "Acquire
alternative funding sources for operations and capital improvements to the transportation system:
federal /state grants, public /private cost sharing opportunities, etc.;" and
WHEREAS, the Town of Avon Comprehensive Transportation Plan, adopted in October of
2009, recommends that sidewalks or separate paved trails should be incorporated along US
Highway 6; and
WHEREAS, a portion of US Highway 6 between Avon Road and the Eagle -Vail Interstate -70
Interchange has been identified as providing inadequate and potentially unsafe bicycle and
pedestrian facilities; and
WHEREAS, the project has been divided into two phases: Phase I from Avon Road to Post
Boulevard and Phase III from Post Boulevard to the Eagle Vail Interchange; and
WHEREAS, the Town of Avon wishes to participate and prioritize improvements in Phase I of
the project; and
WHEREAS, the Town desires to improve the safety and recreational experience of that portion
of US Highway 6 for its residents and visitors; and
WHEREAS, the Town intends to submit a joint application with Eagle County Regional
Transportation Authority (ECO Trails) for Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT)
Enhancement Grant Funding to construct the project as Phase I of the three -phase project; and
WHEREAS, ECO Trails, upon approval by the Eagle County Regional Transportation
Authority Board and Board of County Commissioners, appropriates matching funds for core trail
expansion and improvement projects; and is participating in this grant application with the Town
of Avon for Phase I, and requests CDOT funding for Phase II as future availability allows; and
WHEREAS, the Town has appropriated discretionary funds in its 5 -year Long -Range Capital
Improvements Program budget for construction of bicycle and pedestrian projects adequate to
meet the matching funds requirements from local jurisdictions for the grant.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE TOWN COUNCIL OF THE TOWN
OF AVON, that the Town Council of the Town of Avon hereby supports the construction of
additional Eagle Valley Trail between Avon Road and the Eagle -Vail Interstate 70 Interchange
on US Highway 6 and wishes to obtain CDOT Enhancement Grant Funding, in partnership with
ECO Trails, to assist with the implementation of Phase I of the proposed project.
ADOPTED April 13, 2010.
TOWN COUNCIL
Ronald C. Wolfe, •
ATTEST:
L ,W0. � � � �-•� �c�ce.�n SOWN OFq�,�
N
Patty McKenny, Town Clerk :�
SAL.:
�OCORADO�
Memo
To: Honorable Mayor and Town Council Initials
Thru: Larry Brooks, Town Manager
Legal Review: Eric Heil, Town Attorney
Approved by: Sally Vecchio, Assistant Town Manager �IV
From: Justin Hildreth, P.E., Town Engineer
Jeffrey Schneider, P.E., Project Engineer
Date: April 5, 2010
Re: Resolution No. 10 -13, Series of 2010, A Resolution of Support for a Colorado
Department of Transportation (CDOT) Enhancement Grant Application for
Construction of Recreational Trail Improvements Along U.S. Highway 6
between Avon Road and the Eagle -Vail Interstate 70 Interchange, Town of
Avon, Eagle County, Colorado
Summary: This memorandum is to present Resolution No. 10 -13, Series of 2010, A Resolution of
Support for a Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) Enhancement Grant Application for
Construction of Recreational Trail Improvements Along U.S. Highway 6 between Avon Road and the
Eagle -Vail Interstate 70 Interchange, Town of Avon, Eagle County, Colorado. Town of Avon staff is
preparing an Enhancement Grant application in partnership with ECO Trails and Eagle County to
continue the Eagle Valley Core Trail along the US Highway 6 corridor. Resolution No. 10 -13 is an
official document showing that the Town is in support of the Grant application and is a key evaluation
criterion for award of grant funding. Staff recommends approval of Resolution No.10 -13, Series of
2010, attached as Exhibit A to this memorandum.
Discussion: The Town of Avon values its non - vehicular transportation modes and the expansion of
non - vehicular transportation infrastructure. This notion is reinforced in plans and documents such as
the 2006 Comprehensive Plan, the 2009 Comprehensive Transportation Plan, and the 2001 Eagle
Valley Regional Trails Plan. The latter document, the 2001 Eagle Valley Regional Trails Plan,
portrayed extending the trail through the Village at Avon to Dowd Junction, but the lack of
development has left Town and County staff seeking alternate alignments. Collaboratively, Town
and County staff have partnered to find a creative solution for the residents and guests of Avon and
the entire valley for transportation and recreation. The proposed project's conceptual alignment is
shown as Exhibit B. Staff recommends approval of Resolution No. 10 -13, Series of 2010.
The Core Trail continuation project will be split into two phases: Phase 1 from Avon Road to Post
Boulevard; and, Phase 2 from Post Boulevard to the Eagle Vail Interstate 70 interchange. Phase 1
is located largely within the Town of Avon boundary and will be the primary focal point of the
application. Phase 2 is represented as a future, lower- priority phase. Phase 1 will run along the
north side of US Highway 6 from near the Red House development to Stonebridge Drive, paralleling
the highway with a grade and landscape buffer in spots, and in other areas meandering along the
Eagle River. From Stonebridge Drive to Post Boulevard, the Phase 1 trail will more or less be
located adjacent to the highway. The exact alignment is not determined as the project is not
surveyed and designed. Phase 1 will be located on Town -owned land parcels, on CDOT -owned
right of way, and potentially on easements granted by the Eaglebend Affordable Housing
Corporation. Eaglebend has submitted a letter of support for the project. Phase 2 will have similar
alignment goals to that of Phase 1.
Financial Implications: Preliminary cost estimates for Phase 1 total approximately $900,000.
Starting in 2012, the Town of Avon Capital Projects Inventory contains $250,000 per year in
discretionary funds for Transportation Comp Plan Improvements, for which the proposed Core Trail
connection would be eligible. Available CDOT funds are estimated to be approximately $300,000,
and the Town of Avon will request $300,000 from the ECO Trails Fund to which Avon annually
contributes transportation tax proceeds for purposes of transit operations and trails projects. No
financial commitment would be required of the Town until 2012. Since the project is discretionary, it
will likely only be funded if grant funding is awarded.
Recommendation: Staff recommends approval of Resolution. No. 10 -13, Series of 2010, A
Resolution of Support for a Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) Enhancement Grant
Application for Construction of Recreational Trail Improvements Along U.S. Highway 6 between
Avon Road and the Eagle -Vail Interstate 70 Interchange, Town of Avon, Eagle County, Colorado.
Proposed Motion: Move to approve Resolution No. 10 -13, Series of 2010, A Resolution of Support
for a Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) Enhancement Grant Application for
Construction of Recreational Trail Improvements Along U.S. Highway 6 between Avon Road and the
Eagle -Vail Interstate 70 Interchange, Town of Avon, Eagle County, Colorado.
Attachments:
Exhibit A - Resolution No. 10 -13, Series of 2010
Exhibit B — Project Overview Map
Town Manager Comments:
• Page 2
Existing Core Trail Town of Avon Boundary
® Core Trail - Proposed New Alignment Streets
Proposed Core Trail - Original Railroad
Existing Spur Trail
® Proposed Spur Trail Lakes and Rivers
Existing Backcountry Trail
8ft Multi Modal Sidewalk
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IM Exhibit B - Proposed Eagle Valley Trail Connection �Jm -