Gun Club WideningQuincy Avenue to Aurora Parkway

PresenterCathleen Valencia, PECapital Improvement Program Manager

Arapahoe County Public Works & Development

Agenda

• Arapahoe County Commissioner Jeff Baker• Concerns and Comments• Project Update

1993

1999

2004

2020

Project Location

Existing Conditions

• Gun Club Road from Quincy Ave. to Aurora Parkway is currently 2-through lanes• Serves as a major north-south route• Receives a high amount of traffic

PCFI – Quincy and Gun Club

• North end of project - Partial Continuous Flow Intersection complete• More efficient intersection in a constrained space

• Pedestrian underpass

• More information at https://www.arapahoegov.com/QuincyGunClub

Aurora Parkway Transition

• South end of project• 2-lane road transitions to 6-lane road , Aurora Parkway

Similar Project

Arapahoe Road between Himalaya and Waco

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Data

• Traffic• Current – 26,000 vehicles per day

• 2040 – 45,000 vehicles per day

• Accidents• 88% rear end crashes

• Widening could reduce accidents by 60%

Noise

• According to CDOT website - doubling of traffic results in 3-decibel increase in noise, which would not normally be a perceptible noise increase

• 2020-2040 traffic increase along Gun Club is projected at 73%

How is Noise Defined?Zero decibels – threshold of human hearing40-50 decibels – normal for a peaceful neighborhood70-80 decibels – level adjacent to a busy urban street or 50’ from a major freeway120-140 decibels – typical level at which sound is painful

Historically, the County has not constructed noise mitigation for roadway projects.

• County must ensure policies are uniformly and consistently applied and provide equitable treatment for those impacted by highway traffic noise

• Currently no requirement for noise mitigation on local projects

• Noise mitigation must be justified to be equitable and fiscally sustainable

Noise – County and City Projects

When is a noise analysis required?

23CFR Part 772 – CDOT Noise Analysis and Abatement Guidelines1. Project is funded with Federal-aid highway funds2. Project requires FHWA approval (regardless of funding source)

CDOT Noise Analysis

Purpose – to determine if the project causes noise impacts and if noise abatement will be built as part of the project. (Source: CDOT Noise Analysis and Abatement Guidelines)Steps1. Determine Project Classification - addition of a through-lane 2,500’ or longer (Gun Club South – approx. 8,000 LF)

2. Noise Study Zone – 500’ from freeways and expressways, 300’ all other road types (from proposed edge of travel lane)

3. Land Use Categories – 7 categories• Residential – 66.0 dBA Leq (Equivalent Sound Level which represents an average of the sound energy occurring over a specific period)

• Identify Receptors (homes)

4. Noise Measurements – worst-noise hour conditions, receivers are placed outside facing the road

5. Existing Conditions Noise Model – validate using noise levels and traffic data

6. Design Year Noise Model – noise levels are calculated and evaluated through FHWA TNM software – typically 20 years in the future

7. Impact Analysis – design year noise level exceeds CDOT’s NAC at any receptor or exceeds 10dB or more from existing noise levels

8. Abatement Analysis – noise wall or earthen berm

• Feasibility – achieve a min. 5dB decrease for at least 3 receptors

• Reasonableness – 7dB decrease for at least 2 receptors, Cost/ Benefit must not exceed $34k per benefitted receptor

9. Benefitted Receptor Survey – abatement must be supported by a majority of respondents

CDOT Noise Analysis

• Parcel currently owned by E470• Excess soil from previous widening

project along E470• Noise study completed for E-470

widening • Noise levels were below federal requirements

for a noise wall for Dove Hill (60 dBA)

• Screen walls were built at some locations

• No plans to remove the berm at this time

• E470 is looking to sell the parcel• It will be up to the new owner what

happens to the berm

Berm

Comments & Questions

Project Overview

• Preliminary Design and Utility Relocation - $4.6M• 50/50 shared funding between Arapahoe County ($2.3M) and City of Aurora ($2.3M)

• City of Aurora leading design – Stanley Consultants

• Final Design and Construction – pending funding

Schedule• Finalize Preliminary Design – select alternate• Utility relocation• Final Design• Construction

Right-of-Way• ROW acquisition on west side of Gun Club• At this time no ROW needed on east side of Gun Club

Funding

Gun Club Road Widening

• Interim 4-lane, Ultimate 6-lane • Widening project will remove bottleneck and reduce congestion, improve safety, and provide sidewalks

Design Alternatives – interim“Outside – in”

Example – Smoky Hill Rd.

Design Alternatives – interim“Inside-out”

Example – Arapahoe Rd.

Dove Hill – Crestline Circle Access Point

• Crestline Circle and Gun Club• Interim – full movement

• Ultimate condition – Signalized

Existing intersection – looking north

Dove Hill – Progress Circle Access Point

• Progress Circle and Gun Club• Interim – full movement

• Ultimate condition – Right in – Right out

Existing intersection – looking north

Gun Club Widening Project• High priority project for Arapahoe County and City of Aurora

• Reduce congestion

• Increase safety

Summary

Thank you!