CDOT could take another look at Highway 287 plan

By Cherry Sokoloski
North Forty News

Highway officials may go back to the drawing board to look at plans for widening U.S. Highway 287 north of Fort Collins, in the wake of public outcry over their preferred alternative.

In November, the Colorado Department of Transportation recommended widening the existing section of highway between State Highway 1 and the LaPorte Bypass, rather than building a new roadway to the south. CDOT is concerned about the number of accidents along the current two-lane route and wants to build a four-lane highway.

A Dec. 2 public hearing on the plan drew about 80 people, and about 30 people attended a second meeting on Dec. 14. Many of those who attended complained that the chosen alternative impacted too many homes and businesses and would exacerbate the current safety problems. The road would wipe out many front yards, and residents worried that trucks would go right through their homes if they went off the road. In addition, business owners along CDOT's preferred alternative, A-4, said it would be very difficult to find places to relocate.

Review planned

CDOT will review public comments soon after the holidays. "We want our multi-disciplinary team to look at the comments, to see if the recommendation was a good one," said Stan Elmquist, director of CDOT's planning and environmental department. Elmquist said he was surprised at the large number of people who came to CDOT's public hearing to protest the agency's choice.

The environmental assessment recommending A-4 was intended to be the final version, Elmquist noted, but CDOT could go back and change it and hold another public meeting. Or, if CDOT and the Federal Highway Administration decide further study is needed, an environmental impact study, which is more detailed than an environmental assessment, could be ordered.

"Until all the comments are in, we haven't talked over what needs to be done next," said Elmquist.

The major concerns in choosing the preferred alternative were traffic and safety, historical features and wetlands. The second alternative on the short list, B, would impact more wetlands and also the historic Elliott Dairy. The dairy is not listed on the National Register of Historic Places, but since it is eligible for consideration, it is protected by federal law.

Alternative B would affect 7.76 acres of wetlands, compared with one-quarter acre with A-4, according to CDOT's environmental assessment. Elmquist said mitigations are possible with both the historic and wetlands issues.

"We're starting to retrace some steps," Elmquist said, noting that if there are gaps in the agency's information, CDOT needs to address them before sending along a recommendation to the Federal Highway Administration. In particular, he said, he would like to look more deeply into safety and traffic issues along the A-4 route.

The Larimer County Commissioners also want CDOT to take another look at its recommendation. The commissioners had given their blessing to A-4 in 1999, but Commissioner Kathay Rennels said the project has changed in the intervening years.

"The new plan is vastly different than what we saw in '99," she said at the Dec. 14 meeting. "The impact of A-4 to businesses and homes has grown significantly."

The preliminary plan, she said, showed A-4 causing only five to 10 relocations. The current plan, on the other hand, calls for relocating 32 to 42 homes and businesses.

Alternative B, on the other hand, would cause five relocations, according to CDOT. According to the EA map, most of those would be businesses along the highway where B would fork and go west. The roadway would be south of the current 287 route, cutting off north of Dandelion Mini-Storage and running west and north to tie into the LaPorte Bypass.

If Alternative B were chosen, Rennels said, it would mean that the old section of highway would become a county road, meaning more expense for the county. That made A-4 appealing in 1999, she said, along with the impression that it would not have significant impacts. Marc Engemoen, Larimer County public works director, said the county tries not to take on more roads and liability, but if that's the best solution, "one more busy road won't sink the county."

Rennels noted that it is not the commissioners' job to recommend a route to CDOT. However, in a letter to CDOT dated Dec. 17, the commissioners said, "...we also urge CDOT to further analyze the impacts of the preferred alternative and reassess other alternatives which may have lesser impacts."

Both routes under fire

No one wants a highway next to their front door, and people along the Alternative B route are no exception. Clive Tyler, who owns the historic Elliott Dairy, said, "The concept of having two large highways, with the expense of double maintenance and double accidents, doesn't make a lot of sense." He also noted that the environmental and agricultural impacts would be greater with Alternative B.

Fort Collins Nursery runs its wholesale division on a 40-acre property along the B route, and co-owner Gary Epstein said the route would bisect his property and "leave me two little strips." In a letter to CDOT, he said, "During the peak season we employ over 30 employees. I would hardly consider this vacant land."

When CDOT is satisfied it has the best alternative, it will prepare a document called a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI), which will go to the FHWA for approval.