Complete the Denver metro beltway

Comments of the contributor are in bold

By J. Kevin McCasky, Jefferson County Commissioner

Post Article Last Updated: 10/09/2007 04:01:09 PM MDT

"If you like traffic congestion, read no more. If you don't, read on."

In Golden, McCasky spoke about how bad rush hour congestion is on two-lane SH-93, but his only solution is to complete the beltway to C-470 through Golden. Afternoon rush hour traffic congestion on three-lane C-470 is worse now than on two-lane SH-93.

"The population of metro Denver is estimated to grow by a million people in 25 years. Imagine the impact the added vehicles will have on our already-crowded roadways. We must have regional improvements to ensure a smooth-flowing transportation network that allows us to get where we're going with minimum time and inconvenience. Without it, our quality of life will erode."

He is not only pro-development to the extreme, he is on record as opposing further acquisition and preservation of open space in Jefferson County, even though millions of dollars of money to purchase open space remain from the bond issue for which the citizens voted overwhelmingly. He omits the fact that the NW Corridor EIS has shown that of the growth he refers to, only 5% will be in northern Jefferson County, even less near the foothills; DRCOG has shown that 95% will be to the east, north and south, where transportation improvements will really be needed.

"As a commissioner for Jefferson County, one of the largest counties in Colorado, my job is to provide leadership to maintain that quality for future generations. We are grateful to those who went before us and created the transportation network we now have. Picture our communities without U.S. 6, Interstate 70 or the Boulder Turnpike. Imagine Denver without Speer Boulevard."

The need and traffic loads of those roads are huge, compared to what the four-lane proposed western toll highway will carry. Those roads do not have the negative impacts on the quality of life of residents living near the proposed beltway completion that it would have; and no positive impacts, the beltway would serve mostly "regional" (commuter) drivers.

"Metro Denver stands alone"

"Denver is the only major American city encircled by only three-quarters of a beltway. "

Manymajor cities do not have circular beltways, mainly because they are next to bodies of water, which serve the same as our western foothills to limit urban sprawl. All major cities have beltways of at least eight lanes, not just four, as exist for E-470, most of C-470, and the proposed western toll highway. If anyone thinks Denver congestion is really bad, they have not driven the circular beltways of metropolitan Washington or Atlanta.

"The missing connection in northwest Jefferson County wastes time, money and gasoline."

TheNW CorridorEIS has shown that the average daily travel time for drivers in the Denver metro region would decrease by less than ½ of 1% if the western beltway is built; hardly a good way to spend at least $1.5 billion in scarce highway money.

"It adds noise and pollution by forcing traffic onto neighborhood streets never intended to handle it. "

Not true. People are not driving between Broomfield and Golden on neighborhood streets. SH-128, SH-72, and SH-93 comfortably carry today's traffic loads, and will do even better when they, and other arterial roads are widened and improved according to the MetroVision 2030 Transportation Plan.

"Completing the circle around the entire metro area has been part of regional plans for decades. It has remained unbuilt primarily because of the lack of funding and activists who understandably fear the impacts to Golden from a superhighway."

Jefferson County and Arvada have had a line on the map because they want the highway to support development, but the transportation need for a western superhighway has never been established by valid analysis. The NW Quadrant Feasibility Study showed that improving arterial roads in northern Jeffco would improve traffic mobility better than completing the beltway. The "need" for a western superhighway has been established in the NW Corridor EIS by CDOT changing the purpose and need from improving all transportation in the Corridor (northern Jeffco), including local, to serving regional and inter-regional traffic (drivers passing through, not living in the Corridor).

"Golden is a charming community. We want to enhance it by mitigating impacts while at the same time improving transportation. We can do so by building the stretch through Golden as a parkway similar to the Foothills Parkway in Boulder. It would have a speed limit of 45 mph, noise barriers, few if any stoplights, and would reconnect neighborhoods now cut by Colorado 93 and U.S. 6."

He is referring to the Muller Engineering Design, paid for by Golden. SH-93 and US-6 do not divide the community significantly-not the way completing the beltway through Golden would. The Commissioners do not support improving SH-93 and US-6 through Golden unless the toll highway is built; they have budgeted to help CDOT widen SH-93 from 64 th Ave, north of Golden to the County line, but not through Golden.

"The rest of the missing link from north of Golden through northern Jefferson County can be similar to the C-470 or E-470/ Northwest Parkway that already exist."

"Key to jobs and property taxes"

"Functional transportation systems are essential to economic development, which in turn is critical to creating jobs and keeping property taxes down. In Jeffco, for every one dollar of taxes homeowners pay, businesses pay three dollars. Business property tax makes up nearly 40 percent of Jefferson County's revenue, allowing us to maintain the existing transportation system and provide law enforcement and other services. It also brings in the major share of revenue to operate Jeffco schools."

Yes, as a former county assessor, McCasky knowsthis. I n Jefferson County, thanks to the anti-business Gallagher Amendment, businesses actually pay 3.6 times the rate as do home owners. When the Amendment was passed in 1982 businesses paid only 1.38 times as much as home owners; the tax shift towards business has been caused by the more rapid growth of residential property. 40 percent is not a "major share."

"Some have said we wouldn't need this roadway if the county just widened McIntyre and Indiana Streets to four lanes. Rest assured those streets will be widened - they must be. But there is still the need for a regional connection because those two streets won't be able to accommodate all the through traffic that will come. "

Not true. The recommendation is not "just" to improve McIntyre and Indiana, but also to improve SH-93, SH-72, SH-128, and other north-south roads.

"Growth will continue in northern Jefferson County, whether we improve transportation or not, as landowners develop their properties. Without a major roadway that growth will be primarily residential. "

Arvada has said that they will develop business properties at Vauxmont, south of Rocky Flats, whether or not the toll highway is built. Jefferson County will develop business properties at the airport whether or not the highway is built. The County has done nothing to slow the development of residential properties, which do not prove enough revenue to cover the cost of providing County services to home owners. For 12 years Golden has limited residential growth to 1% per year.

"A greater economic impact"

"Economist Patty Silverstein of Development Research Partners recently studied growth in the northwest quadrant with and without a major roadway and reported it has the potential to nearly double the economic impacts of development in the region. Silverstein found the impact over 20 years of business spurred by the roadway will be $17.4 billion - an increase of 94 percent over not building the roadway. The fiscal impact to the county government alone will be $180.4 million in property tax, personal corporate taxes and even sales tax for open space - a 98 percent increase that will not occur without the new roadway. "

If the study did not compare the growth of the economy with the superhighway to growth with the MetroVision 2030 Transportation Plan without the beltway completion, it is invalid. He is really disingenuous by referring to more money for open space purchases when he is on record as saying that Jefferson County has enough open space already.

"While our goal as a county is to improve transportation by completing the connection, we are committed to mitigating impacts to Golden. Then, once again, the residential streets of Golden will no longer be near gridlock as they accommodate traffic beyond their capacity."

Golden streets are not even close to gridlock. The rush hour congestion on SH-93 is because it is only two lanes; Jefferson County will not support widening it unless and until the toll highway is built.

"And motorists will benefit from one safe, fast-moving, attractive and complete roadway encircling the entire Denver metro area."