City Council Minutes 2012 12 18 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

City Council Meeting Minutes December 18, 2012 Page 11 of 17 downtown. He requested the City Council endorse the gateway preliminary design so it may be executed by the Public Works Department. The goal is to submit a 30% design concept package to the Burlington Northern Railway by January 4, 2012. Burlington Northern will hold the design review until the RFP for the final design is returned and then will give direction on how the City should move forward. Planning Director Russ presented the design concept for the Gateway Underpass. He noted there is a grade elevation difference of ten feet. The original plans showed South Street dropping in grade and going under the railroad track corridor. He noted that concept is physically impossible to do. What is required is a terracing of Front Street to the actual underpass and then connecting to the revitalization district, which would come to grade long before Lee Street. Walnut Street will be compliant with the American with Disabilities (ADA) access point. From South Street there will be a symmetrical step down of ten feet from Front Street to the underpass. The underpass is 32 feet wide and 9 feet high and will be larger than any underpass in Boulder in terms of design and comfort. The final details will be completed by the Public Works Division. The proposal calls for Front Street to be a two-way street; South Street to be two-way and a loss of diagonal parking along South Street. More parking will be established in the revitalization area. The intersection will be raised and cars will yield to pedestrians. The design will reinforce the presence of pedestrians. Burlington Northern originally required a $250,000 canopy over the plaza area on both sides of the gateway, but they have taken the requirement away because the City has agreed to fence the corridor from Pine Street to Griffith. They have also provided a less expensive bridge structure design option, which is not their standard. There has been a substantial drop in the cost for the benefit of safety. The bridge is 32 feet long and is 12.5 feet deep. When FasTracks comes in, RTD will place the second structure on top of the bridge and it would become 25 feet wide. Roadway Network Overview: Three alternatives for Highway 42. 1) A non-build; 2) An access managed three-lane and 3) the five-lane option. Staff will return to Council with specific neighbor connections and designs, as they continue to work with the neighbors. PUBLIC COMMENT Alan Del Pizzo, 1000 Main Street, Louisville, CO asked whether the residential parking on South Street will still be available. Planning Director Russ stated the proposal only reverses the direction, not the number of parking spaces. Mr. DelPizzo asked if there will be parallel parking on Front Street. Planning Director Russ responded yes. Mr. DelPizzo asked if dropping Front Street would create parking issues for residents entering their garages. Planning Director Russ stated the drop will occur at the • intersection itself and not in front of homes.