East Yale Avenue Corridor Study DRAFT February 2021
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East Yale Avenue Corridor Study DRAFT February 2021 [this page left intentionally blank] East Yale Avenue Corridor Study - DRAFT ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS City and County of Denver Stakeholder Working Group Geneva Hooten Denver Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Stuart Anderson Transportation Solutions Ashlee Grace Denver Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Paul Bloede University Neighbors Neighborhood Association John Lasala Denver Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Chessy Brady Regional Transportation District Emily Cushman Denver Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Tony Brindisi Colorado Department of Transportation Eileen Yazzie Denver Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Hsu-Kun (Nick) Cheng Colorado Department of Transportation Laurie Tabachnick Denver Department of Parks and Recreation Melanie Colletti Ross-University Hills Library Edson Ibanez Denver Community Planning and Development Liz Davis University Hills North Community Paul DesRocher Regional Transportation District Denver City Council District 4 George Gramer Cherry Hills Vista Community Association Kelly Hartshorn South Jackson Street Neighborhood Association Kendra Black District 4 Council Representative Carly Helwick Denver Fire Department Kathy Gile Council Aide Danny Herrmann Colorado Department of Transportation Emily Holben-Walker Mayor’s Pedestrian Advisory Committee, Southside Denver City Council District 6 Unified, University Hills Neighborhood Association Tom Klein Paul Kashmann District 6 Council Representative Mark Kristensson University Park Community Council Brent Fahrberger Council Aide Adriana Lara Denver Fire Department Molly McKinley Denver Streets Partnership Consultant Team Jennifer Neuhalfen University Hills North Community Alberto Paez Denver Fire Department Jason Freitas Parsons Stan Poladsky Mayor’s Bicycle Advisory Committee Amber Haines Parsons Jalynn Rasmussen Flatirons Church Gabi Johnson Communication Infrastructure Group (CIG) Jordan Rudel Colorado Department of Transportation Lucy Lee Communication Infrastructure Group (CIG) Tom Schafer South Jackson Street Neighborhood Association Yishuen Lo Livable Cities Studio Peter Sokol-Hessner Ryan Mulligan Parsons Cathy Valencia Arapahoe County Gabrielle Renner Apex Design Jessica Vargas Denver Streets Partnership Katherine Ryan Parsons John Voboril City of Englewood Meredith Wenskoski Livable Cities Studio East Yale Avenue Corridor Study - DRAFT iii [this page left intentionally blank] East Yale Avenue Corridor Study - DRAFT iv TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.................................................................................................................................................................... 1 INTRODUCTION TO THE EAST YALE AVENUE CORRIDOR ..................................................................................................................... 3 Context and Project History ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 3 Vision and Goals .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 6 Public Process and Involvement ................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 8 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR EAST YALE AVENUE ...............................................................................................................................11 Corridor-Wide Infrastructure ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 15 North-South Connections .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 20 McWilliams Park ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 23 Yale Way ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 26 Yale & Colorado Intersection .................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 29 Yale Station ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 36 Yale Station to the High Line Canal .......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 39 APPENDICES ...............................................................................................................................................................................46 East Yale Avenue Corridor Study - DRAFT v [this page left intentionally blank] East Yale Avenue Corridor Study - DRAFT vi jurisdictions and municipalities present along the corridor. Through several EXECUTIVE SUMMARY months of meeting with stakeholders and two public open houses (held virtually due to COVID-19 safety considerations), three overarching Study goals were developed that helped shape the Study’s vision and guided the Introduction eventual development of recommendations. These goals are: 1. Safety: Create an environment where everyone feels they can move safely, no matter their mode of travel, and prevent serious injuries The East Yale Avenue corridor will serve neighborhoods and fatalities through corridor-wide infrastructure improvements and connect people, places, and services through a safe (including adjacent trails and streets). and efficient transportation network. 2. Building Connections: Create safe and convenient connections and improve access along the East Yale Avenue corridor where people The East Yale Avenue Corridor Study (Study) is a planning process led by the can easily get to where they want to go. City and County of Denver (City) to engage residents and businesses 3. Multimodal: Create an equitable and connected multimodal network throughout the corridor and develop a plan for East Yale Avenue between to move more people by walking, biking, and taking transit as part of Downing Street on the west and the High Line Canal crossing at Yale west of their everyday lives. Holly Street on the east, as shown in Figure 3. The Study traverses six of Denver’s 78 city neighborhoods, including University Park, Wellshire, University, University Hills, Hampden, and FIGURE 1 - YALE AT EAST YALE CIRCLE Goldsmith. Only one of these neighborhoods, University Park, has an official neighborhood plan (completed in 2008, available here). Several plans have been completed that support these neighborhoods, including: . Colorado Boulevard Plan (1991) . Yale Station Area Study (2003) . Colorado Station Area Framework Plan (2003) . Yale Corridor Traffic Study (2014) . Denver Urban Waterways Restoration Study – Harvard Gulch (2018) None of these previous planning efforts have focused on developing a multimodal, safe, and community-driven solution for East Yale Avenue. Process and Goals The project team, in coordination with City staff and the project Stakeholder Working Group (SWG), examined the existing conditions, past and adjacent studies, opportunities and constraints, and coordinated with the various East Yale Avenue Corridor Study - DRAFT 1 Key Recommendations FIGURE 2 - YALE AT MCWILLIAMS PARK The Study included a comprehensive alternatives analysis effort to identify, evaluate, and prioritize 35 recommendations that were developed through input from previous planning efforts, the Study stakeholder working group, public open houses, input from residents along corridor. Further information regarding these recommendations, including key implementation strategies and potential funding sources are detailed in this Study. RANK RECOMMENDATION/PROJECT 1 Shared use path on Yale from Colorado Boulevard to the High Line Canal 2 Repair/widen sidewalks along East Yale Avenue (Figure X) 3 Bike/ped crossing safety improvements at the Yale & I-25 interchange Upgrade the existing bike lane on Yale to a protected bike lane and extend the 4 facility west to Downing Street Install leading pedestrian indicator (LPI)/bike detection technology at 5 Amherst Avenue and Colorado Boulevard 6 Enhance bike/ped crossing at Yale & Franklin Street FIGURE 3 - CORRIDOR AND FOCUS AREA MAP East Yale Avenue Corridor Study - DRAFT 2 to, among other goals, identify necessary improvements on East Yale Avenue INTRODUCTION TO THE EAST to accommodate all modes of transportation efficiently