1.0 Introduction. Purpose and Basis for Updating the TMP. Introduction 1

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1 1.0 Introduction The Town of Castle Rock is situated between the metropolitan areas of Denver and Colorado Springs, amidst a unique terrain of rolling hills, mesas, ravines, and waterways. Like many Front Range communities, Castle Rock was settled in the 19 th century adjacent to a railroad line that provided its primary connection to newly developing urbanized areas to the north and south. The railroad supported the community s economy and provided for its transportation needs. One of the original homesteaders, Jeremiah Gould, owned 160 acres to the south of "The Rock." At that time, the community consisted of just a few shacks for prospectors, quarry workers and other hired hands. In 1874, Gould donated 120 acres to "be known as Castle Rock." It was then that the six streets named Elbert, Jerry, Wilcox, Perry, Castle and Front were laid out. Upon incorporation in 1881, the Town eventually began to grow on each side of the rail line and eventually up, over and around the many challenging topographic features of the area. With the completion of I 25 in the 1950 s, Castle Rock s rate of growth quickened, and the Town became an important addition to the Front Range economy, particularly since the 1980 s. The natural and man made features that have helped shape the Town have made the development of an efficient street system difficult. I 25, East Plum Creek, the Union Pacific Railroad (UP RR) and the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad (BNSF) Railroad are all barriers to east west travel. With Castle Rock being approximately 30 miles from central Denver and less than 20 miles from the Denver Tech Center, there is a significant amount of north south commuter traffic between the Town and these two employment areas. This traffic uses either I 25 or US 85. Commuting to and from Colorado Springs along I 25 also occurs, but to a lesser degree. Castle Rock s major roadway network includes: I 25, running north and south; the Wolfensberger/5 th St./SH 86 corridor running east and west; and an arterial ring road comprised of Founders Parkway, Ridge Road, Plum Creek Parkway, Coachline Road, Meadows Boulevard, and Meadows Parkway. Other primary roadways that connect to surrounding communities include: Crowfoot Valley Road to Parker; State Highway (SH) 86 to Franktown; and SH 85 to Sedalia and Littleton. Purpose and Basis for Updating the TMP Transportation Master Plan Definition A Transportation Master Plan (TMP) is a planning tool that will assist the Town in determining its long term transportation needs. The graphic to the right illustrates the TMP process. The primary purpose of the updating the TMP is to help guide transportation decisions in order to best address the future needs and visions of the Town. The plan provides the Town guidance in the allocation of its funding to meet the transportation needs of the community. The previous TMP was completed in 2003 Assess Existing Conditions Forecast Future Growth and Evaluate Needs Develop Short and Long Term Transportation Improvements Prioritize Improvements and Develop Recommended Plan Introduction 1

2 and revised in 2004 and Although the existing plan is still a very usable document, several conditions have changed that make an update advisable. Growth and Development of the Town Since 2003, Castle Rock has experienced tremendous growth, with the Town s population increasing by more than 60%. However, the recent economic downturn has made it necessary to significantly revise the population and employment forecasts used in the previous plan. This chart shows the Town s population and employment growth from 1980 to the present and also the latest projections for future growth. During the last 30 years, most of the growth has been in single family residential developments located away from the Town center. Population has outgrown employment by nearly two to one, creating a large disparity between housing and jobs. This disparity has resulted in increased commuting to areas outside Castle Rock for employment. The Town Master Plan calls for future growth to have a higher density, and include an increased amount of mixed use development which will have a higher proportion of employment. Future growth projections provided by the Town s Development Services Department show that 2030 population increase will happen at roughly half the growth rate that occurred between 2000 and A Pedestrian and Bicycle Friendly Community The Town wishes to be a pedestrian and bicycle friendly community. To do this, an integrated plan needs to be prepared that will lead to the development of a system of on and off street bike routes, multi use trails and multi use sidepaths (8 10 feet wide paths that are located along major streets) throughout the Town. In the past, people have primarily seen walking and riding a bike as forms of exercise and recreation. The Town wants these forms of transportation to also be used in commuting to/from work, for shopping trips and for other day to day errands. This TMP will give a much greater emphasis to achieving this goal. Previously Completed Transportation Projects Street Infrastructure Several of the major projects identified in the 2003 TMP have been completed and others have been partially completed. Figure 1 1 shows the 19 major transportation projects that have either been completed, or partially completed, since These projects have helped address the effects of recent traffic growth. The Town, the Colorado Department of Transportation and private developers have all contributed to these improvements. The ring road around the town, which was first proposed in the Town s first Transportation Master Plan, has now been completed. These projects address the following issues identified in the previous Transportation Master Plans: Improve the regional facilities serving the Town Improve the Town s I 25 interchanges Improve east west access across I 25, the BNSF RR, the UP RR and East Plum Creek Improve streets serving the downtown area Introduction 2

3 Figure 1 1: Major Transportation Projects Undertaken Since 2003 Introduction 3

4 Pedestrian and Bicycle Infrastructure Many of the 110 miles of bicycle and pedestrian facilities that presently exist within the Town have been completed within the past 10 years. These facilities include both paved and unpaved multi use trails, on street bikes lanes and multi use sidewalks alongside many major streets. The Town s trail system connects neighborhoods with parks and open space areas. Parallel, multi use sidepaths along many major streets connect to, and complement, this trail network. The Town is actively working to complete the East Plum Creek Trail, the portion of the Colorado Front Range Trail within the Town limits. The existing portion of the trail was dedicated in 2009 and extends from south of Plum Creek Parkway to almost a mile north of Meadows Blvd. It is the major north south multi use trail through Town. Several east west trails that will intersect the East Plum Creek Trail are being planned and developed, one of which will eventually extend to the Cherry Creek Trail over 5 miles to the east. Throughout the year, numerous activities are held in the downtown area. Fairs, farmer s markets, parades and special events are common. In order to encourage pedestrian activity, a number of amenities, such as pedestrian lighting, enhanced crosswalks and signing, have also been constructed within the downtown area to create a more walkable environment. It is the goal of updating the TMP to develop a bicycle/pedestrian system that meets the collective needs of pedestrians as well as those of recreational, commuter, and sport cyclists alike. Guiding Principles and Policies Most of the recommendations included in previous Castle Rock Transportation Master Plans have remained consistent since the first plan was adopted in Many projects identified in the first plan have been repeatedly validated in subsequent plan updates. During the preparation of the 2003 TMP, policies and principles were developed to help guide in the preparation of the plan and in the prioritization of its projects. In that plan, a Principle was defined as an underlying doctrine, rule, or statement that should be the basis for guiding future public and private actions. A Policy was defined as a course or method of action that is adopted as a means to achieve the Principles. With only minor revisions, the Principles and Policies developed during the 2003 TMP were used for this TMP. Introduction 4

5 Transportation Plan Principles and Policies Principle 1: Integrated Transportation System Provide a well planned and integrated transportation system that will allow for the movement of people and goods in a safe and efficient manner. Polices: 1.1 Develop and maintain a diverse and interconnected transportation system that will include roadway, railroad, bicycle and pedestrian facilities. 1.2 Identify improvements that will be required as part of the development and/or redevelopment of properties; potential funding sources and responsibilities; and a framework for the completion of the improvements in a coordinated fashion. 1.3 Continue to develop the major roadway system in order to provide an efficient roadway network and to allow for ease of movement through the Town. 1.4 Continue efforts to minimize transportation barriers and encourage connectivity. 1.5 Develop a plan that is compatible with the Douglas County, Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG) Transportation Plans. 1.6 Ensure that system planning is consistent with the three mile plan boundary, as required by the State Annexation Statute. 1.7 Provide alternative transportation systems and facilities that will enhance roadway capacity and minimize the effects of traffic congestion. 1.8 Provide transportation improvements that are supportive of the Interchange Overlay District s higher employment and population densities. 1.9 Ensure the transportation system allows for efficient emergency response routes for fire, police and ambulance vehicles. Principle 2: Environmental Impacts Develop a well planned transportation system that will minimize visual and environmental impacts. Policies: 2.1 Allow for the use of modified street cross sections in environmentally sensitive areas in order to preserve the unique natural areas of the terrain. 2.2 Develop the Town s bicycle and pedestrian system to encourage alternative modes that decrease dependence on automobile travel and reduce automobile emissions. Introduction 5

6 Policy Revisions from the 2003 Transportation Master Plan Two major policy revisions need to be noted: 1. The inclusion of interchange overlay districts as a specific community element. In this TMP, Policy 1.8 states that transportation improvements should support the Town s recent action to establish overlay districts at the three I 25 interchanges and at the future I 25/Dawson Ridge/Crystal Valley interchange. Key elements of the interchange overlay districts include: Reduced parking requirements Increased pedestrian and bicycle connectivity Increased compact residential options Mixed use housing and employment development Improved economic opportunities These districts will have higher employment and population densities and an enhanced emphasis on bicycle and pedestrian facilities. Accordingly, this TMP includes recommendations for the completion of an expanded bicycle and pedestrian network within these districts. 2. The removal of the policy related to transit and transit facilities. In the 2003 TMP, Policy 1.8 dealt with the development of transit and transit related facilities. In 2010, the Town s fixed route bus service was eliminated. Due to the uncertainty as to how and when the Town will choose to address the issue of transit, this policy was removed. Relationship to Community and Regional Planning In developing this plan, it was important to look at how the plan will serve the Town and its residents and businesses, and also how the plan relates to Douglas County s transportation plan and to the regional plan developed by the Denver Regional Council of Governments. It was also important to reach out to the entire community to get their input on both the population and employment assumptions that were being used and also on the projects that were being developed and recommended. To do this, the existing regional plans were reviewed, public meetings were held and interviews/surveys with stakeholders were conducted. How the Plan Will Benefit the Castle Rock Community This Plan will serve the Town in the following ways: Town Residents The Plan identifies transportation improvements that will help maintain or improve the quality of life for the Town s residents. Town Government The Plan provides a tool for prioritizing projects and budgeting of future capital projects needed to support the projected residential, commercial and Introduction 6

7 industrial developments over the next 20 years. transportation system of the Town. It establishes a vision for the future Town Businesses The Plan identifies improvements that will support economic development and accommodate long term growth By identifying Castle Rock s long range transportation needs, the TMP can help establish a list of potential improvements, their associated costs, and how they should be prioritized. Public Outreach Efforts Conducted During Preparation of the Plan Three public meetings were held during November 2010 to present the information that had been developed, to provide the list of possible transportation projects and to take public input and suggestions. Additional outreach for the bicycle component of the plan was completed during the Bike to Work Day event held in June 2010, and also via materials and comment sheets placed at the Community Recreational Center in November Town staff also met with local bicycle shops and representatives from bicycling groups during the course of the Plan. An online survey form was also placed on the Town s website to receive comments throughout the planning process. Comments received through these outreach efforts are summarized in Appendix B. Coordination of the TMP with Other Regional Planning Efforts Castle Rock is an active member of the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG). DRCOG is the designated planning organization for the Denver metropolitan area. The Town also coordinates its transportation planning efforts with Douglas County and with Region 1 of the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT). Recently the Town worked with these agencies on the Douglas County 2030 Transportation Plan, on DRCOG s 2035 Metro Vision Regional Transportation Plan and on DRCOG s Metro Vision 2035 Plan. The Douglas County 2030 Transportation Plan, which was updated in 2009, included several regional transportation improvements in and around Castle Rock, such as Plum Creek Parkway, Wolfensberger Road, Woodlands Boulevard and the North Meadows Extension to US 85 and I 25. DRCOG s Metro Vision 2035 Plan document serves as a comprehensive guide for future development of the eight county Denver region. It provides a long range growth strategy for the Denver region. The 2035 Metro Vision Regional Transportation Plan identifies the regional roadway network needed to support the area s future development, and it is used in the selection of projects for federal funding. In 2005, the Town voted to remove itself from the Regional Transportation District. Although the Town doesn t presently have fixed route transit service, it is exploring options with Douglas County on ways to provide transit service throughout the County. Over the past several years, the Town has participated in the development of the Douglas County Transit Solutions (DCTS) plan, which may provide a framework for alternative services for County residents. Introduction 7