HomeMy WebLinkAbout03.08.21 TAB Agenda 8 - Tran Planning ProcessCITY OF BOULDER
TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY BOARD AGENDA ITEM
MEETING DATE: March 8, 2021
INFORMATION ITEM:
City of Boulder Transportation Planning Process Overview
STAFF:
Erika Vandenbrande, Director of Transportation and Mobility
Bill Cowern, Deputy Director of Transportation and Mobility
Natalie Stiffler, Deputy Director of Transportation and Mobility
Gerrit Slater, Principal Transportation Projects Engineer
Ryan Noles, Senior Transportation Planner
Jenny Godwin, Associate Transportation Planner
The purpose of this memo is to provide background on the city’s transportation planning process,
centering on the hierarchy of foundational planning documents, the typical life cycle of a
transportation planning project and the fiscal framework which informs the timeline of project
development through construction.
Transportation Planning Process Overview
This section describes the hierarchy of transportation plans, studies, and projects, and references
the process chart on page 4 (Plan Framework for Design of Transportation Projects).
Sustainability and Resilience Framework
This framework provides a common language for the Boulder Valley, community and City
Council to guide goal development and prioritization. The framework ensures alignment of the
Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan and city department master plans, and also guides
budgeting determinations.
2015 Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan (BVCP)
All transportation projects and programs are in service of meeting the vision and goals of the
BVCP. The BVCP is a foundational document for both the City of Boulder and Boulder County
and guides the development of long-range plans. This plan is a reference point for creating and
preserving a sustainable future for the Boulder Valley. Section 6 of the BVCP focuses on
transportation policies that reflect the focus areas of the Transportation Master Plan, including:
Complete Transportation System, Regional Travel, Funding & Investments, Integration of Land
Use & Transportation with Sustainability Initiatives and Other Transportation Policies.
•An example of typical engagement for this plan level would be the BVCP mid-term
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update in 2020, which allowed the public to request changes to the plan and also
included Planning Board's screening process and a public hearing at City Council.
Master Plan
The BVCP is the guiding document for master plan development, informing a common
framework for planning across city departments. The BVCP provides plans, policies and
population and employment projections which guide the policies, priorities, service
standards, facility and system needs and capital budgeting for the delivery of specific
services and facilities provided in each city department’s master plan.
•An example of typical engagement for this plan level centers on working directly with
the community, often at an “Involve” level on the International Association of Public
Participation (IAP2) spectrum. For example, for the Climate Mobilization Action
Plan, engagement included a community-centered process developed around input on
prioritized focus areas.
Transportation Network Plan (TNP)
The BVCP’s mapping of future land uses influences a TNP’s recommendations for a
given area’s transportation system. TNPs are individual modal system plans that
define goals and facilities for a specific area, providing a finer-grained look at
multimodal travel goals than in the TMP. TNPs may also be integrated into a
subcommunity or area plan. They are intended to provide flexible guidance in
development of needed infrastructure, to support the region’s safety and mobility
goals. TNPs are adopted by City Council and become a part of the TMP's long-term,
multimodal system plan.
•An example of typical engagement for this plan level comes from the North
28th Street TNP, which was intended to be a blueprint for future improvements
in the region. This TNP was developed with assistance from a 20 person TNP
task force, consisting of business and property owners, residents, a Boulder
Bicycle Commuters representative, consultants and staff. Additionally, the
TNP approval process included a public hearing at Planning Board and
formal review by TAB and City Council.
Subcommunity Plan
The BVCP’s core values guide the application of focused study and policy
implementation at the subcommunity level, with each of the ten Boulder
subcommunities (as first identified in the 1970 BVCP) composed of neighborhoods
with distinct natural and physical characteristics. The subcommunity plan is a tool for
residents, land and business owners, city officials and staff that communicates
expectations about the future of a subcommunity and guides decision-making about
resilience and evolution into the future.
•An example of typical engagement for this plan level comes from the East
Boulder Subcommunity Plan, a two-year creation process with an ongoing,
citywide, bilingual engagement effort facilitated through Be Heard Boulder
(BHB) and virtual community meetings.
Capital Improvement Program (CIP)
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The CIP is an essential tool for carrying out the BVCP's policies of orderly and
efficient provision of urban facilities and services. The CIP provides a forecast of
funding available for capital projects and identifies all planned capital improvement
projects and their estimated costs over a six-year period.
•An example of typical engagement for this plan level comes from the
Transportation & Mobility Department’s CIP, which includes formal review
by TAB and public hearings. Each project contained within the CIP Project
Sheet indicates the project’s anticipated public process, as applicable.
Corridor Study
A corridor study is completed on major facilities that provide intra-city access and
connect to the regional transportation system, as originally identified in the 1996
TMP. Such studies examine existing and anticipated transportation conditions and
needs and develop conceptual plans and cost estimate for near and long-term project
implementation.
•An example of typical engagement for this plan level comes from the 30th &
Colorado Corridors Study, which established a Community Working Group
consisting of 16 members with diverse perspectives and backgrounds to
provide feedback during the planning process. Additionally, the project team
facilitated a series of public meetings to gather input in addition to a Study
Session with City Council and a TAB review process.
Community Environmental Assessment Plan (CEAP)
A CEAP provides the opportunity to balance multiple community goals in the
design of a capital project by assessing a project against the policies outlined in
the BVCP, including the TMP. The CEAP assesses potential impacts of
conceptual project alternatives and mitigation options to inform selection and
refinement of a preferred alternative and is a recommended framework from the
2021-2026 CIP.
•An example of typical engagement for this plan level comes from the19th
Street CEAP, which utilized extensive engagement strategies, including an
official recommendation by the CEAP Review Group and a series of
community meetings and public hearings.
City Policies/Guidelines
The city’s guiding policies and foundational documents are the tools that
assist with ensuring a project’s design is in alignment with city goals, carrying
out those established within the BVCP’s overarching framework and relevant
master plans.
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Plan Framework for Design of Transportation Projects
Life Cycle of a Transportation Planning Project
See page 6 for a graphical representation of the details below. Please note that these are typical
steps in a given project’s life cycle, but not all steps are applicable to all projects.
Project Concept in Master/Comprehensive Plan
The impetus for designing a particular project is often rooted in a foundational plan, such as the
BVCP or TMP, perhaps around an identified focus area.
•Timeframe: Typically, this stage is on a five-to-ten-year update timeline. For example,
the TMP is updated every five years.
Project Specific Plan (corridor, transportation network, safety, etc.)
Guidance for project development in high-need locations is found in more place-specific plans,
where goals, needs and priorities for a given area are outlined in greater detail.
•Timeframe: Such plans are developed on an as-needed basis, and updated as is deemed
appropriate, such as due to a substantial change in localized conditions.
Application for Funding (through existing program, or requires a TIP amendment)
Given the high cost of building transportation facilities, the city often needs to apply for state or
federal grant funding to acquire full funding, and this is often rounded out with local dollars. If
the project is not already included in the existing Denver Regional Council of Governments
(DRCOG) TIP, an amendment is required, which can take two to four months, and an
Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) is also needed thereafter with the Colorado Department of
Transportation (CDOT), which can take two to six months to complete.
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•Timeframe: The time involved in application development varies but is often three to
eight months in total for the TIP amendment and IGA to be completed.
Further Details Regarding the TIP Process
Many City of Boulder transportation projects are funded in part with federal dollars, which
are generally distributed through the regional TIP over a four-year period. Solicitation for
projects begins two years prior to the program start date (for example, for the 2020-2023 TIP,
solicitation began in August 2018).
City of Boulder TIP Development Process
The city generally uses the following steps when developing potential projects for the
TIP:
1.City staff reviews the TMP, corridor studies and other planning efforts to identify
possible projects for submittal.
2. Initial project ideas are evaluated and developed as concepts, public input is
sought, and revised ideas are presented to TAB during a public hearing.
3.TAB hosts another public hearing and then recommends a set of projects to City
Council for submission to the DRCOG.
4. Staff presents proposed projects/TAB recommendation to Council at a public
hearing.
5.If a project is funded through the TIP, it is also included in the city's CIP for
additional funding. The city continues to develop the project's design and seek
community input through public meetings.
Funding Award/Notice to Proceed
Depending on the funding grantor type, the notice of awarded funding may have stipulations
attached regarding the date the funding becomes available and/or date that it must be spent by.
•Timeframe: Varies, depending on the project’s inclusion (or lack thereof) within an
existing funding program and construction advertisement deadlines.
Project Specific Planning (alternatives development, perhaps through a CEAP)
Though funding applications include a project concept, the design is typically only at a
schematic level at the time of submittal. Once funding is awarded, the process of alternative
development begins. This process typically involves community engagement (open houses,
public hearings, online engagement, etc.) and may involve the CEAP development process.
•Timeframe: Varies, but the typical timeframe for CEAP development is nine months.
Project Plan Acceptance (with TAB or City Council input, for example)
Project staff next review the near-final design with the appropriate city board, who may provide
additional input.
•Timeframe: Varies, depending on feedback provided by the board involved in review.
Final Design and Engineering
Staff finalizes the design, including engineering specifications and finer-grained details,
involving review with all the applicable city departments and workgroups.
•Timeframe; Varies, but typically 12-18 months, depending on the project scope.
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CDOT Approvals
Gaining CDOT approvals for projects with federal or state funding is the next necessary step.
This typically requires obtaining environmental, utility, right-of-way and other similar types of
clearances.
•Timeframe: Varies depending on the complexity of the project, but typically CDOT
review of design documents and associated clearances will take three to six months.
Bid and Construction
The bidding process includes review of submittals, pre-construction and phasing discussions
with the contractor and public outreach in advance of construction start.
•Timeframe: Varies, but bidding for projects is usually two to three months and
construction ranges from three months for small/simple projects to up to eighteen months
for large/complex capital projects.
Life Cycle of a Transportation Planning Project
Project Concept in Master/Comprehensive
Plan Project Specific Plan (corridor,
transportation network, safety, etc.)
Application for Grant Funding (through
existing program, or TIP amendment)
Funding Award/Notice to Proceed Project Specific Planning (alternatives
development, perhaps through a CEAP)
Project Plan Acceptance (with TAB and City
Council input)
Final Design and Engineering
CDOT Approvals
(this is happening both concurrent with
and after completion of engineering)
Bid and Construction
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The above planning process overview and project life cycle phasing are helpful illustrations to
frame the planning and design history of the 28th Street Improvements Project (Canyon – Iris) so
that it is understood when we present the project to TAB in April. The BVRC characterizes the
28th Street Corridor (and the Boulder Valley Regional Center /Crossroads Subcommunity) as a
regional multimodal hub and commercial activity center. The TMP’s policies align with this
vision, calling for coordination with regional partners to develop options for high-quality
multimodal travel on corridors such as this one. A number of project- level plans have furthered
these goals in a place-specific nature, from the North 28th Street TNP and 28th Street Frontage
Road Transportation Connections Plan, to 28th Street corridor planning, which first outlined a
desire for design continuity and multimodal planning from Baseline to Iris on this gateway
corridor. The project’s design has since evolved to sync with other regional projects, such as SH
119 BRT, remaining in keeping with the community’s current and future transportation needs.
The 28th Street Improvements Project (construction slated for early 2022) is currently in the final
design and engineering stage and will be supported by TAB and community engagement through
2021.
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