[bouldercouncilhotline] Hotline: Response to CAC Questions Regarding Boulder County Roadway Status

[cmosupport at bouldercolorado.gov]

Sender: Winfree, Tracy

Dear Council Members:
 
In response to questions at the Council Agenda Committee (CAC), staff reached out to Boulder County to understand the status and repair timeline for Boulder County connections
 damaged by September flooding.  Questions included status of bike access, particularly west of the city.  The City of Boulder appreciates the magnitude of Boulder County’s challenges and the time Boulder County staff has taken to provide the following information:
 
Boulder County is still currently doing detailed damage assessments, and looking at interim improvements before permanent reconstruction occurs, since the magnitude and extent
 of damage is severe.  The county expects to have damage totaling around $100 million.
 
Given there is still significant assessment to be completed, there is a very tentative recovery schedule.  Furthermore, since FEMA/FHWA generally work on a reimbursement
 basis, the county would need to come up with significant upfront money quickly to do all the repairs in the next year or two.  Resolving the funding challenge is a work in progress. 

 
Given conditions, safety issues, mitigation and repair work, and local access needs by residents and contractors, Boulder County is discouraging use of mountain roads by
 bikers until more repairs can be done.  Understandably, Boulder County is encouraging bicyclists to use the roads in the plains until the mountain roads are stitched back together.
 
Below is a brief summary of mountain road assessments from South to North:
 
Flagstaff Road:
-         
Shoulder damage - should be addressed in the next 30-60 days.
-         
Road collapse/washout reconstruction is a high priority, but will need significant geo tech/design, so will likely be done this Winter/Spring. 

-         
Currently, there is a single-lane alternating signal and there isn’t adequate safety that could be provided for uphill and downhill cyclists at this time.
 
SH119: 

-         
The Boulder Canyon bike path (from the mouth of the canyon to to Fourmile) experienced significant damage.  Time frame for reconstruction has not been set. 

 
Magnolia/Sugarloaf roads: 

-         
Are both open to Boulder Canyon and have shoulder damage.  Should be fixed in the next 60 days.
 
Fourmile/Gold Run/Wall Street:

-         
This stretch experienced significant damage and areas of total washout. 

-         
The country has built a 4-wheel-drive construction/emergency access road (10 foot wide single lane/dirt) in many areas.

-         
This road is experiencing significant construction traffic and is unsafe for bicyclists. 

-         
Bids will be opened Thursday to build a “winter access road” (basically a minimal 2 lane dirt road that can be graded), and will initiate design for a permanent
 road this winter/spring.
 
Sunshine Canyon:

-         
Sunshine remains open and was the only road to travel west to the Peak to Peak from Estes Park to Clear Creek Canyon, and was experiencing extreme traffic volumes. 

-         
Boulder Canyon is now open and traffic will be more manageable. 

-         
Bikes are still discouraging on Sunshine, since it will serve as the primary construction access to flood damaged areas of upper 4 Mile via Poorman Road and work
 is being done to re-grade and repair the damage from the high traffic.
 
Linden/Pine Brook Hills:

-         
Open, but has significant shoulder damage and washout areas requiring major pavement rehabilitation. Areas of single lane travel.  Shoulder work to be completed
 in the next 60 days.
 
Wagon Wheel/Pinto Drive/Bow Mountain (Access to Anne U White Trail): 

-         
Experienced a major washout.  Created a construction/emergency access road, and will be working to create a “winter access road,” with permanent reconstruction
 of the road next year.
 
Lee Hill/Old Stage:

-         
Both Lee Hill and Old Stage are open with significant shoulder damage/washouts.  Neither is accessible to Lefthand Canyon.

 
Lefthand Canyon:
 
-         
Lefthand Canyon from about a mile west of US36/Foothill Highway to Lickskillet above Rowena has experienced major damage, with 40-50 percent of the road completely
 washed out.  
-         
Contractors have completed a 4-wheel-drive/emergency access road that is not passable to vehicles/bicycles.  A bid goes out this week to create a “winter access
 road.”  
-         
Design for a permanent road will happen this winter/spring. (FHWA has initially estimated cost to reconstruct at $48 million).
 
James Canyon:

-         
Access from Lefthand to Jamestown has been almost completely obliterated.  Staff has not been able access the entire canyon yet, but hopefully will have constructed
 basic access in the next day or two.  
-         
Will contract out creating a snow road.  The permanent road likely will be on the same order of magnitude as Lefthand.
 
Longmont Dam Road: 

-         
The road has been completely obliterated for several miles, and severely damaged for 4-6 miles. 

-         
Longmont is taking the lead on building an emergency/construction access road to Button Rock Dam, since it is a major source of drinking water, and has a huge log
 jam building up behind it that needs to be cleared in the near future. 
-         
Their pipeline has also been compromised.  The emergency access road is out to bid, and the construction road should be complete in 30 days.
 
East County Line Road/St Vrain: 

-         
The St. Vrain is in a new channel.  A completely new structure will need to be built.
 
95th /Boulder Creek:  
-         
Emergency re-channelization of Boulder Creek will begin Oct. 8 and take 7-10 days.  After that, road will have to be significantly rebuilt for several hundred yards. 
 Reclamation of creek will have to happen within 90 days.
 
109th/Boulder Creek:
 
-         
Emergency re-channelization is underway.  Total road reconstruction will be required for several hundred feet.
 
In addition to roads and facilities detailed above, there aremany miles of shoulder repairs
 in the vicinity of drainages and mountain subdivisions. 
 
Boulder County encourages people to the below link to inform community members about the magnitude of damage that the county is facing.  County road damage starts at slide
 15.
 
http://www.bouldercounty.org/flood/video/pages/road.aspx
 
Thank you,
Tracy Winfree