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2024-05-21 Agenda and Supporting Documentation Town Council Afternoon Meeting
1.Call to Order 2.Presentation/Discussion 2.1 Government Financing 30 min. Listen to presentation and provide feedback. Presenter(s): Carlie Smith, Finance Director and Robyn Moore, Piper Sandler & Co. Background: Please see the attached presentation. 2.2 Vail Business Survey Results 30 min. Listen to presentation. Presenter(s): Kathleen Halloran, Deputy Town Manager and Sean Maher, RRC & Associates Background: This survey was conducted starting February 1 - March 15, and was the first of a biennial survey intended to gauge the town's performance with providing excellent customer service to the business community. It is one of the components for measuring performance tied to the Town Council goal of "Excellent Customer Service." 2.3 Overview of Golf Course Riparian Habitat and Potential Opportunities for Improvement 30 min. Direct staff on preferred course of action to address hydrology, fish habitat, floodplain connectivity, and riparian vegetation at Ford Park and Vail Golf Course. Presenter(s): Pete Wadden, Watershed Health Specialist Background: In 2022, Town of Vail adopted new stream setbacks that include a 10-foot "No Mow Zone" along all named waterways. While town property is exempt from the setback requirements, Environmental Sustainability staff show aerial imagery demonstrating that the Town and Vail Recreation District landscaping maintenance operations substantially comply with the setback requirement. VAIL TOWN COUNCIL MEETING Afternoon Session Agenda The Grandview, 395 S. Frontage Road W. Vail, CO 81657 and virtually by Zoom: https://vail.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ZQmqRBvGT0euo1mgQrAlDg 1:00 PM, May 21, 2024 Notes: Times of items are approximate, subject to change, and cannot be relied upon to determine what time Council will consider an item. Government Financing 2024-05-21 Business Survey Memo 2024-05-21 Business Survey Report for Town Council Vail Business Open-Ended Comments 1 2.4 Municipalization of Solid Waste 15 min. Listen to presentation and provide feedback. Presenter(s): Chief Ryan Kenney, Vail Police Department and Kristen Bertuglia, Director of Environmental Sustainability Background: In an effort to meet multiple town goals including public safety, traffic congestion, greenhouse gas emissions reductions and air pollution, staff provides an overview the opportunity to address these and related issues by adopting a single hauler waste collection system. Staff Recommendation: Staff recommends the Vail Town Council provide feedback on moving forward with a Request for Proposals (RFP) process for a single hauler waste collection system. 2.5 Bike Dismount Zones Update 20 min. Listen to presentation and provide feedback. Presenter(s): Gregg Barrie, Senior Landscape Architect and Chief Ryan Kenney, Vail Police Department Background: Seasonal update on the Vail Village Bicycle Dismount Zone and efforts to improve user safety on Vail's recreation trails. 2.6 Fiber Optic Installation Update 10 min. Listen to presentation and provide feedback. Presenter(s): TJ Johnson, Director of Information Technology Background: Provide information on the Fiber Loop construction project, the RFP process for this project, and the reasons staff are requesting an amendment to the existing agreement. 2.7 Civic Area Update 30 min. Listen to presentation and provide feedback. Presenter(s): Matt Gennett, Director of Community Development Background: Presentation and discussion regarding the Vail Civic Area Implementation Plan, specifically the spatial architectural programming and economic analysis. 2.8 Go Vail 2045 - Mobility and Transportation Master Plan Update on Public and PEC Comment 30 min. Listen to presentation and provide feedback. Presenter(s): Tom Kassmel, Town Engineer Golf Course Vegetation TC Memo 2024-05-21 Stream Corridor Presentation TC 2024-05-21 Residential Single Hauler Discussion 2024-05-21 Dismount Zone Update TC Memo 2024-05-21 Fiber Construction Resolution Memo Civic Area Council Memo 2024-05-21 Council Update - Vail Civic Implementation Project 2 Background: Go Vail 2045 is a planning process to update the Vail Mobility & Transportation Master Plan. The plan will update suggested traffic, transit, mobility, and parking improvements to better accommodate current future transportation needs within and around Vail. The purpose of this Council work session is to review the comments received from the public and PEC, and review the suggested modifications to the Draft Master Plan. 3.Interviews for Boards, Commissions and Authorities 3.1 Vail Local Housing Authority (VLHA)25 min. Interview applicants for vacancy on the Vail Local Housing Authority. Presenter(s): Stephanie Kauffman, Town Clerk Background: One vacancy exists on the Vail Local Housing Authority. The term of the new appointment will begin on June 1, 2024 and expires on May 31, 2029 (five year terms). Duties of the five-member VLHA include budget approval, policy recommendations, advocacy, strategic and long-term planning, and making recommendations for development and acquisition parameters. 4.DRB/PEC (5 min.) 4.1 DRB/PEC Update 5.Information Update 5.1 April 9, 2024 VLHA Meeting Minutes 5.2 EHU Compliance Status Update 5.3 Review of Community Housing Lottery Application Requirements 5.4 Residences at Main Vail 2023 and 2024 Income Statement 6.Matters from Mayor, Council, Town Manager and Committee Reports (20 min.) Council Memo 2024-05-21 PEC Master Plan Comments Public Comment - EngageVail Summary Council Master Plan - PEC Changes Vail Transportation Master Plan Report - Draft 2024-05-21 Vail Transportation Master Plan Report - Draft Excerpt Changes 2024-05-21 VLHA Applications DRB Results 5-15-24 PEC Results 5-13-24 2024-04-09 VLHA Minutes EHU Compliance Status Update Memo 2024-05-21 Review of Community Housing Lottery Application Requirements Memo RMV 2023 FS Info Update 2024-05-21 RMV 2024 YTD FS Info Update 2024-05-21 3 6.1 Town Manager Report 6.2 Council Matters and Status Update 7.Executive Session (30 min.) Executive Session pursuant to: 1. C.R.S. §24-6-402(4)(a) - to consider the purchase, acquisition, lease, transfer or sale of any real, personal or other property interest, §24-6-402(4)(e) to determine positions relative to matters that may be subject to negotiations, develop a strategy for negotiations and instruct negotiators and on the topic of Potential Real Property Acquisitions by the Town; and 2. C.R.S. §24-6-402(4)(b) - to hold a conference with the Town Attorney, to receive legal advice on specific legal questions and C.R.S. §24-6-402(4)(e) - to determine positions relative to matters that may be subject to negotiations, develop a strategy for negotiations and instruct negotiators and on the topic of Casey Aberth vs. Town of Vail et al. 8.Recess 5:35pm (estimate) TM Update 2024-05-21 CDOT Thank You Letter 2024-05-21 Matters Meeting agendas and materials can be accessed prior to meeting day on the Town of Vail website www.vailgov.com. All town council meetings will be streamed live by High Five Access Media and available for public viewing as the meeting is happening. The meeting videos are also posted to High Five Access Media website the week following meeting day, www.highfivemedia.org. Please call 970-479-2136 for additional information. Sign language interpretation is available upon request with 48 hour notification dial 711. 4 AGENDA ITEM NO. 2.1 Item Cover Page DATE:May 21, 2024 TIME:30 min. SUBMITTED BY:Carlie Smith, Finance ITEM TYPE:Presentation/Discussion AGENDA SECTION:Presentation/Discussion SUBJECT:Government Financing SUGGESTED ACTION:Listen to presentation and provide feedback. PRESENTER(S):Carlie Smith, Finance Director and Robyn Moore, Piper Sandler & Co. VAIL TOWN COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM REPORT ATTACHMENTS: Government Financing 2024-05-21 5 © 2023 Hilltop Securities Inc. | All rights reserved | Member: NYSE/FINRA/SIPC Government Financing Long-Term Financing Options Available to Colorado Municipalities May 21, 2024 Financing Team Financial Advisor: Mattie Prodanovic, Hilltop Securities Inc. Bond Counsel: Kim Crawford, Butler Snow Underwriter: Robyn Moore, Piper Sandler & Co 6 © 2023 Hilltop Securities Inc. | All rights reserved | Member: NYSE/FINRA/SIPC Topics for Discussion: •Municipal Bond Overview •Financing Options for Colorado Municipalities Please ask questions as we go! Agenda 7 © 2023 Hilltop Securities Inc. | All rights reserved | Member: NYSE/FINRA/SIPC Municipal Bonds – Key Things to Know Section 1 8 © 2023 Hilltop Securities Inc. | All rights reserved | Member: NYSE/FINRA/SIPC •Issued to finance public purpose projects. •An obligation to pay interest and repay principal at maturity. •Interest is typically paid semi‐annually; principal is typically paid annually. •Why issue bonds? •Low cost due to tax‐exemption; and •Pay for assets over useful life. 3 What is a Municipal Bond? 9 © 2023 Hilltop Securities Inc. | All rights reserved | Member: NYSE/FINRA/SIPC Whether a bond is issued as tax‐exempt or taxable depends upon the expected use of proceeds from the bond sale and the use of the project that is being financed. •Bonds can be issued as tax‐exempt if they are used for state and local government capital projects that will be used by the government. •Bonds must be issued as taxable if the proceeds or the project benefit private interests or are issued to advance refund previously issued bonds. o The Tax Code provides a private use test to help determine if the bonds should be issued as taxable. o If a local government issues bonds to fund operations (not capital), the bonds must be issued as taxable. 4 Tax Exempt or Taxable? 10 © 2023 Hilltop Securities Inc. | All rights reserved | Member: NYSE/FINRA/SIPC Financing Options – Background on Types of Long-Term Obligations Available Section 2 11 © 2023 Hilltop Securities Inc. | All rights reserved | Member: NYSE/FINRA/SIPC 6 Types of Obligations Available to Colorado Local Governments Available Multi-Year Financing Tools Voter ApprovalRevenue Repayment SourceDescriptionFinancing Mechanism Requires voter approval for debt and tax increase (one question) Typically repaid from property tax revenues from a dedicated mill levy Secured by the full faith and credit of the issuer Issued for general governmental projects General Obligation (GO) Bonds Requires voter approval for debt authorization Could have voter approval to implement new tax, extend existing tax, or increase existing tax rate New or renewed special taxes or fees (could be broad (i.e., general sales tax) or specific (i.e., lodger’s tax)) Issued for general governmental projects Revenue Bonds – General Government •Sales Tax Revenue Bonds •General Fund / Limited Tax Bonds •Excise Tax Revenue Bonds Does not require voter approval as it is not considered a multi‐year fiscal obligation Generally available revenues of the issuer There is no direct revenue pledge but may internally allocate specific funds Lease purchase agreement with issuer‐owned asset used as collateral; subject to annual appropriation Certificates of Participation (COPs) & Leases 12 © 2023 Hilltop Securities Inc. | All rights reserved | Member: NYSE/FINRA/SIPC •Requires voter approval for authorization to issue debt and raise taxes. •Issued for any public purpose. •Unlimited tax GO’s are secured by a municipal government’s full faith, credit, and taxing power. •Limited tax GO’s are secured only by available revenues, usually from a set mill levy, with no obligation to increase taxes to pay debt service. •Limited Tax GO’s are frequently rated one notch lower than unlimited tax. •Due to higher credit ratings, typically attract the lowest interest rate of all debt types. 7 General Obligation Bonds “GO’s” 13 © 2023 Hilltop Securities Inc. | All rights reserved | Member: NYSE/FINRA/SIPC •Requires voter approval for authorization to issue debt and raise taxes. •Does not require a vote regarding taxes if the tax is already in place. •Issued for any public purpose. •Secured by the Issuer’s pledge of sales tax revenues. •Sales tax revenues can be pledged in full or in part (e.g. a specified percentage). •Rating depends on the pledge of sales tax revenues (broad versus narrow pledge). •Broader pledge sales tax bonds are typically rated one or two levels or “notches” below the credit rating assigned to an Issuer’s General Obligation Bonds. •Rating for the more narrow pledge is based on anticipated debt service coverage. •May require a Debt Service Reserve Fund. •Must adhere to covenants set forth in the Bond Indenture, which may include the following: •Restrictions on reducing the tax or granting exemptions; and •Limit on additional bonds. 8 Sales Tax Revenue Bonds 14 © 2023 Hilltop Securities Inc. | All rights reserved | Member: NYSE/FINRA/SIPC •COPs are not considered a multi‐fiscal year obligation under TABOR and therefore do not require voter authorization. •As a result, repayment of COPs is subject to annual appropriation (via budget process) from generally available revenues. •Issuer does not have the power or authority to increase taxes for base rental payments. •There is not a specific ‘pledge’ of revenues for COPs although issuers may internally identify revenues for repayment. •Can finance equipment or real property. •Obligation is payable from assignment of lease payments to Trustee by lessor. •COPs bear a higher interest rates than General Obligation Bonds due to annual appropriation risk. •COPs are generally assigned a credit rating one or two notches below the credit rating assigned to an Issuer’s General Obligation Bonds. 9 Certificates of Participation “COPs” 15 © 2023 Hilltop Securities Inc. | All rights reserved | Member: NYSE/FINRA/SIPC 10 Short-Term Borrowing Options Colorado governments are limited in the short‐term borrowing options available to them for general government financing needs or interim cash flow management This limitation is due to constraints imposed by TABOR. o Governments cannot enter into a multiple fiscal year obligation without voter approval. o Other TABOR ‐related elements such as economic compulsion also create issues with structuring an annually appropriated short‐term funding mechanism such as a draw down loan or line of credit. Some governments in Colorado have executed borrowings known as ‘anticipation notes’ to assist with cash flow management or to assist in minimizing interest costs for larger bond programs. o Revenue anticipation notes would be repaid with to‐be‐received revenues of the government; these need to be repaid within a fiscal year. o Bond anticipation notes would be repaid with proceeds from a future bond issuance. The government needs to have the voter approval to issue the bonds in order to issue these notes. As a result of these constraints, most Colorado governments issue long‐term financings to fund capital projects. o Some entities have begun to explore the issuance of COPs with a bank lender with short call/repayment options (2 to 3 years) to address the lack of short‐term borrowing flexibility. The ability to do this is dependent on the bank market at the time and lender interest. There is an interest rate premium associated with this structure. 16 © 2023 Hilltop Securities Inc. | All rights reserved | Member: NYSE/FINRA/SIPC •How to determine which type of financing to use will depend on several factors. •Is there large community support for the project(s)? •Are there existing ongoing revenues that can be committed towards repayment of financial obligations? •Do you have outstanding obligations that are maturing soon? •How do your current tax rates compare to surrounding communities? •Do you expect to see new development in your community (commercial or residential) that might lead to additional revenues from existing tax levies (sales tax or property tax)? •Does it make sense to spread the tax burden across the entire municipality or should a separate legal entity be used to place the tax burden on those who are most likely to benefit from the project? 11 Which Financing Option is the Right One? 17 © 2023 Hilltop Securities Inc. | All rights reserved | Member: NYSE/FINRA/SIPC •Urban Renewal Authority •Tax increment financing. •Downtown Development Authority •Tax increment financing; property tax of up to 5 mills. •General Improvement District •Property tax; special assessments; may impose fees, rates, tolls, charges and penalties for revenue‐ producing services or facilities. •Special Improvement District •Special assessments. •Business Improvement District •Property tax; special assessments; may impose rates, fees and charges. •Housing Authority (Single jurisdiction). •Rents and fees. 12 Other Types of Financing Entities Available to Municipalities 18 © 2023 Hilltop Securities Inc. | All rights reserved | Member: NYSE/FINRA/SIPC The general market commentary herein is intended for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or investment advice, nor is it an offer or a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell any investment or other specific product. Information provided in this market commentary was obtained from sources that are believed to be reliable; however, it is not guaranteed to be correct, complete, or current, and is not intended to imply or establish standards of care applicable to any attorney or advisor in any particular circumstances. This market commentary represents historical information only and is not an indication of future performance. This market commentary may not be shared with anyone other than the intended recipient without the explicit written consent of HilltopSecurities. This information is intended to be a summary of general market information. HilltopSecurities is not recommending an action to you as the municipal entity or obligated person. This commentary does not represent municipal advice pursuant to Section 15B of the Exchange Act. HilltopSecurities is acting for its own interests. You should discuss any information and material contained in this communication with any and all internal or external advisors and experts that you deem appropriate. When not already acting as a municipal advisor, HilltopSecurities could seek to serve as an underwriter on a future transaction. The primary role of an underwriter is to purchase securities with a view to distribution in an arms‐length, commercial transaction with the issuer. The underwriter has financial and other interests that differ from those of the issuer 13 Disclosure 19 AGENDA ITEM NO. 2.2 Item Cover Page DATE:May 21, 2024 TIME:30 min. SUBMITTED BY:Stephanie Bibbens, Town Manager ITEM TYPE:Presentation/Discussion AGENDA SECTION:Presentation/Discussion SUBJECT:Vail Business Survey Results SUGGESTED ACTION:Listen to presentation. PRESENTER(S):Kathleen Halloran, Deputy Town Manager and Sean Maher, RRC & Associates VAIL TOWN COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM REPORT ATTACHMENTS: Business Survey Memo 2024-05-21 Business Survey Report for Town Council Vail Business Open-Ended Comments 20 __________________________________________________________________________ Memorandum TO:Town Council FROM:Town Manager’s Department DATE:May 7, 2024 SUBJECT:Vail Business Survey Report-out I.SUMMARY The Vail Business Survey is intended to provide Town Council and staff insight into how the business community views their relationship with the Town as well as how public policies are impacting businesses in Vail. Specifically: The Quality of the Town of Vail’s Services Effectiveness of Communications How Policies & Programs Focused on Events, Housing, Transit, Parking, etc. Impact Local Businesses RRC and Associates was hired to conduct the survey and report out on results. The survey results are in the attached power point presentation. II.BACKGROUND This survey was conducted starting February 1 – March 15, and was the first of a biennial survey intended to gauge the town’s performance with providing excellent customer service to the business community. It is one of the components for measuring performance tied to the Town Council goal of “Excellent Customer Service”. The goal, as stated in the Council Strategic Plan is: “Vail will provide excellent customer service through clear definitions, measurements and reporting” 21 - 2 - This high-level strategic goal will then be further developed into the creation of a baseline measure and actionable goals to achieve excellent customer service. These will be created in June as a part of the Strategic Plan process. Over the last year, town staff have begun working on customer service as a Council Priority. As a first step, town department heads agreed upon a set of Guiding Principles: 1. Create a personal connection with guests/customers a. Be fun, approachable to customers (guests/residents) b. Listen, give our attention c. Be proactive / perceptive to customer needs d. Help create memories e. Make it personal 2. Provide great guest recovery a. Give employees tools to solve problems or create positive experiences b. Go beyond the transaction c. Be responsive and timely 3. Create a safe / predictable environment for the guest a. Ease of transactions, wayfinding b. Help before a guest/resident asks for help c. Deescalate, listen 4. Be Accountable a. Commit to Quality b. Admit when we make a mistake c. Apologize to customer (guest/resident) for the experience they’ve had d. Act professionally, have open communications, and build relationships e. Challenge our processes f.Set reasonable expectations for our customers These principles, in tandem with the town’s Values (CommUnity, Collaboration, Communication, Excellence, Innovation) can be used to guide and empower employees to give exceptional service because they understand the core goal and how that can be achieved. The Vail Business Survey is only one method to measure the town’s performance. Other metrics to be used include: Summer and winter guest post-visit surveys (on-going) Net Promoter Scores (on-going) Biennial Community Survey (happening now) High-level 2-question survey of community members during TOV events such as Community picnics, Vail Social, Annual Community Meeting, to gather more frequent feedback on whether the town is heading in the right direction or wrong track and why. Internal department surveys (implementation later this year) 22 - 3 - Once both goals and baseline metrics are in place, the Town will continue to integrate achievement of the customer service goal into our performance feedback systems so that we can celebrate when we achieve our goals and make course corrections if customer service targets/goals are not being achieved. Ultimately, the town would like to share these results with the public. Once the surveys and internal metrics are implemented, RRC will assist the town in the creation of an easy-to-read report-out for the public, such as an online dashboard. The dashboard will focus on a small number of high-level critical measures such as NPS scores, a ranking from the Community on right track/wrong track, how “informed” our community feels and scores on basic services like parking, transportation and public safety. III.ACTION REQUESTED FROM COUNCIL No action requested. 23 VAIL COMMUNITY BUSINESS SURVEY TOWN COUNCIL PRESENTATION 24 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction 3 Methodology 4 Business Information 5 Customer Service from the Town 9 Communication & Engagement 12 Special Events 16 Marketing 20 Safety & Security 25 Community Vision & Collaboration 28 Employee Services 32 Transportation & Parking 35 Housing 38 Loading & Environmental Programs 45 Key Findings 48 25 INTRODUCTION This survey is intended to provide Vail’s Town Council and staff insights into how the business community views their relationship with the Town as well as how public policies are impacting businesses in Vail. There was is specific interest in gathering feedback on: 1.The Perceived Quality of the Town of Vail’s Services 2.Effectiveness of Communications 3.How Policies & Programs Focused on Events, Housing, Transit, Parking, etc. Impact Local Businesses 3 26 METHODOLOGY To gauge sentiments of local businesses, RRC was engaged to create and administer a survey of Vail businesses. The questions were 100% online and promoted via: •Postcards mailed to all business licensees in Vail (615) •Personal delivery of additional cards to local businesses by senior Town staff •Additional telephone outreach by the VCBA The survey was open from February 1 through March 18 and a total of 67 were completed online for a response rate of 11%. Total Surveys Completed 67 4 27 BUSINESS INFORMATION 28 TYPE OF BUSINESS RESPONDENTS Predictably, most respondents are in the tourism industry with nearly three quarters in the retail, restaurant or lodging sectors. 6 29 NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES Most respondents are small businesses: two-thirds had 10 or fewer employees. 7 30 LOCATION OF BUSINESS Six in 10 respondents were in Vail Village. Overall, most respondents (nearly 80%) were located either in Vail Village or Lionshead. 8 31 CUSTOMER SERVICE FROM THE TOWN 32 OVERALL SERVICE FROM TOWN STAFF Satisfaction with overall services received from the Town of Vail is quite positive. Sixty percent of respondents are “Generally” or “Very Satisfied” while just 9% report they are dissatisfied. 10 33 SATISFACTION - SPECIFIC TOWN SERVICES Looking at specifics, respondents were quite positive on their experience obtaining business and liquor licenses as well as remitting sales tax. Building permits and plan review are the biggest pain point in dealing with the Town. Percent Responding: 1 & 2 3 4 & 5 Obtaining liquor permits Avg. 4.3 n=21 Obtaining business licenses and remitting sales tax Avg. 4.2 n=58 Scheduling fire inspections Avg. 3.7 n=40 Parking hosts and booth attendant helpfulness Avg. 4.0 n=46 Front desk/reception Avg. 3.9 n=40 Calling upon Fire, Police or Code Enforcement(for non-emergency services)Avg. 3.7 n=51 Finding out information from the Town(website, televised meetings, direct contact with staff)Avg. 3.6 n=60 Purchasing parking passes Avg. 3.1 n=43 Obtaining plan review and/or building permits Avg. 2.6 n=34 32% 52%33% 50%31% 25%48% 33%39% 38%25% 33%29% 27%28% 5% 5% 18% 7% 10% 18% 18% 30% 50% 10% 14% 10% 22% 28% 20% 27% 35% 35% 86% 81% 73% 72% 63% 63% 55% 35% 15% The Town wants to understand “how we’re doing” when it comes to servicing your needs as a Vail business. How would you rate the level of service related to the following? Source: RRC 11 34 COMMUNICATION & ENGAGEMENT 35 SOURCES OF TOWN INFORMATION Nearly two thirds of respondents still rely on the Vail Daily as their primary source of information for what is happening at the Town. Other common sources include E-News and the Town’s website. 13 36 STAFF RESPONSE & COMMUNICATION Businesspeople are generally happy with the timeliness and quality of service they receive from Town staff. However, they tend to feel the Town is not as transparent with information as it could be. Percent Responding: 1 & 2 3 4 & 5 How well does staff respond back to you (timeliness, knowledge, problem solving)? Avg. 3.5 n=54 How easy is it to reach staff at the Town to help with a question/problem?Avg. 3.3 n=56 How effective are these methods at getting important information to you?Avg. 3.3 n=62 How transparent do you think the Town is with information to the business community?Avg. 3.0 n=59 17% 20% 18% 22% 26%26% 23%25% 16%19% 17% 22% 29% 18% 34% 26% 23% 47% 36% 52% 48% 35% 31% How well would you rate the Town on the following? Source: RRC 14 37 QUALITY OF COMMUNICATION FOR EVENTS Businesses are split on how well the Town communicates on potential event impacts. 56% say Town staff does a good to excellent job and 44% rate communication as fair or poor. 15 38 SPECIAL EVENTS 39 SUPPORT FOR SPECIAL EVENT FUNDING By a wide margin, respondents are in favor of the Town investing in special events in Vail. 17 40 EVENT IMPACTS ON BUSINESS Two thirds of respondents say there are events in Vail that benefit their businesses. GoPro Mountain Games, Farmers’ Market, sports tournaments and concerts were mentioned specifically. 18 41 EVENT IMPACTS ON BUSINESS Respondents are split on whether some events have a negative impact on business. Examples of negative events include those that occur on Meadow Drive or that result in tents blocking visibility. 19 42 MARKETING 43 VLMD AWARENESS While most businesses are aware of the VLMD, there is a significant number (37%) who are not familiar with the Marketing District. 21 44 AWARENESS OF DISCOVERVAIL.COM There is much stronger awareness of the online marketing efforts done via DiscoverVail.com. 22 45 EASE OF USING MARKETING RESOURCES Of those who have utilized the website and VLMD, 55% of respondents are either neutral or positive on the ease of use. Just 10% find them difficult to use. 23 46 RATING DISCOVERVAIL.COM There is generally positive feedback on the website with 38% rating it good or excellent and just 5% saying it does a poor job of representing Vail. 24 47 SAFETY & SECURITY 48 RATING PUBLIC SAFETY IN VAIL Vail’s public safety ratings would be the envy of most communities. 85% agree that the Town provides a safe and secure environment and just 9% disagree. 26 49 EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS Nearly two thirds say the Town does a good or excellent job of communicating emergency situations that affect businesses. Just 4% say emergency communication is poor. 27 50 COMMUNITY VISION & COLLABORATION 51 TOWN OF VAIL VISION Nearly half of respondents agree that the Town of Vail provides a visionary role for the future while about a third are neutral and 21% disagree. 29 52 TOWN COLLABORATION WITH BUSINESS Results are mixed on the how businesses view collaboration efforts by the Town. 39% rate the efforts as “average” and about a quarter say they are good or excellent. However, nearly a quarter rate collaboration as “poor.” 30 53 AWARENESS OF ENGAGEVAIL.COM Two thirds of business respondents are not aware of EngageVail.com. If businesses are a target audience, there is more promotion needed for the online outreach effort. 31 54 EMPLOYEE SERVICES 55 USING EMPLOYEE PROGRAMS At least a quarter of employees use either the PRIMA Vail employee engagement program or the employee training development opportunities offered by the Vail Valley Partnership. 33 56 PRIMA VAIL IMPACTS PRIMA Vail has boosted employees’ abilities to engage with customers and coworkers for nearly two thirds of respondents. 34 57 TRANSPORTATION & PARKING 58 BUS SERVICE IN VAIL Most employers are happy with Vail’s bus routes and schedules. Nearly two thirds say they are adequate and just 17% said they are not. 36 59 PARKING RATES AND PASSES IN VAIL Results are mixed for parking impacts on both customers and employees. About half say that parking challenges impact customers negatively while half say they have zero or positive impact. Results are slightly more negative when considering impacts on employees. Note that parking is a problem in almost all busy resort towns. 37 60 HOUSING 61 KNOWLEDGE OF HOUSING PROGRAMS Three quarters of respondents say they are informed on the Town’s housing programs. Just 18% say they are not at all informed. 39 62 PARTICIPATION IN HOUSING PROGRAMS 35% of respondents say that either they or their employees (or both) have participated in a housing program offered by the Town of Vail. 40 63 EMPLOYEE HOUSING INVESTMENT Over one third of businesses (36%) have invested in housing for their workers. Most of that investment occurred in the Town of Vail. 41 64 FUTURE PLANS FOR EMPLOYEE HOUSING About a quarter of respondents plan to invest in employee housing in the next three years and an equal number are unsure. 42 65 USE OF TOWN HOUSING PROGRAMS Of those planning to invest, the majority would take advantage of a program offered by Town of Vail. 43 66 EASE OF USING HOUSING PROGRAMS Sentiments on the ease of using a housing program are somewhat mixed but net positive. Nearly 40% rate them as “Easy” and 25% say they are difficult. 44 67 ENVIRONMENTAL & LOADING PROGRAMS 68 LOADING & DELIVERY PROGRAM Overall, the Loading & Delivery program has been successful with about half of respondents rating it “Very Successful” for reducing vehicle numbers and improving the guest experience. However, a third of respondents say the program has a negative impact on the timely delivery of goods. Reducing vehicles from pedestrian areas Avg. 2.3 Improving guest experience and safety Avg. 2.3 Overall performance by our provider, 106 West Avg. 2.2 Timely delivery of goods and products to your business Avg. 2.0 49%36%16% 48%30%23% 47%28%25% 30%36%33% The Town of Vail’s Loading and Delivery program began implementation in 2022 with the intent of improving public safety and guest experience and reducing greenhouse gases by reducing traffic in pedestrian areas. Overall, how do you rate the success of the program: Source: RRC 46 69 ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMS Businesses are very aware of the recycling and E-bike programs and less informed on composting. Recycling opportunities Avg. 2.5 E-bike Share program Avg. 2.5 Actively Green Avg. 2.3 Sustainability Communication Avg. 2.3 Composting opportunities Avg. 2.0 57%38%6% 58%35%8% 49%36%15% 37%51%12% 30%44%26% How informed do you feel about the Town’s environmental programs available to businesses? Source: RRC 47 70 KEY FINDINGS 71 Respondents are predominantly from the tourism sector. Retailers were the largest group, followed by restaurants and lodging businesses. KEY FINDINGS Two thirds of respondents are small businesses with 10 or fewer employees and are mostly located in Vail Village (61%) or Lionshead (17%). Overall, business managers and owners are happy with the service they receive from the Town. 60% say they are generally or very satisfied. Just 9% report being dissatisfied. 49 72 When asked about specific services provided by the Town staff, most rated very highly. The process for obtaining liquor permits and business licenses along with remitting sales tax all seem to work quite smoothly. Interactions with parking attendants and front desk staff also rated highly. KEY FINDINGS Just one area rated below average. The process for obtaining building permits and plan reviews is clearly a pain point for businesses in Vail. The next lowest rated service provided by the Town was purchasing parking passes. The choice for staying up to date with what is happening with the Town is still the newspaper (online or paper). Vail Daily was the top choice of nearly two thirds with the Town of Vail E-News and Vail.gov website also being common sources of information. 50 73 Businesses recognize the importance of special events and support the Town of Vail’s funding them. 71% favor investing to support events in Vail. Two thirds of respondents say there are specific events that benefit their business. KEY FINDINGS The Vail Local Marketing District (VLMD) is not familiar to 37% of respondents. The District may benefit from additional outreach and promotion among local businesses. DiscoverVail.com is known to 81% of respondents and is familiar to virtually all of those with a tourism focus. Vail is seen as a safe community with the Police, Fire, and Public Works Departments being highly trusted. 85% of respondents say they agree or strongly agree that Vail is safe and secure for both their business and customers. 51 74 Overall, the business community thinks the Town of Vail provides a vision for the future. Nearly half agree that the Town plays a “Visionary Role” with just 21% of respondents disagreeing. KEY FINDINGS Respondents are somewhat split on how effectively the Town collaborates with businesses. About a third rate business collaboration as fair or poor while a quarter say it is good or excellent. In addition, most business owners are not aware of EngageVail.com. PRIMA Vail is considered an effective program for boosting customer service in Vail. A quarter of respondents report their employees are involved with PRIMA Vail and the large majority feel it is positively impacting how workers engage with the public. 52 75 Businesses are concerned about employee housing. Over one third have invested in housing assistance for their staff either in the town or outside of Vail and 27% plan to invest in housing in the future, with most planning to utilize Town programs. KEY FINDINGS On transportation topics, businesses are positive on bus service and mostly satisfied with bus routes and schedules. Regarding parking, they are evenly split on whether it creates an issue for customers but are more negative when considering impacts on employees. Note that parking is a major issue in virtually all resort towns. Overall, the Loading & Delivery program receives positive marks for reducing vehicles in the pedestrian zone and for enhancing the guest experience in Vail Village. The biggest challenge appears to getting deliveries in a timely manner. 53 76 RRC ASSOCIATES 4770 Baseline Road, Suite 355 Boulder, CO 80303 rrcassociates.com (303) 449-6558 THANK YOU! 77 Vail Business Open-Ended Comments Q2: Industry/Business Sector Response Apartment Management Landscaping Non Profit Property Management Real Estate Real Estate 78 Vail Business Open-Ended Comments Q4: Location Response East Vail East Vail Vail and Lionshead Vail Village, Lionshead, and Golden Peak 79 Vail Business Open-Ended Comments Q6: Are there any challenges or suggestions related to any of the above processes? Response affordable housing availability is the biggest hinderance to running our businesses and how the town handled the Booth Heights parcel is a sign they are not willing to partner. Delivering flowers and christmas decorations is very challenging, even if we get access with a bigger truck, it's impossible to park that truck anywhere and make it back to the village in a timely manner. Would really help if there was some oversized vehicle parking closer to the village. I don’t know maybe having a Fireman tell me he was going to “reverse my fire inspection” because I nearly swiped left (no) as his dating profile really says a lot as a female business owner. I’ve ALWAYS felt discrimination like this from parts of the town since I opened - and I have witnesses to his behavior and threats I think the process of permits especially around the design review board is painstaking and completely unnecessary. They only way we can really stand out as a small business is if we have more autonomy around our own aesthetic - less rules around how we look would really help small business thrive I think the town does very well with assisting businesses. I do think some of the policies/codes are a bit dated and could use some revision. Liquor license boundaries and removing landscapable areas for example. If we could purchase parking passes by a group and use company credit card and let us manage like we do the Merchant Ski Passes that we purchase through Vail Resorts. We would like to be able to return a parking pass that was not used by an employee who terminated employment unexpectedly. It would be nice if the Police could patrol Willow Park more. On Willow Road cars park on the sidewalk a lot, drive up the one way the wrong way very often and The valets from the Lodge and inner-village go dangerously too fast back there. I have been stopped for going the wrong way on the north side of the park yet there's zero signage that states that side is also a one way. Lionspride building, think that is what it is call, old Swedish Clog Cabin and Charlies building - it is such an eyesore - this would never happen in Vail Village - if there is no development happening - at least get it tore down OR get some lipstick on the ugly pig - truly disappointing how TOV is ignoring this issue - again, I cannot see this happening in Vail Village - only in Lionshead where we are still the red haired step child Man the Checkpoint Charlie booth more often No Now that a contractor that is 'licensed' with the town is required to get a building permit, it can be VERY difficult to find the right contractor and get them on the schedule as they are limited and booked way out. Obtaining building permits was a god awful experience. We hired a very reputable company that works with TOV code all the time and the communication was terrible. Constant phone calls and emails with no response. This was 2 years ago so maybe things have changed. It took us over 3 months to get building permits and they admitted to forgetting about our project for over 2 weeks. Sometimes emergency response is slow. But emergency response the non emergency line is sometimes understandable due to the origin/nature of the call 80 Vail Business Open-Ended Comments Response Staff - especially code enforcement and police - don’t treat residents well. Numerous times I’ve had legitimate complaints or questions and I was treated as if I had 3 heads. Fire dept is excluded from this. The business license webpage is very convoluted and not conducive to making processing of licenses or tax remittance easy in an already complicated business environment. TOV could benefit from a substanial upgrade in communications, mapping, and record management technology with a focus on human-centric digitial community accessibility. Staff is extraordinarily helpful and responsive - but their dedication to providing exceptional service masks/makes up for gaps can could be better bridged by modern UI/UX improvements across platforms. Vail should proactively position themselves to leverage user guided technology to connect citizens to the information and services they are seeking. The population to come is digitally proficient and mobile- first; there is tremendous operational efficency that can be gained by taking advantage of the phone in the pocket of every person. UPS pick-up and delivery access to Vail Village is a problem. This is the lifeblood of our business. The Town is making it very difficult to receive. Vail Parking-each business should get one free spot for the year. When code enforcement is asked a question about code, they should answer or get the answer and get back to person instead of telling the people who pay their salaries to “look the code up online” Why can’t code enforcement answer questions about codes. Always told to look it up. What exactly is their job? 81 Vail Business Open-Ended Comments Q7: What are the primary ways you get your Town of Vail information? (Select all that apply) Response laserfiche Vail chamber Walking around town 82 Vail Business Open-Ended Comments Q9: Do you have thoughts on how the Town can improve communication with local businesses? Response Email the businesses. Deliver a information sheet to each business. Use the hosts for this delivery. Both forms of communication are important. It would be nice to not have to do everything online. Nice to fill out a form and give a check for business license and sale tax. Make the chamber a direct division funded by the town id vail More free events like the summer picnics but year round People working remotely has decreased the availability of outcomes and customer service. Our taxes ay for these jobs - serve the people please! Personalize the customer journey to the unique needs of each user. show up, come by, make yourselves know and seen. invest in what we are doing especially as a small business Stephanie is a godsend to me as is Kris in PR Thank goodness The code informant people need to adopt a nicer I’m here to help attitude. The get rude pretty quick when contacted. The delivery system amd trying to push out ups and fedex was ridiculous.. TOV social media needs to improve. I get most of my TOV news through the instagram @vailsticky. That information should be directly from the TOV. The only department that is timely in their responses to questions and concerns is Stephanie Bibbins. She is a tremendous help to the town and community. One of the worst is the Special Events District. They need to involve merchants about these special events. Provide information about these events and get a collective feedback about the events. Most merchants love TOVs special events and we want to be able to show a seamless experience to the guests of the town. For that we all need to be on the same page. Nothing is worst than visiting somewhere and being confused. Treat our questions and concerns with respect instead of disdain When you list the people in a department, please include their TOV email address. I am playing phone tag on an issue that could have easily been resolved with a simple email. Stephanie Bibbens does an excellent job communicating with businesses. 83 Vail Business Open-Ended Comments Q11: Are there specific events that positively impact your business? Response 4th of July, New Years, Go Pro, all Ford concerts, Saturday ski traffic, summer weddings all all Any event in LIonshead Any off season events to bring people in the off season is welcome. Anything that brings tourists to the town Bluegrass fest and lacrosse/soccer tournaments make a difference in visitation during non-peak season Bravo! Music Festival, Farmers Market, all in-town concerts Bravo! Vail Burton open concerts Farmers Market Farmer's Market, Go-Pro 4th of July Free Concerts Go Pro & Dance Festival Go Pro & Oktoberfest Go pro, October fest, the art festivals, the free Bluegrass, all of the AEG shows at the amp, Go pro, US open did, GO PRO, Kids Mountain Games, Lionshead Art Show, Taste of Vail, Fourth of July Parade, Lionshead Oktoberfest, Vail Jazz Festival, Bravo Vail Meadow Drive Farmer’s Market. Music in Lionshead music/ concerts soccer tournaments Some concerts, Go Pro Games, Bravo, Dance Festival, Taste of Vail Sports camps Sports Events fill hotels 84 Vail Business Open-Ended Comments Response Sunday Farmer’s Market on Meadow Drive. It is in an established location…don’t start to mess with it and move it around. Sunday market, gourmet on the gore, Oktoberfest Taste of vail, summer market, Oktoberfest The ones locals attend Winter concerts 85 Vail Business Open-Ended Comments Q12: Any events that negatively impact your business? Response 4th of July All concerts at Solaris. All events that involve camping on the Athletic fields Any and all concerts that stop the bus running on Meadow Drive. Our business dies when there is a concert at Solaris. Any thing that puts a tent in front of our front door Anything that pulls people out of the base areas during the afternoon or evening. For example snow days when it was in ford parking lot Bravo Concerts in Village Events that are only in Vail Village Go pro when my brands are in front of my store ans go on discount Go Pro GoPro Head banging concerts. I'd like to see the Mountain Games have a local outdoor vendor area to highlight our local organizations. Jazz, art festivals live venues on gore creek dr Meadow Drive events Most everything is promoted in village. Need MORE IN LIONOSHEAD Oktoberfest Oktoberfest the last year Some concerts bring a challenging dynamic/demographic TOV Parking Dept. blocked off an unnecessary amount of top level parking (for Vendors, not allowing employees to enter and park to be able to go to work during the GO-Pro event 86 Vail Business Open-Ended Comments Q14: Do you have any suggestions about how the Town could communicate more effectively about events and their impacts on businesses? Response Better precursor and after surveys closer to the time events take place Broadcast email to employers reminders. Come to the stores with information Consistency… some events are well communicated while others are not. If the town takes away our private parking, they need to accommodate free parking and communicate options. The meadow drive / international bridge area has too many events. Concerts need to be at Ford Park. Direct email Do not close Meadow Drive to buses except during the Sunday Farmer’s Market. Email to the businesses. Also, a printed information information flyer brought to each business. Email special event information and also bring a printed information sheet to each business. If the TOV is going to push Vail Village workers to park in Lionshead during an event, it would be best to communicate that directly to the businesses ahead of time...preferably, push the vendors to park there on top or on the street On event website list of where event gates start and end. For example: check point Charlie's to Solaris plaza On the event website listing exactly where the special event gates will be and where town will be blocked off at. My business needs to know how to efficiently move around these events and provide people transportation options when these events take place. Set up meetings before and after with businesses in the direct vicinity. Before would be great to provide direct information about the event, load in load out times, who is the direct contact for the event, what to expect for the event etc… after the event for feedback from the community and businesses. How can we improve this event next year? Was the event worth it so on show up and ask us The art show are poorly run and the load in and load out is disruptive to business The stage is immediately outside of our door- drinking, loud music all weekend long. The alcohol consumption leads me to close my doors early so that my staff does not have to deal with inebriated guests all evening. Great event, poor placement. There are too many special events and it is impacting the local and guest population by cramming in too much and its not as pleasant as it could be. Would appreciate being able to see results on line 87 Vail Business Open-Ended Comments Q23: Are there any opportunities for increased collaboration between the Town and local businesses? Response Absolutely, we never see any of you in Lionshead businesses asking questions or talking to guests to get a real perspective of who our customer base really is. Ask us how we can be involved before bringing in outside vendors and food trucks Can we feature local business owners to share the career pathway that is possible? Especially entrepreneurs who are not frontline visible (retail) yet bring revenue to the county. Delivery program of 106West….please listen to us that we are not interested in being forced to use 106West. Give more access to work in town Housing It doesn’t seem that the town cares about our thoughts. They only want to push through their agenda, even when have expressed how negatively their new shipping/delivery plan will affect us. Listen to the locals- especially those who have been here a long time. these is a misuse of tax dollars with things that will laster be a bad decision - like electric buses that will NOT be sustainable It is "the latest shiny object" AND trendy- you will live to regret it while you spend tax dollars inappropriately Local businesses and especially Mom and Pops need more of a role. Don’t let this place become corporate Disney World. The Town does a great job of supporting exsisting established businesses that cater to guests - the Town should play a larger role in attracting and sustaining new, innovative, diverse, and growing businesses and entrepenures - particularly ones that could benefit a year round population of residents under 50. We need emplyee housing, not another art center yes Yes Yes. Parking. You could put some non compete booths for flea farmers mkt in Lionshead on Sunday as in village 88 Vail Business Open-Ended Comments Q26: What, if any, barriers exist to your participation in environmental programs? Response Being in East Vail makes it hard to participate in the E-bike share program - 1 hour per day is not long enough to commute back and forth from West Vail (with the 'governor' on the bike, it takes about 35 - 40 minutes each way) Communication of new programs & initiatives Composting is important yet challenging. With limited physical space on our property combined with limited pickups, this can be difficult to execute. Fees I think these should be non negotiable... more important than the color of my business sign. it would be nice to see priorities around this vs. visuals and a controlled environment Knowing about them.... Local metal recycling looking forward to commercial composting! Make composting more available and don't charge for it. Anything that is electric is NOT sustainable. The litium batteries do so much damage to the environment There needs to be balance. Participation of condo association Space Tourists lack of complying to recycling areas. Our office is right next to Airbnb units, 80% of them through trash in the recycling. Contaminating what we work hard for! So frustrating. We are a destination tourist community and what you are asking of the business community is outside of our scope. These issues need to change where the guest comes from. You will not change their habits in vacation. Not to mention the last time I was at the dump I watched a recycling truck dump their whole Load in the trash pile!!!!!!!!!! We don't have a physical store location. We would like to recycle metal and there is not a local drop off location. 89 Vail Business Open-Ended Comments Q27: Is there a new or different sustainability initiative that you would like to see implemented in Vail? Response a plan for recycling electric bus, car, bicycle and any other insane electric vehicle batteries. Better/ easier access for recycling electronics, styrofoam, plastics, construction materials Convenient compost service other than the honeywagon drop site Defined objectives, expectations, & observable measureable results. Electric hand dryers with no paper hand products i would be interested to learn about one Information about what happens to all the batteries for the e buses, cars, bikes etc. information on what the town is doing about the rare earth minerals we are consuming and the slave labor needed to mine these, and what is the town doing to not be dependent on China for all the supposed green items we are consuming. It would be nice to be about to commute via Bike from Avon to Vail in the winter, without getting on I70. Let’s start with one obtainable goal and execute it before we start trying to conquer the world issues in one place. Like let’s say aluminum. Let’s get that right first. If we don’t do this in small steps we will fail. Love ShiftBike! Make Lionshead…”VAIL”. Not that other place in Vail. More hard to recycle collection days or drop off locations. It's a pain to drive to Gypsum to recycle out donate items. More hard to recycle drop off locations. Not sure this qualifies, but I would love to see TOV and 106 West Logistics tackle trash, recycling and composting and include in the delivery system program. Start by getting rid of ALL paper towel holders in ALL public restrooms and switch to hand dryers. The drop off recycling could be a bit better maintained. Work with landlords to implement composting Yes, one that deals with the batteries for all the electric vehicles. Are you tracking where the rare earth minerals are coming from? Where do the batteries go when they are no longer usable? Is it true you replace entire busses when the batteries go? How is that taking care of our planet? 90 Vail Business Open-Ended Comments Q31: Do you have any comments on bus routes or schedules? Response Bus system is excellent and well-managed. Earlier buses Expand all day Express Bus Service from where people actually live in West Vail & Intermountain "Super Service" locations. Goal: Every 15 minutes, you can get to/from Lionshead & the Village in 15 minutes or less. Improvement of down valley service and frequency. I know the RTA is a work in progress and intends to address this soon. my employee who lives in Avon is very excited about the new free route on RTA. Looking forward to more of those. Not adequate when the schedule is cut. Many retail stores close at 9pm during the winter and summer season and 6 pm during the offseason. It is difficult to operate with these hours if the buses depart at 6 and 9. Off season is almost impossible to use busses and not drive Off season schedules are very user unfriendly - especially in Sandstone and West Vail Off season times and routes inadequate, on the hour departures hard for people who work too much time waiting for busses. Shoulder season Fall schedule was quite limited requiring staff to get to work 45 minutes early based on timing. I would like to see them increased during business hour commuting 7-9am, 4-6pm Super excited for the new free bus system. Thank you for still keeping the bus service free Too few buses at the start of each season and the bus schedule ramps down too soon before the season ends. Also, a 9:30 pm bus would be nice. TOV bus system is incredible! We have to communicate that the bus system was not developed for str users to go skiing but was intended to support local transportation needs for recreation and work access. 91 Vail Business Open-Ended Comments Q33: Do you have any comments or suggestions related to parking or improving mobility in Vail? Response Bring back 2 hour shopper parking please! Earlier afternoon free entry for those that need to be at work at 3pm. Getting to town quickly is only 1/2 of the decision making formula in deciding to take the bus. Getting HOME and on with my day is the other half. Even if I can get an Express in, if getting home will take add an extra 60 minutes - I'll drive and pay to park. Time is valuable. I'm glad parking rates stayed steady this year. I realize it is a balancing act. But money to the TOV should never be part of the equation In winter I drive in at 7:15am daily to guarantee I can get a free spot in West Vail (north side) and then take the bus into town - and the same on exit. It adds 90 minutes to my commute as business profit does not afford paying VV parking structure fees in winter. / Please continue to explore options to renovate the structure. It is difficult enough as a small business to retain a team in a location that makes it hard to even "get to work", but to see the price of employee parking passes continue to rise is equally as gauging. It would be great to have free parking after 2pm so that employees can get to work by 3pm without having to pay. Keep the free after 3 parking. Two hours free during the day at both structures would encourage people to come into the villages to quickly shop and/or grab a bite to eat. KEEP the town bus running on Meadow Drive….don’t bypass any portion of Meadow Drive. Leaving the parking structure in the winter in general at the end of the work/ski day is beyond stressful, but navigating through the main Vail round-a-bout at the end of the work day/ski day and/or if the pass is closed is super stressful and dangerous and would be best controlled with police, or the like, something to help the traffic flow safely. The vehicles that are coming from the west, entering the round-a-bout, and then want to cut across to get on I-70, are competing with those coming into the round-a-bout at the same time trying to go under I-70, and all are competing with those that are entering the round-a-bout to go towards Lionshead!! locals should have more time than one hour to run errands in town. my clients should be able to come park and be in my business for a leisurely lunch and shopping without worrying about finding a parking spot More oversized vehicle parking especially near the village, on street parking for company vehicles while working at the property. No 2 hour free parking eliminated most of my local shoppers, especially those from down valley offer a passholder discount for parking during weekdays, it's disappointing to hear that people don't want to come to Vail because parking is so expensive 92 Vail Business Open-Ended Comments Response Parking is a nightmare. Time to think of bigger solutions like more levels to the structures or more structures or something. What about the structure at the old Cascade, now Hyatt? Is there an opportunity there along with robust bus routes for visitors and employees? We think the cost of the pink pass is too high and it is unacceptable that the lot is closed for special events. Those closures cause a significant inconvenience to employees. Further, we think another solution needs to be found for employees working within the TOV but less than the 30hr per week threshold. We need to take care of them too. There are so many who fit in this category and their wages aren't high enough to expect them to park in the structures. Also, the pathways from the soccer field and through Golden Peak are very poorly maintained. We have had employees injured in their daily commute walk from those lots to work. More attention is needed in that area of town! See above answer and restrict parking pass access to anyone who lives within reasonable bus route walking distance Solaris and the constant drop off and turn around is a problem. Day customers constantly complain about rates in Vail and Solaris lots. Thank you for removing half the speed bumps… the overall issue of insufficient parking regardless of parking rates are the challenge. there are fewer complaints of crowding when people aren't parked on the frontage road every day. Vail needs to adopt a plan for employee-only parking. This would play a big role in the employee shortage in Vail as working in Vail is just a hassle for many people when there are other job opportunities elsewhere in Eagle County We purchase parking passes at Red Sandstone for our full time employees. We have a smaller pool of part time employees to choose from because of the cost of parking. The level of commitment and employee longevity has dropped considerably because people just don't want to work 3 jobs to survive. They want to have a life and stable, affordable housing. Why did you decrease the free hours of parking. It reeks of greed. It was that Lionshead structure was only to be a fee for 3 years - Hmmmmm not very customer friendly- At lease go back to some free hours instead of gouging locals and guests. employees are needed to serve businesses and you make it horrible for them with parking. the "passes" are too expensive Yes. Please provide one complimentary parking pass per business. Or provide a good answer as to why this isn't viable. You eliminated all down valley people from coming up to shop when you eliminated 2 hours free parking. You have eliminated most down valley mid day visits to Vail 93 Vail Business Open-Ended Comments Q42: Are there any positive aspects of the service and support you receive from the Town of Vail that you would like to share? Response Beth Markham is awesome, so is Larry. Emplyee housing I communicate often with Matthew V. at the short-term rental office. He is ALWAYS responsive and helpful. I deal mostly with Stephanie and she is wonderful. I have her email so can reach out when necessary. She does an excellent job getting information out when needed. I like the town picnics. I love TOV. We are luckiest people on earth. Overwhelming gratitude. law enforcement and bus service are great. Like I said- you got a lot of chauvinism in the police/ fire department area I do everything I can to NOT call on them No comment Stephanie Bibbens is awesome The code enforcement employees are trying very hard to give us the access we need to do our job, but their hands are tied. 9 to 11am is not enough time to get our time done at times. The delivery issue is a major point of dissatisfaction. It was done with visitors in mind, but not businesses. The vistors will not have a good experience if businesses have no timely deliveries. We enjoy the Prima Vail employee recognition. We very much appreciate our CSE funding and hope to grow it in the future. It is a lot of work for a small return but we are grateful for the support, nonetheless. 94 Vail Business Open-Ended Comments Q43: Please share any ideas you have for how the Town could improve services and overall support for your business in Vail. Response Announcement off a plan to curb this year's 4th of July teen chaos Another bigger parking structure, cheaper rates Be more personally engaged with the business community. Make the chamber a division of the TOV Dealing with town staff over the years has definitely improved, yet sometimes can still remain adversarial. I would recommend that the TOV continue to strive to view these relationships more as a partnership towards mutual benefit rather than a government entity simply flexing power and enforcing rules. Do not force the use of 106West. Continue to allow UPS, Fed Ex to come into the villages for deliveries. Do not force us to use 106 West delivery. This delays delivery of our packages. Emplyee housing Enforce town codes with businesses. Since CoVid many businesses have expanded outside with their sales. It gives the perception that everything in “on sale”. It use to be enforced on the number of outdoor racks a business could have. Now it seems to be unlimited. For many of us in the business community the feeling is the Town of Vail is anti-business as the red- tape and hurdles to conduct business increase every year. The Town staff seems to be out-of-touch with real business issues as they do not experience them first-hand and it has no impact on their livelihood or know how it impacts our guests, as they do not interact with guests. The cost of doing business in Vail increases every year at levels way beyond inflation. Having empty store fronts is bad for neighboring businesses. Some move to encourage new businesses and new business ideas and encourage landlords to lease to them would be helpful. I would like to see more police in the breezeway to the gondola in the summer when people ride their bikes up and down when their supposed to walk. instead of always increasing taxes, and giving deals for new residents, give equal deals to those who have helped build this town, worked 4+ jobs for DEADES and paid our own way. It's very discriminatory what you do. You do not seem to value those people. These new residents have their hands out and you and other businesses are promoting a culture of entitlement. Everyone should be treated equally and you are penalizing long time locals Additionally it is no wonder people want to do some short term rentals- take into consideration the age of those people and that it might supplement their retirement which is hard to imagine retiring with the increase in TOV fees, and taxes. Renters too often trash rental property and it makes it discouraging and owners are tired of long term rentals because of that. Intro pricing for TOV bus advertisements would be stellar. It would be nice if the council members stopped in and introduced themselves, asked questions of owners, showed an interest in how to keep small, locally owned businesses here. The town is becoming like an old mall - nothing local. Longer vehicle access in the off season to get the necessary work done . 95 Vail Business Open-Ended Comments Response Lower the cost of being in the Chamber. More support for businesses to by employee housing. As a business it is hard to get into the employee housing pool because prices are so high. Please look at parking. It is a big problem and a major blemish on the Vail experience for visitors and employees. The cost of housing is a significant problem too and rental rates are exorbitant. Our staff can't afford to buy in Vail and even if they could, the deed restriction limits opportunity to build equity. Availability of rentals and the cost are a big deterrent to us getting staff to relocate here for jobs. Thanks for listening. Provide one free parking pass per business. Reduce the number of retail locations Vail Resorts has in town, small business can do a better job. Should be brought to your attention that I was threatened to have have my fire inspection reversed for snubbing a fireman -outrageous This survey did not leave much room for actual feedback, rather a yes or no tick to reinforce what's already in place. Businesses of my size are overlooked in most programs. When interacting with residents, all of you need to stop being condescending 96 AGENDA ITEM NO. 2.3 Item Cover Page DATE:May 21, 2024 TIME:30 min. SUBMITTED BY:Pete Wadden, Environmental Sustainability ITEM TYPE:Presentation/Discussion AGENDA SECTION:Presentation/Discussion SUBJECT:Overview of Golf Course Riparian Habitat and Potential Opportunities for Improvement SUGGESTED ACTION:Direct staff on preferred course of action to address hydrology, fish habitat, floodplain connectivity, and riparian vegetation at Ford Park and Vail Golf Course. PRESENTER(S):Pete Wadden, Watershed Health Specialist VAIL TOWN COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM REPORT ATTACHMENTS: Golf Course Vegetation TC Memo 2024-05-21 Stream Corridor Presentation TC 2024-05-21 97 To: Vail Town Council From: Environmental Sustainability Department Date: May 21, 2024 Subject: Overview of Golf Course Riparian Habitat and Potential Opportunities for Improvement I. Suggested Action Direct staff on preferred course of action to address hydrology, fish habitat, floodplain connectivity, and riparian vegetation at east end of Ford Park and Vail Golf Course. II. Background In 2022, Town of Vail adopted new stream setbacks that include a 10-foot "No mow zone" along all named waterways. The ordinance allows for private homes to have a narrow, soft surface creek access path, and allows existing permitted improvements like decks and patios to remain as legal non-conforming features. The ordinance requires no positive action on the part of property owners, only that they cease any vegetation removal or mowing within the 10 foot setback. In 2024, Town Council reiterated its commitment to the restoration of Gore Creek by setting the goal that Gore Creek be removed from the 303(d) list of impaired waterways by 2029. While Town property is exempt from the setback requirements, Environmental Sustainability staff will present aerial imagery demonstrating that Town and Vail Recreation District landscaping maintenance operations substantially comply with the setback requirement. Eagle Valley Trout Unlimited, Colorado Parks and Wildlife , and Town of Vail have recently partnered on a series of three grants for in-stream habitat work at the upstream end of Ford Park. The proposed project is slated to be designed in 2024 and completed in 2025. The three grants (totaling about $500,000) have various requirements and stipulations (i.e. $250,000 can only be used for in -stream habitat work) but staff believe an additional financial commitment from Town of Vail would allow the project to expand to the East of Ford Park and address riparian vegetat ion, floodplain connectivity, and pond management on the Vail Golf Course. In preliminary meetings, Town of Vail and Vail Recreation District Staff have identified four primary areas of concern that could be addressed in 2024 -25: 98 Town of Vail Page 2 • Erosion along Eleventh Fairway • Depth and temperature of Wedding Island Pond and surrounding ponds • Hole Number 7 flooding • Fifteenth Green erosion and proximity to creek If Council expresses interest in pursuing such an expanded project, staff will return with a budgetary proposal at the upcoming supplemental. III. Staff Recommendation Town Staff does not recommend expanding the stream setback requirements to apply to Town property because management of town property already conforms substantially with the intent of the regulation. Extending the setbacks to town property would substantially alter stream access points that benefit the community and Vail's guests including, the East Vail boat ramp, Gore Creek Promenade, the Stream Walk, Gore Valley Trail near Lions Square Lodge, and Stephen's Park. 99 Stream Corridor Protection Ordinance 970.479.2144 | lovevail.org Pete Wadden Watershed Health Specialist pwadden@vail.gov 100 A Creek is more than water in a channel Little intro copy area. Little intro copy area. Little intro copy area. Little intro copy area. Little intro copy area. Little intro copy area. It is a living, ever- changing ecosystem. If Vail wants a healthy creek, the community needs to give it some space. 101 The Town has set the example Lovevail.org Little intro copy area. Little intro copy area. Little intro copy area. Little intro copy area. Little intro copy area. Little intro copy area. Town of Vail passed the benchmark of 25,000 trees and shrubs planted in summer 2023.102 Town policy was the model Lovevail.org Little intro copy area. Little intro copy area. Little intro copy area. Little intro copy area. Little intro copy area. Little intro copy area. •Revegetate stream front •Close social trails •Designate access points 103 Town policy was the model Lovevail.org Little intro copy area. Little intro copy area. Little intro copy area. Little intro copy area. Little intro copy area. Little intro copy area. •Revegetate stream front •Close social trails •Designate access points 104 Town policy was the model Lovevail.org Little intro copy area. Little intro copy area. Little intro copy area. Little intro copy area. Little intro copy area. Little intro copy area. •Revegetate stream front •Close social trails •Designate access points 105 Town policy was the model Lovevail.org Little intro copy area. Little intro copy area. Little intro copy area. Little intro copy area. Little intro copy area. Little intro copy area. •Revegetate stream front •Close social trails •Designate access points 106 Town policy was the model Lovevail.org Little intro copy area. Little intro copy area. Little intro copy area. Little intro copy area. Little intro copy area. Little intro copy area. •Revegetate stream front •Close social trails •Designate access points 107 Town policy was the model Lovevail.org Little intro copy area. Little intro copy area. Little intro copy area. Little intro copy area. Little intro copy area. Little intro copy area. •Revegetate stream front •Close social trails •Designate access points 108 The need for involvement of private property owners Lovevail.org Little intro copy area. Little intro copy area. Little intro copy area. Little intro copy area. Little intro copy area. Little intro copy area. Town of Vail has the benefit of owning about 40% of Gore Creek stream front. That leaves 60% under the control of other managers.109 Two-Year Flood Line Lovevail.org The elevation on a stream bank that has a 50% chance of being reached by floodwaters in a given year.110 Status of TOV-owned Riparian Areas Lovevail.org Little intro copy area. Little intro copy area. Little intro copy area. Little intro copy area. Little intro copy area. Little intro copy area. •Visits maps.vailgov.com •In the Layers list select: •Town Owned Properties 111 Status of TOV-owned Riparian Areas Lovevail.org 112 Bridge Road Boat Ramp Lovevail.org 113 Memorial Park Lovevail.org 114 Eleventh Fairway and Wedding Island Pond Lovevail.org 115 Status of TOV-owned Riparian Areas Lovevail.org 116 Golf Course Water Treatment Facility Lovevail.org 117 West of Golf Course Water Treatment Facility Lovevail.org 118 Seventh and Eighth Holes Lovevail.org 119 Ted Kindel Park/ Gorsuch and Clocktower Lovevail.org 120 Gore Creek Promenade Lovevail.org 121 Sonnenalp and Interfaith Chapel Lovevail.org 122 Lionsquare Lodge 2018 Lovevail.org 123 2023 Lovevail.org 124 Stephen’s Park Lovevail.org 125 Lovevail.org Little intro copy area. Little intro copy area. Little intro copy area. Little intro copy area. Little intro copy area. Little intro copy area. Pete Wadden Watershed Education Coordinator pwadden@vailgov.com 126 AGENDA ITEM NO. 2.4 Item Cover Page DATE:May 21, 2024 TIME:15 min. SUBMITTED BY:Stephanie Bibbens, Town Manager ITEM TYPE:Presentation/Discussion AGENDA SECTION:Presentation/Discussion SUBJECT:Municipalization of Solid Waste SUGGESTED ACTION:Listen to presentation and provide feedback. PRESENTER(S):Chief Ryan Kenney, Vail Police Department and Kristen Bertuglia, Director of Environmental Sustainability STAFF RECOMMENDATION:Staff recommends the Vail Town Council provide feedback on moving forward with a Request for Proposals (RFP) process for a single hauler waste collection system. VAIL TOWN COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM REPORT ATTACHMENTS: Residential Single Hauler Discussion 2024-05-21 127 To:Vail Town Council From:Vail Police and Environmental Sustainability Departments Date:May 21, 2024 Subject:Municipalization of Solid Waste and Recycling – Single Hauler I.Purpose The purpose of this presentation is to discuss with the Town Council the municipalization of solid waste and recycling management, a transition to a single hauler system, and seek direction on next steps therein. This proposed transition is a continuation of steps the Town has taken over the last several years – removing delivery vehicles from the Village Core, designating bicycle dismount zones in heavily pedestrianized areas, and better controlling vehicular access to Vail’s high pedestrian activity areas (Village Pedestrian Safety Project) – to mitigate risks to pedestrians. II.Municipalization of Solid Waste and Recycling Current Solid Waste System Currently, there is an open market system for waste hauling in the Town of Vail, which means that any waste hauler with a business license may collect trash, recycling, and compost, subject to requirements in Title 5 of the Town Code (recycling ordinance). Each hauler is required to register with the town every three years, report data at least bi-annually for all municipal solid waste collected and recycled, and otherwise adhere to the prohibitions of depositing recyclables in the landfill. As of 2024, there are three registered haulers operating within the town: Vail Valley Waste, Vail Honeywagon, and Waste Management. In the current environment, trash and recycling trucks from these three different companies are on the streets of Vail six-seven days a week servicing residential, multi-family, and commercial entities, resulting in upwards of 10 trucks on any given day in the commercial cores and residential areas. This amount of truck traffic on residential streets is dangerous, especially in the Village Core, as the small area becomes easily congested when vehicular traffic mixes with pedestrians, heightening the potential for dangerous interactions between vehicles and pedestrians and potentially blocking emergency vehicle access. The existing community-wide recycling ordinance established the following in 2014: 1.Recycling rates must be embedded with trash hauling rates 2.Residential volume-based pricing (Pay as You Throw) 128 Town of Vail Page 2 3.Prohibition on recyclable materials discarded as trash 4.Waste hauler registration and data reporting 5.On-site recycling requirement 6.Equal service rate requirement (residential recycling collected as frequent as trash) Recycling Rates The current recycling rate in the Town of Vail is 36%, up from 9% pre-recycling ordinance. The national average is 32%. Various other communities’ rates are provided for comparison purposes: Fort Collins – 51.5% (committed to 90% by 2025) (single hauler in 2024) San Francisco- 80% (single hauler) Seattle – 72% (single hauler) Boulder – 53% (committed to 85% by 2025) (open subscription) Pitkin County – 48% (various, Carbondale-single hauler, Aspen-open subscription) Telluride and Mountain Village – 28% (single hauler) Durango-33% as of 2019 (single hauler) State of Recycling and Composting in Colorado – EcoCycle Report Municipalization of Solid Waste Colorado law C.R.S. § 30-15-401 allows communities to “municipalize”, or assume responsibility for trash service in their communities, or enable a single hauler system via contract for waste services for residential properties with seven or less units. Through this process the town may either 1) develop its own trash company and provide services (like Gypsum does today), or, 2) select and contract a single hauler through a Request for Proposals (RFP) procurement process to provide curbside trash, recycling, and compost services. This model is in place in many communities and almost all larger cities (Eagle, Minturn, Carbondale, Fruita, Glenwood Springs, Rifle, New Castle, Telluride, Louisville, Superior, Manitou Springs, Golden, Arvada, Snowmass Village, Gunnison, and more. Fort Collins will launch single hauler service in Fall 2024). The Town of Breckenridge has centralized waste and recycling pickup for their commercial businesses and is considering moving to a single hauler system town-wide in the future. Communities with single hauler systems report increased safety from reduced trash vehicles in neighborhoods, higher customer service, lower rates, and higher control over recycling compliance, as well as reduced greenhouse gas emissions. Town Council Goals A primary goal of the town is to provide a safe experience within the Town’s pedestrian areas by limiting vehicular access to the Village Core, thus mitigating the potential threat of intentional and/or errant vehicle/pedestrian conflicts resulting in injury or death, all while maintaining full access for emergency vehicles and responders. For many years, there have been discussions on how to minimize the number of vehicles that enter pedestrian areas, and at that time a significant focus was on loading and delivery vehicles. As a result, the town implemented the successful E-Courier program that limits the amount of loading and delivery trucks that enter the Vail Village daily by better utilizing the underground loading and delivery facility built many years ago. With the successful implementation of this program, the focus has now moved on to 129 Town of Vail Page 3 expanding traffic control into these areas by further reducing the number of large vehicles that enter and operate in areas primarily designed for and dominated by pedestrian use. Moving to an organized single hauler system is an effective tool to help communities achieve multiple goals including those adopted by the Vail Town Council in the 2024 Strategic Plan and the Climate Action Plan, respectively, below: TC Strategic Plan The Town of Vail municipal government will provide excellent customer service through clear definitions, measurements, and reporting. Reduce 2014 baseline carbon emissions by 25% by 2025, 50% by 2030, and 80% by 2050. Climate Action Plan Meet and exceed the current Eagle County landfill waste diversion goal of 30% diversion rate by 2030 and set an inspiring and achievable waste diversion target that is above the national average. Divert 80% of organics from the landfill by 2030. III.Discussion A single hauler waste system can achieve: 1) higher waste diversion 2) reduced traffic congestion in neighborhoods and Vail Village/Lionshead and therefore increased safety, 3) improved guest experience, 4) reduced noise, carbon emissions and truck pollution. Single Hauler Pros Organized single hauler systems have resulted in positive outcomes, including: A. Public Health and Safety Reduced number of trash and recycling trucks improves safety on the roads for pedestrians in residential areas and the commercial core pedestrian villages. A single hauler may eventually provide waste services in an opt-in centralized system, similar to the current model provided by 106 West delivery services in operation. Reduced trucks on the road reduces emissions, leading to improved air quality and reduced odor and noise. A single hauler schedule limits number of days containers are set out throughout the week in different neighborhoods. This will increase street level visibility and decrease the number of wildlife encounters. Ease of code enforcement with one hauler as it streamlines monitoring of wildlife resistant carts and compliance issues. Increased service level, including cleanliness and appearance of trucks and replacement/repair of broken trash and recycling carts, damage to street pavers. B. Rates, Service, and Communication Reduced cost to residents for municipal solid waste and recycling hauling services between 12% and 42%. Free-Market municipal solid waste collection systems typically have higher household costs than competitively-bid, contracted systems. Increased accountability and level of service making it easier to resolve on-going issues and complaints. 130 Town of Vail Page 4 Streamlined communications from the town regarding waste and recycling services, including established collection days and consistent messaging and education on recycling, composting, wildlife, etc. Single hauler residential systems also can allow residents to opt out of the service and contract with any waste hauler they elect. C. Environmental Impact Increased residential waste diversion and recycling rates on average of 13%. Increased recycling and composting options reduce greenhouse gas emissions related to landfilling municipal solid waste. Consolidated number of collection days for residential services reduces number of trucks on the roads resulting in reduced air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. A study conducted in Arvada, Colorado indicate moving to a single hauler contract can reduce greenhouse gas emissions related to trash and recycling service up to 33%. Improved data collection: municipality can require specific reporting requirements, including on-truck scales to accurately measure municipal solid waste, recycling, and compost collected. There are fewer haulers from which to track residential data, reducing staff time and inaccuracies/inconsistencies in reporting. Reduced contamination in recycling with streamlined recycling messaging. Reduced dumping of residential municipal solid waste in public areas, including parks and the recycling drop site, in turn reducing burden on staff removing illegally dumped waste from these areas. Increased opportunity to offer compost service town wide. Less exposure of trash and wildlife to trash with fewer days of service per week. Single Hauler Cons Limits the amount of business that may operate residential trash service in Vail, and therefore loss of choice without an opt-out ability. (However, note that commercial entities and multi-family residences with eight or more units would still choose a waste hauler of their choice). Potential job loss and or revenue impact on haulers not selected. Town as the Single Hauler Should the town opt to explore providing its own trash service rather than contracting for services, all of the above pros/cons apply, with additional considerations: Large financial investment in staff and capital to stand up a trash company, procure specialized trash and recycling trucks, hire Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) drivers and staff to operate, including billing, communication, infrastructure, vehicle storage, maintenance, training, etc. Town would retain ultimate control over quality, service, schedules, reporting, compliance and pricing. High maintenance cost of trash trucks in that they are used nearly daily. Challenge of finding CDL employees for bus service, would also apply to trash/recycling service. 131 Town of Vail Page 5 IV.Staff Recommendation Based on the effectiveness to decrease truck traffic, increase public safety and increase waste diversion while supporting GHG emissions goals, staff recommends the town pursue a single hauler municipal contract, including the following immediate next steps: 1. Begin a discussion with existing waste haulers and communicate our interest to move to single hauler residential municipal solid waste system and provide via public notice at least 6 months in advance of implementation as required by law. Staff would document feedback and share that feedback with the Town Council. 2. Develop program objectives and release a Request for Proposals (RFP) 3. Return to the Vail Town Council with options and recommendations to proceed. Questions for Council: 1. Does the Vail Town Council wish to direct staff to proceed with next steps described above towards releasing an RFP to explore contracting for single hauler services in Vail? 2. Does the Vail Town Council wish to direct staff to explore becoming its own waste service enterprise, as an alternative or in addition to the single hauler RFP process above? V.Appendices A. Single Hauler Resources B. Single Hauler Communities 132 Town of Vail Page 6 Appendix A: Single Hauler Resources City of Lakewood Sustainability Division. 2019 Lakewood Residential Trash Collection Report. January 2019. City of Lakewood Sustainability Division. Analysis of Residential Waste Collection Improvements Options. June 2019. Colorado State Statute on MSW hauling: Colorado Statute: https://codes.findlaw.com/co/title-30- government-county/co-rev-st-sect-30-15-401.html Email Communication with LBA Associates March 18, 2020. Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. The Benefits of Organized Collection: Waste Collection Service Arrangements. February 2012. https://www.pca.state.mn.us/sites/default/files/leg-12sy1-06.pdf. Accessed March 25, 2020. MSA Consultants and LBA Associates. Residential Hauling Study: Prepared for City of Arvada, Colorado. January 2011. R3 Consulting Group, Inc. Trash Services Study: Presented to City of Fort Collins. July 2008. Single Hauler Community websites: Eagle, CO-https://www.townofeagle.org/551/Curbside-Trash-and-Recycling Carbondale, CO-https://www.carbondalegov.org/departments/utilities/trash.php Fort Collins, CO-https://www.fcgov.com/recycling/contract-for-trash Glenwood Springs, CO-https://cogs.us/719/Pay-as-You-Throw Louisville, CO-https://www.louisvilleco.gov/residents/public-works/refuse-recycling-compost- service Golden, CO-https://www.cityofgolden.net/live/residents-guide/trash-recycling/ Manitou Springs, CO-https://www.manitouspringsgov.com/437/Garbage-Refuse Telluride, CO-https://www.telluride-co.gov/383/Trash-Recycling-Services 133 AGENDA ITEM NO. 2.5 Item Cover Page DATE:May 21, 2024 TIME:20 min. SUBMITTED BY:Gregg Barrie, Public Works ITEM TYPE:Presentation/Discussion AGENDA SECTION:Presentation/Discussion SUBJECT:Bike Dismount Zones Update SUGGESTED ACTION:Listen to presentation and provide feedback. PRESENTER(S):Gregg Barrie, Senior Landscape Architect and Chief Ryan Kenney, Vail Police Department VAIL TOWN COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM REPORT ATTACHMENTS: Dismount Zone Update TC Memo 2024-05-21 134 To: Vail Town Council From: Vail Police Department and Department of Public Works Date: May 21, 2024 Subject: Village Dismount Zone and Recreation Trail Safety Discussion I. PURPOSE This agenda item is an update and discussion of goals for the Vail Village Bicycle Dismount Zone and efforts to improve user safety on Vail’s recreation trails. Staff is requesting comments on existing efforts and suggestions for improvements. II. BACKGROUND A Vail Village Bicycle Dismount Zone was established in August of 2021 at the direction of the town manager and town council due to concerns over pedestrian safety within the pedestrian village. Some bikers were perceived as riding fast or even recklessly through crowded streets. In addition, there were several reported collisions between bikers and pedestrians in the Village core. The dismount zone includes Bridge Street from the Covered Bridge to Hanson Ranch Road and Gore Creek Drive from Checkpoint Charlie to the Gorsuch retail store. The dismount zone is codified (Town Code 7-2b-6) and is delineated by signs at the entries and within the zone. The fine for riding a bike in the dismount zone is $50. III. EVOLUTION OF THE SIGNAGE This effort to improve safety in Vail Village has seen a transition over four years. Each season, changes have been implemented to improve the visibility of the signage and the effectiveness of the messaging. • Prior to the dismount zone, in 2020, signs were installed to establish a “SLOW ZONE” in Vail Village at the direction of the Town Council. These “turtle on a bike” signs are still in use in Lionshead and at the exits of the Dismount Zone. • The SLOW ZONE signs were installed on temporary rubber bases for several reasons: 1) they are easy to set up and to remove for the biking season, 2) the signs can be placed closer to the center of the road for better visibility and then easily moved as required in the event of an emergency or special event, and 3) they were a reasonably-priced option when this was a trial program. 135 Town of Vail Page 2 • In the fall of 2021 with the establishment of the dismount zone, 8 signs stating “Walk Your Wheels, Dismount Zone” replaced most of the SLOW ZONE signs. These signs were green on white as a “nice” message to ask riders to dismount. • Spring of 2022, increased sign quantity to 13 posts and placed stickers on the pavers. • In 2023, eliminated the stickers due to a lack of durability, but increased signpost quantity to 19. Sign color was changed from a friendly green to red which is standard for regulatory signs and is much more visible. “$50 Fine” was added to the new signs. IV. ENFORCEMENT During 2023, the police department issued approximately 620 verbal warnings in the dismount zone. Officers generally prefer to use education over citations. Based on the high number of contacts, it can be said that verbal enforcement has not been highly effective, however, writing citations to unknowing guests could have negative impacts. One difficulty with gaining broader compliance is the high number of new visitors each week who may not be familiar with the dismount zone. Perhaps focusing enforcement on those acting in a dangerous or irresponsible manner could be more effective. V. OUTREACH AND OTHER IMPROVEMENTS Throughout this process, efforts have been made to work with bicycle rental shops to help spread messages related to the dismount zone and overall recreation trail safety. Rental shops are the main point of contact between many of Vail’s bike-riding guests and therefore can be instrumental is messaging. • 2021: Met with twelve town staff members and several bike shop owners at town offices to discuss ideas for improving bicycle and pedestrian interactions. • 2022: Visited each of the bike shops in Vail Village to discuss the new dismount zone. Distributed 11x17 posters that were displayed in the shops with the following messaging… “Pedestrians always have the right of way”, “Vail Village is a Dismount Zone”, “Alert Others when Passing”. A short video was created with similar messaging. It was displayed on social media and the Information Centers. • 2023: Installed Trail Etiquette signs in 38 locations along Vail’s recreation trails with multiple messages, increased the quantity of “sharrows” in many areas of Vail including roundabouts and the West Vail commercial areas to improve safety and visibility for cyclists who choose to use the roadways. • For 2024: Staff plans to host another meeting with bike shop owners for additional ideas on how to improve compliance with the dismount zone and safety on the recreation trails. In addition, staff is considering updates to the etiquette video, and to the 11x17 poster for the shops. Another consideration is to add signs directing riders around the dismount zone, but this may be no more effective than existing signs. VI. ACTION REQUESTED BY COUNCIL As stated previously, these efforts to improve safety and user-experience have been continually adjusted and enhanced over the past several years. Staff is open to Town Council feedback and suggestions on ways to further these efforts. 136 Town of Vail Page 3 Evolution of Village Signage Top: Slow Zone sign (2020), still used in Lionshead Middle: Original Dismount Zone sign (2021-2022) Bottom: Current Dismount Zone sign (2023) Bottom right: Current sign and post 137 Town of Vail Page 4 Safety/Etiquette Poster Poster distributed to bike shops and Welcome Centers in 2022. 138 Town of Vail Page 5 Recreation Trail Etiquette Signs Installed in 2023 along the Gore Valley Trail 38 total posts installed 139 AGENDA ITEM NO. 2.6 Item Cover Page DATE:May 21, 2024 TIME:10 min. SUBMITTED BY:TJ Johnson, Information Technology ITEM TYPE:Presentation/Discussion AGENDA SECTION:Presentation/Discussion SUBJECT:Fiber Optic Installation Update SUGGESTED ACTION:Listen to presentation and provide feedback. PRESENTER(S):TJ Johnson, Director of Information Technology VAIL TOWN COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM REPORT ATTACHMENTS: Fiber Construction Resolution Memo 140 To: Vail Town Council From: IT Department Date: May 21, 2024 Subject: Resolution to Waive Keep Jobs in CO Act for Fiber Construction Project I. SUMMARY Provide Council information on our Fiber Loop construction project, the RFP process we followed, and the reasons we are requesting an amendment to the existing agreement. Specifically, we are requesting that Council waive the 80% Colorado labor requirement found in the Keep Jobs in Colorado Act, which states that 80% of labor for public projects that will cost more than $500,000 be based in CO. If the Council does choose to approve the Resolution and corresponding First Amendment to the Agreement, the Town will post notice of the waiver and a justification for the waiver on our website. II. BACKGROUND In July 2023, the Town entered into an agreement with ViaOne Services (V1) to complete our fiber loop project. This project will build an additional path of fiber through the Town, ensuring our network connectivity will be maintained in the event of a failure with the existing fiber path infrastructure. By completing this project, the town will be well positioned to continue the excellent services we have today, set us up for future connectivity to additional areas of the town, and potentially work with local partners to improve their broadband services, as well. The IT department put out an RFP for the construction services for this project in May 2023 and received two proposals in response. V1 put in a bid of $400,000 for the work, and the only other bid was from Trace, LLC (which is a Colorado-based company), and it came in at over $1.8 million. After due consideration of the two proposals, we decided to move forward with V1 as our partner for this project. Due to the potential premium costs required for the boring, we entered into an agreement with V1 for a cost not to exceed $770,000, rather than just at the $400,00 bid price. At the time, V1 accepted all of the terms in the agreement, including the 80% labor requirement. This project was originally slated to be completed in the fall of 2023, but due to additional permitting requirements from CDOT (much of the work will be in the CDOT right of way), the project has been delayed to the spring/summer of 2024. We now have all permitting in place and are ready to begin construction. During the interim time since the agreement was originally signed, V1 determined that they would be sub-contracting this work to a company that will not be able to comply with the Keep Jobs in CO Act. The act does allow a municipality to waive this requirement of the law, if "reasonable evidence" exists that there is insufficient Colorado labor available to perform the work and the labor requirement would create an undue burden that substantially prevents the project from being completed. In this case, since there were only two bids, and the one from the 141 Town of Vail Page 2 CO-based company was more than 1 million dollars higher, the IT department submits these facts as the evidence that adhering to the law constitutes an undue burden to the Town to get this work completed. One other issue is addressed in the amendment, related to the payment terms in the agreement. There will be no increase in the cost of the project, but there is a change in that we will be paying more money up front than previously agreed. Specifically, we will pay $200,000 to V1 upon mobilization of resources for the project, and then pay invoices as received on a monthly basis. III. ACTION REQUESTED OF COUNCIL Approve, approve with modifications, or deny Resolution 25 Series 2024, as well as the corresponding first amendment to our existing agreement with ViaOne Services for the fiber loop construction project. 142 AGENDA ITEM NO. 2.7 Item Cover Page DATE:May 21, 2024 TIME:30 min. SUBMITTED BY:Greg Roy, Community Development ITEM TYPE:Presentation/Discussion AGENDA SECTION:Presentation/Discussion SUBJECT:Civic Area Update SUGGESTED ACTION:Listen to presentation and provide feedback. PRESENTER(S):Matt Gennett, Director of Community Development VAIL TOWN COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM REPORT ATTACHMENTS: Civic Area Council Memo 2024-05-21 Council Update - Vail Civic Implementation Project 143 To: Vail Town Council From: Community Development Department Date: May 21, 2024 Subject: Vail Civic Area Implementation Plan - Spatial, Architectural Programming, and Economic Analysis I. Summary As the Town of Vail continues to grow, the primary characteristics that define the town remain at the foreground of development. A town that is diverse, resilient, inclusive, and vibrant; a sustainable mountain resort community where residents and guests can live and thrive. Vail is a place where one of any age, economic status, race, and culture can enjoy an abundance of diverse recreational activities year-round. The 2018/19 Civic Area Plan serves a starting point used to determine what other potential land uses in and around the Civic Hub will best serve the community into the future. It has been recognized for many years that Vail is lacking a centralized place to serve as a focal point for fostering the locals’ sense of community. A strong desire was expressed for public-purpose buildings working in tandem with iconic outdoor spaces to create a sense of community gathering in Vail. II. Goals and Vision • Assemble a mix of flexible, complimentary uses that energize the Hub and provide maximum community benefit. • Establish a civic “plaza” and elevated exterior gathering place – for programmed and spontaneous interactions. • Strike a balance between buildings and open space befitting Civic architecture. • Create clear and intuitive wayfinding from the Lionshead Parking Structure to the Hub, Dobson Ice Arena, and the Vail Public Library – create places for people to linger. • Locate buildings and configure massing to preserve sunshine into public open spaces. III. Action Requested of Council Staff requests the Vail Town Council to review the presentation and provide feedback regarding new land uses and the general direction of the analysis. IV. Attachments A. Vail Civic Area Implementation Plan - Council Update - Spatial, Architectural Programming, and Economic Analysis, May 2024 144 SPATIAL, ARCHITECTURAL PROGRAMMING, AND ECONOMIC ANALYSIS TOWN OF VAIL | MAY 2024 VAIL CIVIC AREA IMPLEMENTATION PLAN COUNCIL UPDATE 145 VAIL CIVIC AREA PLAN | 2018 -2019 \\ASPVMACTIVE\ASPEN\PROJECTS_R- Z\7318-VAIL CIVIC AREA PLAN\C-SOURCE DATA\4240\240509 - IMAGERY\VAIL CIVIC - 2018-19 IMAGERY council update vail ’s “civic hub ” Ensure a welcoming place by creating public buildings and spaces that encourage engagement and collaborations between locals and visitors. a place for community By creating multi-use spaces that are complimentary to Vail and Lionshead to allow for culture, commerce, athletics, and education for the communityto engage in. the outdoors and nature Foster outdoor gatherings by creating public spaces that integrate indoor spaces with the outdoors that allow for public art and streets as parks with safety in mind. sustainability Enhance economic vitality and environmental stewardship by creating partnerships with the private sector, creating more workforce housing and incorporating renewable resources in construction of new buildings. building upon the civic area plan goals 146 VAIL CIVIC AREA | IMPLEMENTATION - PURPOSE OF THE PLAN jan feb mar apr may jun jul aug 20242023 situational analysis guiding principles town meetings optimal plan for town offices optimal plan for charter bus lot develop alternative site scenarios civic task force meeting 1 civic task force meeting 2 community workshop 1 council work session 1 civic task force meeting 3 community workshop 2 council work session 2 community engagement dec project timeline Council Update 147 MUNICIPAL SITE THE RESIDENCE AT MAIN VAIL 72 UNITS PUBLIC WORKS SITE TIMBER RIDGE II (1.4 MILES AWAY) 293 UNITS LIONS RIDGE (1.4 MILES AWAY) 113 UNITS CIVIC HUB SITE WEST MIDDLE CREEK 250-275 UNITSWEST VAIL HOUSING (2.1 MILES AWAY) 48 UNITS VAIL CIVIC AREA | IMPLEMENTATION - STUDY AREAS 148 VAIL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT VAIL POLICE DEPARTMENT MUNICIPAL COURT AND COUNCIL CHAMBERS RECYCLE CENTER VAIL HEALTH HOSPITAL EVERGREEN LODGE AT VAIL PUBLIC ACCOMMODATION COMMERCIAL SERVICE CENTER HIGH DENSITY MULTIPLE FAMILY GENERAL USE GREENHOUSE BUZZARD PARK HOUSING ADMINISTRATION INDUSTRIAL RESOURCE ZONE AREA ZONED AS RESOURCE IN EAGLE COUNTY: AREA NOT WITHIN THE TOWN OF VAIL TO BE RELOCATED VEHICLE SHOP BAYS, FLEET MAINTENANCE, BUS GARAGE SAND AND CINDER STORAGE SNOW STORAGE 120,000 CY GENERAL USE VAIL TOWN BOUNDARY • Improve streetscape to enhance walking experience. • Improve the south side of Lionshead parking structure with mixed-use development that incorporates workforce housing. big ideas • Demolish and replace all portions of existing building to improve structure. • Re-locate all existing town operations to create development parcel for mixed- use and workforce housing. • Integrate site with the rest of town. big ideas • Public-purpose buildings as anchor. • Evaluate feasibility of a new fire station. • Re-locate Police Department to new facility. • Evaluate alternative parking locations. public works master plan VAIL CIVIC AREA | SITUATIONAL CONTEXT council update LIONSHEAD PARKING STRUCTURE +/- 1,100 PARKING SPACES FOR SKIERS AND PUBLIC PARKING JOHN A DOBSON ICE ARENA VAIL PUBLIC LIBRARY LIONSHEAD WELCOME CENTER LOT 10 LIONSHEAD TRANSIT CENTER CHILDREN’S GARDEN OF LEARNING VAIL INTERNATIONAL CONDOMINIUMS NATURAL AREA PRESERVATION MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT VAIL HEALTH HOSPITAL EVERGREEN LODGE AT VAIL CHARTER BUS LOT GENERAL USE civic hub site municipal site public works site 149 daycare has alternate locations in consideration existing - 62,300 sq . ft . +=proposed - 20,100 sq . ft . total town of vail space needs - 84,200 sq . ft . VAIL CIVIC AREA | EVALUATING THE TOWN’S SPACE NEEDS COUNCIL CHAMBERS 2,400 SF COUNCIL CHAMBERS 3,400 SF 7,200 SF PUBLIC WORKS OFFICES 5,000 SF PUBLIC WORKS OFFICES 0 SF 5,000 SF FIRE 10,000 SF FIRE 3,000 SF 13,000 SF MUNICIPAL OFFICES 14,900 SF MUNICIPAL OFFICES 5,000 SF 20,000 SF POLICE 30,000 SF POLICE 9,000 SF 39,000 SF 150 civic hub site : 75,000 sq . ft . - 85,000 sq . ft . S FRONTAGE RD W INTERS T A T E 7 0 VA I L R D 55,000-70,000 SQ. FT.30’ HEIGHT RESTRICTION municipal site : 180,000 sq . ft . - 210,000 sq . ft . FLIGH T P A T H +/- 68’ HEIGHT LIMIT 55,000 - 70,000 SQ. FT. 125,000 - 140,000 SITE SQ. FT. FLIGHT PATH 88,500 - 90,000 SQ. FT. 780,000 - 800,000 SITE SQ. FT. 10,000 SQ. FT. 44,000 SQ. FT. 30,000 SQ. FT. 25,000 - 30,000 SQ. FT. REDEVELOPMENT IN-PROGRESS 40,000 - 45,000 SQ. FT. 10,000 SQ. FT. 13,500 - 15,000 SQ. FT. 88,500 - 90,000 SQ. FT. 13,500 - 15,000 SQ. FT. +/- 140,000 SQ. FT. +/- 140,000 SQ. FT. 560, 000 - 565,000 SITE SQ. FT. public works site : 102,000 sq . ft . - 105,000 sq . ft . ELKHORN DRIVE INTERSTATE 70 legend VAIL CIVIC AREA | POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENT BUILD-OUT Existing / All of Town Services Existing Buildings Proposed / Town Development Program council update151 future town space needs buildout potential for the civic hub , municipal , and public works sites 82,400 SQ. FT.+/-375,000 SQ. FT. VAIL CIVIC AREA | CONCLUSION 152 RECREATION CENTER EVENTS CENTER HOTEL FREE-MARKET WORKFORCE HOUSING PERFORMING ARTS CENTER FOOD HALL VAIL CIVIC AREA | POTENTIAL LAND USE IDEAS The Civic Area Plan of 2018/19 was a starting point to determine other potential land uses. Land uses outlined by the community were recreation center + conference center. Strong desire was expressed for public-purpose buildings working in tandem with outdoor features to create a sense of community gathering in Vail. civic area plan ideas Recreation Center Workforce Housing Performing Arts Center Food Hall Hotel civic task force ideas council update153 SITUATION: PUBLIC WORKS civic hub site municipal site public works site KEY THEMES Provide a multi-purposed place for flexibility that addresses a number of local needs. l iving r oom Create a gathering place for locals that is inviting to visitors. p rioritize l ocals Organize key representatives of town departments in the core. Utilize the public works site for less visible positions. k eep s taff v isible Create civic spaces which engage with the outdoors and broader views. c onnect to n ature 88,500 - 90,000 SQ. FT. 780,000 - 800,000 SITE SQ. FT. 13,500 - 15,000 SQ. FT. +/- 68’ HEIGHT LIMIT 55,000 - 70,000 SQ. FT. 125,000 - 140,000 SITE SQ. FT. FLIGHT PATH +/- 140,000 SQ. FT. 25,000 - 30,000 SQ. FT. REDEVELOPMENT IN-PROGRESS 40,000 - 45,000 SQ. FT. 10,000 SQ. FT. 560, 000 - 565,000 SITE SQ. FT. VAIL CIVIC AREA | CIVIC TASK FORCE INPUT 154 VAIL CIVIC AREA | THREE BIG IDEAS civic hub as flexible civic center building activator civic green space connects and unites Establish a civic green space and elevated exterior gathering place for programmed and spontaneous interactions. Plan a place that provides multiple reasons for more people to stay and energize the site. Assemble a mix of flexible + complimentary uses that energize the Hub and provide maximum community benefit. council update 1 2 3 155 VAIL CIVIC AREA | THREE BIG IDEAS: PROGRAM ALTERNATIVES EVALUATION Residential Municipal Offices Police Civic Center F&B Hall REC Center Hotel legend CIVIC HUB SITE MUNICIPAL BUILDING AREA PUBLIC WORKS SITE CIVIC HUB SITE PUBLIC WORKS SITE MUNICIPAL BUILDING AREA CIVIC HUB SITE PUBLIC WORKS SITE MUNICIPAL BUILDING AREA Study Area option 1 | hub as community ’s living room option 2 | maximize development potential option 3 | searching for sweet spot 156 redevelopment decisions Civic Hub • Small Jewel Building (Similar to Crested Butte Fine Arts) • Hospitality model of flexible spaces- variety of meeting size spaces, available for town council chambers and public use- served by catering .kitchen with operator. • Potential to serve a 150 person wedding • Parking under site (no change to parking entrance) Municipal (sell part) • Keep 1/3 - Develop one building which houses municipal offices & police • Sell 2/3 for development of local’s housing • Rec Center location TBD in a future effort Public Works • No public work improvements redevelopment decisions Civic Hub • Massive mixed use building, akin to the Zehren option, but includes rec center instead of museum. includes dedicated council meeting space • Increase capacity for serving a 600 person wedding • Catering kitchen with operator • Sell air rights above Hub to condos • Maximize parking garage Municipal (sell all) • Sell all of the municipal lot private development with LMU1 zoning Public Works • Police, Fire and Muni offices (with new frontage road) redevelopment decisions Civic Hub • Larger than option 1 with flex event space able to serve a 350 person wedding • Council meeting space as part of flex space • Larger program means larger garage • Sell air rights above Hub to condos Municipal (sell part) • Keep 1/3 - develop one building which houses comdev offices • Sell 2/3 for development of housing but mandate lower levels would house a public rec center Public Works • Police (with new frontage road) VAIL CIVIC AREA | BASELINE ASSUMPTIONS option 1 : hub as community ’s living room option 2 : maximize development potential option 3 : searching for sweet spot council update157 1 VAIL CIVIC AREA | CIVIC HUB: ALTERNATIVE ONE hub as community ’s living room civic hub F & B Civic Center~30,000 sf Could potentially house municipal offices HUB OPTION 1 hub as community ’s living room civic center SILVERTHORNE - BLUEBIRD MARKET food + beverage hall DEL MAR CIVIC CENTER GOLDEN - GOLDEN MILL DEE AND CHARLES WYLY THEATER MULTI-LEVEL FOOD HALL OUTDOOR SEATING + VIEWS F&B HALL WEDDING AND EVENT SPACE LARGE TRANSFORMATIVE SPACE FOCUSED ON ARCHITECTURE SMALL INTIMATE SPACES WITH AN EMPHASIS ON MULTIPLE USES INDOOR/OUTDOOR CONNECTION 158 VAIL CIVIC AREA | CIVIC HUB: ALTERNATIVE ONE council update Theater 6,800 sf (includes balcony) Int. rentable space 7,200 sf Ext. rentable space 2,800 sf Lobby 6,500 sf BOH 21,250 sf (includes kitchen for F&B) 44,550 sf F&B 12,500 sf Plaza & Stairs 18,500 sf F&B Parking Performance Hall BoH (serves both hub & F&B) Loading/ boh Lobby Ext. Patio Section Under site Parking 37,200 sf (106 stalls at 350 sf est.) Civic Hub Building hub as community ’s living room 159 VAIL CIVIC AREA | CIVIC HUB: ALTERNATIVE TWO HUB - OPTION 2 maximize development potential Rec Center Civic Center Residential/Hotel Offices (potentially ComDev) Additional Parking Trays maximize development potential civic center CARLA MADDISON REC CENTER - DENVER recreation center OUTDOOR FIELD HOUSE CRESTED BUTTE MULTI-USE WITH OPEN SPACE + SPORTS AREAS MID-SIZE WITH OPEN SPACE LARKSPUR COMMUNITY CENTER TRANSFORMATIVE PROGRAMMING 160 VAIL CIVIC AREA | CIVIC HUB: ALTERNATIVE TWO council update REC Center 17,500 sf Residential / Hotel 69,800 sf F&B Parking Performance Hall BoH (serves both hub & F&B) Loading/ boh Lobby Ext. Patio Section Hotel Amenity Deck 8,900 sf Plaza 14,300 sf Theater 6,800 sf (includes balcony) Grand Ballroom 12,000 sf Int. rentable space 3,700 sf Prefunction 8,500 sf BOH 17,000 sf 48,000 sf Civic Hub Building maximize development potential 161 KEY THEMES OF CIVIC TASK FORCE VAIL CIVIC AREA | CIVIC HUB: ALTERNATIVE THREE HUB - OPTION 3 searching for the sweet spot F & B Civic Center Residential/Hotel Offices (potentially ComDev) Additional Parking Trays civic center THE RANGE - STEAMBOAT SPRINGS food + beverage hall CRESTED BUTTE GOLDEN - GOLDEN MILL DEE AND CHARLES WYLY THEATER SPACE AT MOUNTAIN BASE LEVELS OF SERVICE DINING HALL + ROOFTOP DECK LARGE TRANSFORMATIVE SPACE INTIMATE SPACE THAT CAN TRANSFORM INTO MULTIPLE USES searching for the sweet spot SHALIN LIU 162 s ection Section Residential/ Hotel Performance BoH Banquet Hall parking BoH parkingparking Terrace Additional trays of Parking Theater 6,800 sf (includes balcony) Ballroom (for 350) 7,000 sf Adtl. Int Rent. Space 4,000 sf Ext. rentable space 1,600 sf Prefunction 6,800 sf BOH 19,400 sf (includes kitchen for F&B) 45,600 sf F & B VAIL CIVIC AREA | CIVIC HUB: ALTERNATIVE THREE Residential / Hotel 31,800 sf (2 plates at 15,900 GFA) F&B 16,100 sf Plaza + Stairs 16,550 sf Incubator 2,500 sf Under site Parking 37,200 sf (106 stalls at 350 sf est.) searching for the sweet spot council update163 Civic Center 44,550 sf F&B (and incubator) 12,500 sf Parking on site 37,200 sf Civic Center 48,000 sf Rec. Center 17,500 sf Residential/Hotel 69,800 sf Parking on site 0 sf New parking (to North) tbd option 2 - maximize development potential Civic Center 45,600 sf F&B (and incubator) 18,600 sf Residential/Hotel 31,800 sf Parking on site 37,200 sf New parking (to North) tbd VAIL CIVIC AREA | CIVIC HUB SITE: COMPARISON civic hub site - all options option 1 : hub as community ’s living room option 2 : maximize development potential option 3 : searching for sweet spot 164 VAIL CIVIC AREA | MUNICIPAL SITE: BIG IDEAS AND ASSUMPTIONS council update establish a project gateway along east side of property – no building development east of police station direct pedestrian energy to east edge of property and into Vail Village goals bury all parking – except short-term / drop- off uses articulate building massing into stepped vertical bays to articulate and reduce monolithic / linear massing push all building massing to the northern edge of property at west roundabout to maintain open space and create a community “front porch” for potential community/civic uses activate the ground floor along South Frontage Road with articulated building massing, fenestration, landscaping and non-residential uses screen all services 165 option 1 - hub as community ’s living roomVAIL CIVIC AREA | MUNICIPAL SITE: ALTERNATIVE ONE 142,400 GSF 20,000 sf Municipal Offices 19,700 sf Police 5,000 sf Police gym 44,700 gsf 13,000 sf Police parking 13,000 sf adtl. parking (37 stalls at 350sf) 26,000 parking gsf option 1 : hub as community ’s living room town program potential sellable development all acres sellable 1.38 acres p otential s ellable l and 166 VAIL CIVIC AREA | MUNICIPAL SITE: ALTERNATIVE TWO 226,000 total gsf option 2 : maximize development potential potential sellable development all acres sellable 2.03 acres p otential s ellable l and council update167 VAIL CIVIC AREA | MUNICIPAL SITE: ALTERNATIVE THREE 19,500 sf Municipal Offices 13,000 sf Public Program 145,100 sf Residential 158,100 total gsf option 3 : searching for sweet spot town program all acres sellable 1.55 acres p otential s ellable l and 168 VAIL CIVIC AREA | MUNICIPAL SITE: COMPARISON 142,400 GSF 20,000 sf Municipal Offices 19,700 sf Police 5,000 sf Police gym town program potential sellable development all acres sellable 1.38 acres potential sellable development all acres sellable town program all acres sellable 226,000 total gsf 2.03 acres 1.55 acres 19,500 sf Municipal Offices 13,000sf Public Program 145,100 sf Residential 158,100 total gsf 44,700 gsf 13,000 sf Police parking 13,000 sf adtl. parking (37 stalls at 350sf) 26,000 parking gsf total total council update169 no change. Police & Fire new roa d Public Works Municipal offices/ Community Development Improvements to Underpass. Police new roa d VAIL CIVIC AREA | PUBLIC WORKS SITE town program town program town program • No public work improvements • Police, Fire and Muni offices (with new frontage road) • Police (with new frontage road) 170 ALTERNATIVE TWO: PRECEDENTS INTEGRATEDVAIL CIVIC AREA | ALL OPTIONS: COMPARISON council update option 1 | hub as community ’s living room option 2 | maximize development potential option 3 | searching for sweet spot no change. Police & Fire new roa d Public Works Municipal offices/ Community Development Improvements to Underpass. Police new roa d tov is committed to replacing the existing buildings at the Municipal site. leasing or selling some or all of the land & air-rights at the Municipal site and/or Hub site. improving vehicular access and connectivity between the Public Works Site and the North Frontage Road. pursuing options that require an operations & management team. prioritizing community through improvements on all sites. 171 PUBLIC WORKS - ALT TWO STEP 1: STEP 2: STEP 3: STEP 4: STEP 5: VAIL CIVIC AREA | NEXT STEPS Provide a context presentation to the Civic Task Force describing the existing physical and land use conditions of the civic hub, municipal site and public works site as well as opportunities and constraints of program development scenarios. Summarize Civic Task Force input from previous meeting and present updated program development scenarios. Present the alternatives to the public through a community workshop June 3, 2024. Refine the development program into a preferred implementation plan. Review implementation plan recommendations with council. council update172 AGENDA ITEM NO. 2.8 Item Cover Page DATE:May 21, 2024 TIME:30 min. SUBMITTED BY:Tom Kassmel, Public Works ITEM TYPE:Presentation/Discussion AGENDA SECTION:Presentation/Discussion SUBJECT:Go Vail 2045 - Mobility and Transportation Master Plan Update on Public and PEC Comment SUGGESTED ACTION:Listen to presentation and provide feedback. PRESENTER(S):Tom Kassmel, Town Engineer VAIL TOWN COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM REPORT ATTACHMENTS: Council Memo 2024-05-21 PEC Master Plan Comments Public Comment - EngageVail Summary Council Master Plan - PEC Changes Vail Transportation Master Plan Report - Draft 2024-05-21 Vail Transportation Master Plan Report - Draft Excerpt Changes 2024-05-21 173 To:Town Council From:Public Works Department Date:May 21, 2024 Subject:Go Vail 2045 - Vail Mobility & Transportation Master Plan I.SUMMARY Go Vail 2045 is a planning process to update the Vail Mobility & Transportation Master Plan. The plan will update suggested traffic, transit, mobility, and parking improvements to better accommodate current future transportation needs within and around Vail. The plan will also provide updates on other past transportation related topics such as traffic speeds and traffic calming, noise, loading & delivery, special event logistics, AGS/rail, and tunneling/capping I-70. Over the past 18 months the Go Vail 2045 team has been reviewing existing conditions, analyzing data, developing mobility concepts, taking public feedback, and drafting the master plan document. The draft Master Plan has been available on www.engagevail.com for review and comment since March 5 and has been reviewed at the last three PEC work sessions. The purpose of this Council work session is to review the comments received from the public and PEC, and review suggested modifications to the Draft Master Plan. The Final DRAFT Master Plan document is attached. Excerpts of the Master Plan that highlight the changes are also attached for convenience. The Final Master Plan will be available by the end of the month. II.RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends that the Town Council review the comments and suggested changes and provide any comment. Staff will likely request a final adoption of the Master Plan at the June 18 Council meeting following the anticipated PEC Final Recommendation of Approval on June 10. III.ATTACHMENTS Go Vail 2045 – Vail Mobility & Transportation Master Plan Presentation Public Comments PEC Comments 174 PEC Comments & Suggested Modifications to Master Plan Overview Emphasize installing traffic counters at roundabout interchanges. (pg 2) Vision Emphasize Enhancing Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety in the Vision Statement (pg 3) Measurable Goals Add Measurable Goals similar to Strategic Action Plan adopted by Council (pg 8) o Pedestrian: Equivalent Platinum level Bicycle and Pedestrian Friendly Community o Transit: Incentivize transit (RTA), measured by reduced EC parking in structures o Parking: Reduce Overflow parking to 10 days in winter and 5 days in summer o Traffic: Intersection LOS D (~1 minute delay), except for 10 busiest days (~5 minute delay) o Safety: Share the Vision Zero mission for all modes of transportation and reduce 85th percentile speeds on residential roads to below 20. o Climate: support Climate Action Goals through transportation; reduction of 50% by 2030, 80% by 2050. Traffic Provide additional insight on traffic projections and limitations. (pg 44) Traffic Calming & Speed Limits There were various opinions on speed limits, including concerns about raising speed limit from 15 to 20 and that 20 is not necessarily a one size fits all; however, there was general agreement that the overall goal is get the vast majority of drivers to go less than 20 mph on most residential roads. Therefore, change from a recommendation of speed limit modification to it being a traffic calming consideration. Emphasize that the goal is to reduce the 85 th percentile residential speed to 20 mph. (pg 68) Agree with recommendation to adopt a Traffic Calming Process (pg 91). Strongly consider o additional funds for enforcement, (pg 91) o photo radar enforcement signs (with or without the actual radar), (pg86) o radar speed signs (Your Speed is), o odd speed limits (i.e. 19 mph) (pg 85) o speed humps where appropriate/if appropriate. Encourage Public Awareness campaigns during summer months for Motorists/pedestrians/bicyclists. (pg 88) Transit Emphasize the need to consolidate shuttles, potentially develop code standards to limit shuttle usage, and limit shuttle permits. (Pg104) Encourage Employer Shuttles for large employers (TOV, VH, VR, other), specifically if a stake in down valley employee housing is taken by employer. (Pg 104) 175 Encourage Public Marketing campaign for transit usage. How to get from point A to B; i.e. “Red to Shred” – Red bus to Grand Hyatt skier portal to access the mountain from West Vail. (pg 113) Multi-modal Added 2023 Accident data (In Progress) Emphasize consideration for traffic flow restriction when considering Road Diets (Pg 124) Emphasize the environmental sensitivity of the Nature Center parcel and that this would need to be evaluating and considered prior to any consideration for that particular trail section (Pg 138) Emphasize the negative impacts of adding sidewalks (increased impermeable area, impacts to roadside vegetation and improvements, character of residential neighborhood) (Pg 140) Encourage Public Awareness campaign (Valley wide) for RFB’s; “Push the Button” Consider light pollution with RFB’s, look into light shields/cut-offs (pg 150) Add extension of NRT to Spraddle Creek Trailhead for easy public access. (pg 132) Parking Added 23/24 winter parking data (pg 173) Add language for considerations regarding longer term large outlying park n ride lots. (Pg 179) Add language regarding suggestions on oversize vehicle parking (RV’s, trailers in addition to Special Events). (Pg 180) Add language to identify who is buying Town parking passes. How are they used and shared? Are they short-term rentals? Encourage short term rental users to take the bus and or micro transit. (Pg 183) 176 GO VAIL 2045 – PUBLIC COMMENT Vail Mobility & Transportation Master Plan Public Comment March 5 – April 18 COMMENT THEMES Overall - Generally Complimentary and Supportive of Master Plan Vision - Support of future Rail/Light Rail Vision - Pedestrian safety Vision - Speeding, Traffic Calming, Enforcement Vision - Coordination/reduction of redundant private Shuttle Services Vision - Upgrade to Pedestrian Overpass Pedestrian/Bicycle – Supportive of additional recreation trail connections Pedestrian/Bicycle – Add Flashing Beacon crossings Pedestrian/Bicycle – Winter maintenance of recreation trails Transit – Bring back ECO(EVTA) WB stops on North Frontage Road Transit – Increase Frequent & Free Buses Transit – Last Mile Micro Transit/On Demand availability Road Diets - Supportive of Road Diets Parking – Control demand by increasing cost Parking – Safety concerns for Frontage Road Parking Parking – Do not add more parking, control demand, encourage transit Traffic Calming – Speed Safety concern, implement measures to calm traffic I-70 – Cut/Cover or Tunneling I-70 is supported and would be transformative and provide opportunity for housing/open space. VISION tLcHVaiL about 13 hours ago Looks good and I mostly agree. Roadways are well maintained and the infrastructure is highly operational. The parking structures may need to be redeveloped with an above grade level as I really don't like overflow parking on the frontage road. The only issue I see with walking is vehicular traffic not obeying pedestrian crossing signals, or speed limits. The placement of crosswalks in the Sandstone round-about are not ideal (winter downhill so vehicular stopping for pedestrians is almost non-existent). Public Safety enforcement needs to be increased to truly make walking comfortable, safe, etc. Additionally, I'm not seeing hotel/condominium complexes private transportation services addressed. I was surprised the Marriott Residence Inn has a private shuttle service when there is a bus stop right in front 177 of it. This goes for Sandstone Creek Club, Simba Run, Marriott Streamside, Highline and Vail Run too. Shouldn't the PEC be involved in the permitting process to prevent these private shuttles that seem to be doubling the emissions for convenience? Is there a possibility of requiring shuttle inspections and requirements to limit their use? For new construction, providing shuttle service should be considered and re-evaluated for existing private shuttle services. I utilize the pedestrian bridge over I70 almost daily and an update would be welcomed, but it functions well for my commute. Reply AgreeDisagree clanders80 3 days ago Redesigning the bridge connecting Red Sandstone to Lionshead over I-70 is crucial not only for aesthetic reasons but also for Vail's image as a premier destination. An updated bridge can serve as a visually appealing way to mirror the natural beauty of Vail, enhancing first impressions and visitor experiences. This also presents an opportunity to incorporate sustainable design and improve safety, aligning with Vail's commitment to environmental stewardship and community well-being. Reply AgreeDisagree clanders80 3 days ago We need to Implement a rail system in Vail, Colorado, which could offer several advantages, particularly considering Vail's status as popular. Here are some reasons why a rail system could be beneficial: Reduced Traffic Congestion: Vail attracts many visitors, especially during the ski season, leading to significant road traffic. A rail system could alleviate congestion, making travel smoother for residents and tourists. Environmental Benefits: A rail system can reduce the carbon footprint associated with automotive transport. Given Vail's commitment to environmental sustainability and its natural setting, a rail system aligns with goals to minimize ecological impact and promote clean air. Accessibility: A rail system would enhance accessibility to and from Vail, making it easier for visitors who might not want to drive in winter conditions. It could also improve connectivity between Vail and nearby attractions or cities, potentially boosting tourism further. Economic Growth: Improved accessibility and reduced congestion can make Vail an even more attractive destination, potentially increasing visitor numbers and benefiting local businesses. Safety: Rail travel is generally safer than car travel, especially in winter conditions that can be challenging in mountainous areas like Vail. Community Connectivity: For residents, a rail system could provide a reliable, efficient mode of transportation for commuting, shopping, and accessing services within and beyond Vail. Reduced Parking Pressure: By decreasing the number of cars, a rail system can ease the demand for parking spaces, which can be scarce and expensive in popular tourist destinations. While the initial investment in a rail system could be significant, the long-term benefits of reduced traffic congestion, environmental sustainability, enhanced safety, and economic growth could make it a valuable asset for Vail, Colorado. Reply AgreeDisagree 178 Jfaessler 19 days ago A 2045 vision needs to include a light rail solution. Existing track exist from Gypsum to Minturn, A Highway Corridor exists from Dow Junction to East Vail. This is doable and need to be looked at. Reply Agree1 DisagreeHide replies (2) o tkassmel 11 days ago Thank you, great comment. Rail is a part of the Master Plan and can be included in the Vision. CDOT has identified a potential rail corridor in the median of I-70 for high-speed rail from Denver to Eagle. This corridor can also likely be utilized by Light Rail as well if the funds and demand become available. Reply AgreeDisagree o CMOsborne 11 days ago I agree with the need for light rail within the Vail Master Plan ands it should it’s planning should foresee a restarted rail service from Denver. PEDESTRIAN/ BICYCLE mark caplan 6 months ago For a long time now I have raised concerns regarding the crosswalk over Vail Valley Drive just east of Gravity Haus. It can be better marked. It could have a button activating flashing lights when someone wants to walk. Particularly in winter because of snow making road slippery and use from vehicles dropping people at ski school or hotel/condo transportation dropping off guests it has become increasingly hazardous Roberto D 8 months ago Hello, 100% in favor of paved trails to encourage residents and visitors to walk, BUT they need to be somehow covered/protected with trees or vegetation. Otherwise in summer few people will use them. 20 mph is a must! Thanks, 179 Roberto Dangond Hide reply (1) o Admin CommentedTK 8 months ago Thank you for your comment. We certainly will look to include vegetation cover where possible and appropriate. Puckles 8 months ago The gore creek trail from Donovan Park to LH should be plowed and better lit in winter. It’s currently used by tons of people but treacherous to walk and can’t be ridden by bike. If we want to encourage human powered travel, this makes sense and is an easy win. Hide reply (1) o Admin CommentedTK 8 months ago Thank you for the comment. We will look into this further, however it was plowed for a short duration many years ago and what was discovered at that time was that it became much more hazardous due to freeze/thaw cycles which created a very slick icy condition. But it can be brought back up as part of this planning process. Thank you. Jayne Taylor 8 months ago Why is 15mph in neighborhoods unenforceable whilst 20mph is enforceable? This doesn’t make sense to me. Most of our neighborhoods don’t have sidewalks and have a fair amount of foot traffic surely a15 mph speed limit makes more sense on narrow residential snowy roads without sidewalks. TRANSIT futurevail 5 days ago Not sure, but think this is the place to comment on regional public transit. For people living in West Vail it used to be convenient to take a bus down Valley, but sadly some years ago ECO Transit stopped making stops @ Red Sandstone School ,Timber Ridge & the Safeway(West Vail Mall) stops. Net effect of that was to stop going down Valley & to buy on line because it became too inconvenient to have to go all the way back in to the Vail transit Center in order to get a bus West of Dowd Junction - curiously the excuse for cutting back on service was that Vail had its own transit service, but that did not mean that the stops in Avon were cutback for the Highway 6 bus. Please bring back those 3 stops on the north frontage road! (Highway 6 bus does stop on the south frontage road & even added a stop at 180 Donovan Park, but nothing on the North Frontage road where a few stops are needed, especially if you want folks to be able to get to functions down Valley & to walmart from Timber Ridge Reply Agree DisagreeHide reply (1) o tkassmel 4 days ago Great Comment, this is a part of the Master Plan. We have been in preliminary discussions with ECO (EVTA) to bring that back in some form in the future, especially with the new housing development at Timber Ridge coming on-line in a couple of years. Reply AgreeDisagree futurevail 5 days ago the key to useful public transit is that it be frequent & convenient. No matter where one lives in Vail the winter time addition of the West Vail Express buses means that it is much easier to go shopping at the grocery stores during the hours that it runs (& for people in West Vail it also means that back-up buses are not often needed because the extra buses take alot of people onto the expresses to go to Timber Ridge, the grocery stores & the North frontage road parking Keep up the great service Reply AgreeDisagree Mike Karty 7 days ago Would love the year-round and 30 minute service on Lionsridge Loop. Very excited for this! Reply AgreeDisagree ESKI 18 days ago would like to have a bus stop at the East end of Main Gore Dr S. in East Vail at the top of the hill. Top allows for easy bus turnaround Reply Agree DisagreeHide reply (1) o tkassmel 11 days ago 181 Thank you for the comment. This area, if served would likely be done by On- Demand or micro transit in the future. The steep grades leading up to this area are prohibitive for our buses and the turnaround at the end of Main Gore Drive is surprisingly too small. A Bus needs a 105' diameter turnaround, and the existing turnaround is just shy of 70'. Reply AgreeDisagree Marina 21 days ago Would like to have bus service on top of Buffehr Creek, even if it is on demand Reply Agree DisagreeHide reply (1) o tkassmel 11 days ago Thank you. Buffehr Creek valley area is a recommended for a pilot project for On- Demand type service JAB5 7 months ago There are enough full time residents in Internountain to justify a bus stop at the turnaround point at the top of Snowberry. The same might be said for Matterhorn as well. This would drastically reduce the number of vehicles driving into town from these neighborhoods on a daily basis. Hide reply (1) o Admin CommentedTK 7 months ago Thank you for your suggestion. While the steep grades in these areas likely prohibit large buses, we are considering On-Demand ("Dial-a-Ride") options with smaller vehicles as a part of this master plan. Additional analysis will be required to identify whether this is feasible and to determine which neighborhood might provide the best pilot program. ROAD DIETS Brittany Franke 9 days ago please do! people generally travel about forty miles an hour by safeway. now ppl park there too and have to cross the street. same with overflow traffic in Vail. My husband pulls out of Solaris every day he works, and I am shocked no one has been hit there. What a mess PARKING futurevail 5 days ago Very easy way to manage parking demand, economics 1.01 - it's called adjust your supply vs demand by increasing the parking rates. Over the past decades now I have watch people I know 182 decide to switch to the bus, be it within Vail or from down Valley as the Parking rates have gone up. The fact that the structures are overfilled means we aren't charging enough yet for all day parking. Yes there perhaps should be free 1 1/2 hour parking to make it convenient for a quick shopping trip or for a join someone for lunch, but we should not be pricing so low that we are getting the all day parkers we get in the parking structures. All that car driving is bad for the environment when we have buses for the Valley & the town. Parking is too cheap! Just had a friend staying in Beaver Creek with the free bus to Vail who said they would rather drive & park because it was too cheap for the day to park rather than take the bus & they were staying at the Park Hyatt. (Meanwhile I have been delighted a few times with this season's free bus to Beaver Creek, even though I had to go to the transpo center to catch it) futurevail 5 days ago there is no good reason to not charge for parking on the frontage road. I know too many people who drive when they know they can park for free rather than taking the bus for free. You love here long enough and you know when is the time to get that free week-end overflow parking Reply AgreeDisagree MMoses 15 days ago Not sure how I feel about frontage road parking in general but the parking on North Frontage Road near City Market and King Soopers is a safety hazard in the winter. With the plows needing to keep the sidewalk closest to I-70 clear, they create a wall of snow between sidewalk and parking spaces that forces cars to park INTO the right hand, east bound lane of the Frontage Rd, which makes that lane effectively unusable when cars are parked and poses a risk for drivers and pedestrians. Reply Agree DisagreeHide replies (2) o tkassmel 11 days ago Thank you for your comment. Frontage Road parking is not ideal, particularly in the winter for some of the reasons you mention. Our streets department has to haul the snow away periodically when they have the opportunities to do so, which is not efficient nor timely in a lot of cases. Reply Agree1 Disagree MMoses 11 days ago I absolutely get WHY it's a challenge with the location so close to I-70 and needing a place for that snow to go! So I guess I don't have a great solution to offer up aside from eliminating that parking in the winter, which I don't love 183 either. I suppose the parking and walkway could be swapped so that the walkway space is between the parking and the road but I feel like that would create it's own host of problems. Reply AgreeDisagree Philip 17 days ago I hate to say it but not in favor of more parking. Road and parking infrastructure has a supply driven demand function. Add capacity and we get more cars and more traffic which runs counter to other community goals. Reply Agree DisagreeHide reply (1) o tkassmel 11 days ago Thank you for your comment. The goal and vision will certainly be to get more people onto public transit first to alleviate the need for parking. TRAFFIC CALMING West Gore Creek Drive urgently needs a speeding monitor to enhance safety for pedestrians and residents, preserve the area's peaceful residential character, reduce environmental impact from noise and emissions, and improve traffic flow by encouraging consistent driving speeds. Reply AgreeDisagree Brittany Franke 9 days ago SPEED BUMPS ARE THE ONLY TRAFFIC CALMING METHD PROVEN TO CALM TRAFFIC> PERIOD. Because it effects the driver directly. THANK YOU Reply AgreeDisagree Vailkat 16 days ago Speeding on Bighorn Road is rampant and out of control. Please do something before someone or their pet gets hurt! 184 Reply Agree DisagreeHide reply (1) o tkassmel 11 days ago As noted above the goal will be to implement a traffic calming policy and likely increase enforcement. One of the opportunities shown in the Master Plan is to create a separated multi-use trail along the north side of Bighorn Road. That may alleviate some conflicts as well. Reply AgreeDisagree Jessica 16 days ago Can more information be provided on the 2021 speed survey and what time of year it was conducted (off season, winter, summer)? Walking these roads daily I would highly disagree with 90% of residential traffic is driving below 25 mph. Reply Agree DisagreeHide reply (1) o tkassmel 11 days ago The 2021 speed surveys were done in August with a handful done in early September. As a result of the Master Plan, we hope to adopt a Traffic Calming policy which will likely need to include an increase in enforcement resources. I-70 futurevail 5 days ago vail is surrounded by open space We need affordable housing. We do not need to add to the real estate transfer tax cofffers to have more open space, if we cover any of the high way all that space should be used to build high rise affordable housing. also as we are so eager to spend money on studies, we should do a vote to remove the middle bench of Donovan Park from open lands and use it to create house. go ahead plant tress to protect the views of those bordering it (Not that the town cares about that when upzoning other properties and taking away people's views). but take that land back and use it to build affordable or mixed use housing that Vail needs. Vail has lonfg known that its largest employer isn't going to adequately house its work force so in the past 45 years Vail has gone from being # 1 for 13 out of 15 years at the start of those 45 years to often being ranked no longer even in the top 10 of most surveys. The ski terrain has improved as the services have gone down the toilet on the mountain as Vail can't or won't hire folks who say they can't afford to be here 185 Reply AgreeDisagree Philip 17 days ago Amazing proposals that would transform vail, allowing for more open space, denser housing and neighborhoods, and elimination of unsightly, noisy, smelly traffic. Paying for it is the problem. Get the Norwegians or Swiss to build. They know how to do this stuff right. Reply Agree2 DisagreeHide reply (1) o tkassmel 11 days ago Agree. Europe has hundreds if not thousands of miles of tunnels through the mountains, particularly rail corridors. The US is a bit behind on mountain tunnels. Reply Agree1 Disagree MMoses 15 days ago Diverting through traffic away from the heart of Vail would be HUGE. My main questions/concerns are cost, the construction process impacts, and how traffic in the tunnel would be handled if the Vail Pass closes? Reply Agree DisagreeHide reply (1) o tkassmel 11 days ago Costs and operations are certainly at the forefront of this endeavor. As Council discussed at last Council meeting this project is quite aspirational, but maybe someday the opportunity will arise to implement it in some form or fashion. Similar to the Sandstone Underpass, at the time it was initially discussed it was a project for another generation, but the opportunity presented itself and it is now a reality. The tunnel of course is on another level with regard to cost, operations, and impacts. 186 Vail Mobility & Transportation Master Plan PEC Comments to DRAFT MASTER PLAN May 2024 187 January – March Draft Master Plan April –June Adopt Master Plan Vision & Goals Existing ConditionsPROCESS Master Plan Elements Vision & Goals Pedestrian & Bicycle Transit Parking Traffic Calming I-70 Impacts Traffic Emerging Technology Loading/Delivery Special Event Logistics Implementation & Funding P U B L I C E N G A G E M E N T www.engagevail.com July August December January I-70 P Pedestrian & Bicycle Transit Parking Traffic Calming Emerging TechnologyTraffic 2023 2024 2022 188 •March 5 -Public Review on Engage Vail •April 18 -Engage Vail Comment Ends PROCESS Master Plan Elements Vision & Goals Pedestrian & Bicycle Transit Parking Traffic Calming I-70 Impacts Traffic Emerging Technology Loading/Delivery Special Event Logistics Implementation & Funding P U B L I C E N G A G E M E N T www.engagevail.com PEC Council Public •April 8 - PEC Review •April 22 - PEC Review •May 13 - PEC Review •June 10 - Final Recommendation (Pending) •March 5 -Town Department Review •March 30 -Department Comment Deadline Department •March 19 - Draft MP Highlights Presentation •May 21 - Review of PEC & Public Comments •June 18 - Master Plan Adoption (Pending) 189 Public Comments COMMENT THEMES Overall - Generally Supportive of Master Plan Vision •Support of future Rail/Light Rail •Pedestrian safety •Speeding, Traffic Calming, Enforcement •Coordination/reduction of redundant private Shuttle Services •Upgrade to Pedestrian Overpass Pedestrian/Bicycle •Supportive of additional recreation trail connections •Add Flashing Beacon crossings •Winter maintenance of recreation trails Transit •Bring back ECO(EVTA) WB stops on North Frontage Road •Increase Frequent & Free Buses •Last Mile Micro Transit/On Demand availability Road Diets •Supportive of Road Diets Parking •Control demand by increasing cost •Safety concerns for Frontage Road Parking •Do not add more parking, control demand, encourage transit Traffic Calming •Speed Safety concern, implement measures to calm traffic I-70 •Cut/Cover or Tunneling I-70 is supported and would be transformative and provide opportunity for housing/open space. 190 Overview Emphasize traffic counters at roundabout interchanges. (pg 2) Vision Emphasize safety in the Vision Statement (pg 3) Measurable Goals Added Measurable Goals similar to Strategic Action Plan (pg 8) o Pedestrian:Equivalent Platinum level Bicycle and Pedestrian Friendly Community o Transit:Incentivize transit (RTA), measured by reduced trips from Eagle County to parking structures 72% to 50% o Parking:Reduce Overflow parking to 10 days in winter and 5 days in summer o Traffic: Intersection LOS D (~1 minute delay), except for 10 busiest days (~5 minute delay) o Safety:Share the Vision Zero mission for all modes of transportation and reduce 85th percentile speeds on residential roads to below 20 mph. o Climate:support Climate Action Goals through transportation; reduction of 50% by 2030, 80% by 2050. PEC Comments Traffic Calming & Speed Limits Concerns with raising speed limit from 15 to 20 mph Agreement that the goal is to reduce the 85th percentile residential speed to 20 mph from 25 mph. (pg 68) Suggest modifying speed limit change recommendation to a traffic calming consideration. (pg 68) Encourage Public Awareness for Motorists/Pedestrians/Bicyclists. (pg 88) Agree to adopt a Traffic Calming Process (pg 91). o Additional funds for enforcement, (pg 91) o Photo radar enforcement signs (with or without the actual radar), (pg86) o Radar speed signs (Your Speed is), o Odd speed limits (i.e. 19 mph) (pg 85) o Speed humps only where appropriate/if appropriate. 191 Transit Emphasize consolidating shuttles; o potentially develop code standards to limit shuttle usage, o and limit shuttle permits. (Pg104) Encourage Public Marketing campaign for transit usage. o i.e. “Red to Shred” (pg 113) Multi-modal Add 2023 Accident data (In Progress) Emphasize the environmental sensitivity of the Nature Center parcel prior to any consideration for realignment of GVT(Pg 138) Encourage Public Awareness campaign (Valley wide) for RFB’s; “Push the Button” (pg 150) Consider light pollution with RFB’s PEC Comments Parking Add 23/24 winter parking data (pg 173) Add language regarding longer term large outlying park n ride lots. (Pg 179) Add language to identify who is buying Town parking passes. How are they used and shared? short-term rentals? (Pg 183) 192 Thank you 193 1 GO VAIL 2045 Vail Mobility & Transportation Plan Prepared for: The Town of Vail May 2024 DN22-0736 194 2 Table of Contents Chapter 1 – Introduction and Executive Summary .................................................................... 1 Chapter 2 – Vision and Goals ....................................................................................................... 3 Vision Statement .......................................................................................................................................................................... 3 Overall Goals .................................................................................................................................................................................. 4 Overall goals for Go Vail 2045 were developed as part of this project and include the following: ... 4 Enhance Accessibility and Connectivity ...................................................................................................................... 4 Sustainable Mobility ........................................................................................................................................................... 4 Resilient Infrastructure ....................................................................................................................................................... 4 Innovative Technologies ................................................................................................................................................... 4 Preservation of Vail's Character ..................................................................................................................................... 4 Economic Vitality ................................................................................................................................................................. 4 Bicycle- and Pedestrian-Specific Goals ............................................................................................................................... 5 Transit-Specific Goals ................................................................................................................................................................. 5 Parking-Specific Goals................................................................................................................................................................ 6 Traffic-Specific Goals .................................................................................................................................................................. 6 Chapter 3 – Public Engagement ................................................................................................. 10 Intercept Events ..........................................................................................................................................................................10 Council & Commission Meetings ........................................................................................................................................10 Surveys ...........................................................................................................................................................................................11 Engage Vail ...................................................................................................................................................................................11 Community Outreach Results ...............................................................................................................................................12 Phase 1 (Summer 2022) ..................................................................................................................................................12 Phase 2 (Summer 2023) ..................................................................................................................................................15 Key Public Outreach Takeaways ...........................................................................................................................................27 Chapter 4 – Traffic Improvement Recommendations ............................................................. 28 Highlights of Public Input on Traffic ..................................................................................................................................28 Analysis Methodology .............................................................................................................................................................29 Existing Conditions ....................................................................................................................................................................30 Traffic Volumes ...................................................................................................................................................................30 Traffic Conditions ...............................................................................................................................................................35 Future 2045 Conditions ...........................................................................................................................................................42 195 3 Anticipated Development Growth ..............................................................................................................................42 Trip Distribution and Assignment ...............................................................................................................................44 Traffic Volumes ...................................................................................................................................................................44 Traffic Conditions ...............................................................................................................................................................50 Improvement Recommendations ........................................................................................................................................55 Previously Recommended Improvement Alternatives ........................................................................................55 Recommended Improvement Alternatives ..............................................................................................................60 Conclusion ....................................................................................................................................................................................65 Project Summary Table ................................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined. Chapter 5 – Speed Limits & Traffic Calming ............................................................................ 68 Background on Speed Limit Setting ...................................................................................................................................68 Existing Speed Limit Conditions ...........................................................................................................................................69 Highlights of Public Input on Speed Limit Changes ....................................................................................................72 Recommendations for Posted Speed Limits ...................................................................................................................72 Why 20 MPH Is Ideal ............................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined. Supporting Speed Studies .............................................................................................................................................74 Future Considerations ......................................................................................................................................................76 Traffic Calming ............................................................................................................................................................................76 Summary of Public Input on Traffic Calming ..........................................................................................................77 Traffic Calming Treatments ............................................................................................................................................77 Non-Physical Treatments................................................................................................................................................85 Locations for Traffic Calming ........................................................................................................................................86 Traffic Calming Recommendations.............................................................................................................................87 Conclusion ....................................................................................................................................................................................88 Traffic Calming Process ...................................................................................................................................................90 Project Summary Table ................................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined. Chapter 6 – Transit ...................................................................................................................... 94 Existing Transit Service in Vail ...............................................................................................................................................94 Local Transit .........................................................................................................................................................................94 Regional Transit ..................................................................................................................................................................95 Private Shuttle Services ...................................................................................................................................................98 Notable Existing Transit Trends and Challenges ...................................................................................................98 Highlights of Public Input on Transit .............................................................................................................................. 100 Transit Plan Goals .................................................................................................................................................................... 100 196 4 Transit Improvements ........................................................................................................................................................... 100 Vail Transit Service Improvements ........................................................................................................................... 101 Regional Transit Improvements ................................................................................................................................ 105 Facilities & Infrastructure Improvements .............................................................................................................. 107 Safety Improvements .................................................................................................................................................... 111 Chapter 7 – Multimodal Recommendations ........................................................................... 116 Highlights of Public Engagement on Multimodal Transportation ...................................................................... 116 Existing Bicycle and Pedestrian Network ....................................................................................................................... 116 Collision Analysis............................................................................................................................................................. 119 Proposed Bicycle and Pedestrian Treatments ............................................................................................................. 123 Bicycle Glossary ............................................................................................................................................................... 123 Future Road Diets ........................................................................................................................................................... 124 Proposed Corridor Treatments .................................................................................................................................. 131 Proposed Crossing Treatments ................................................................................................................................. 142 Program and Policy Recommendations ......................................................................................................................... 153 Program Recommendations....................................................................................................................................... 154 Policy Recommendations ............................................................................................................................................ 164 Chapter 8 – Parking ................................................................................................................... 167 Parking Existing Conditions ................................................................................................................................................ 167 Parking Demand .............................................................................................................................................................. 167 Origin-Destination Analysis for Parking Facilities .............................................................................................. 170 Frontage Road Overflow Parking ............................................................................................................................. 173 Highlights of Public Input on Parking ............................................................................................................................. 175 Recommendations .................................................................................................................................................................. 175 Managing Overflow Parking ....................................................................................................................................... 176 Employing Parking Management Strategies ................................................................................................................ 181 Implement Wayfinding and Information Sharing .............................................................................................. 181 Explore Pricing Adjustments ...................................................................................................................................... 181 Encourage Carpooling .................................................................................................................................................. 182 Enforce Parking Fines .................................................................................................................................................... 183 Track Performance ......................................................................................................................................................... 183 Incentivize Shared Travel ............................................................................................................................................. 183 Advocate for Regional Transit Improvements ..................................................................................................... 184 197 5 Chapter 9 – Technology ............................................................................................................ 186 Technology Overarching Goals ......................................................................................................................................... 186 Emerging Trends ..................................................................................................................................................................... 186 Autonomous Vehicles (AVs) ....................................................................................................................................... 186 Alternative Fuel Vehicles (AFVs) ................................................................................................................................ 188 Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) ................................................................................................................ 189 Connected Vehicles (CVs) ............................................................................................................................................ 189 Smart Public Transportation ....................................................................................................................................... 189 Drone Delivery Services ................................................................................................................................................ 190 Data Collection Technology ....................................................................................................................................... 191 Tech-Driven TDM Strategies ...................................................................................................................................... 192 Mobility as a Service ...................................................................................................................................................... 193 E-Bike Share Advancements ....................................................................................................................................... 193 Chapter 10 – Loading and Delivery ......................................................................................... 199 Next Steps .................................................................................................................................................................................. 200 Chapter 11 – Special Events ..................................................................................................... 201 Chapter 12 – I-70 ....................................................................................................................... 204 Review and Recommendations Related to I-70 PEIS ................................................................................................ 204 I-70 PEIS Preferred Alternative Overview ...................................................................................................................... 205 I-70 PEIS Preferred Alternative – Recommendations for Adaptation ................................................................ 206 Non-Infrastructure Related Strategy Recommendations ............................................................................... 206 Highway Improvements ............................................................................................................................................... 207 Advanced Guideway System (AGS) ......................................................................................................................... 208 Big Picture Impacts Summary of I-70 Capping or Tunneling ................................................................................ 209 Existing Land Uses .......................................................................................................................................................... 212 Future Tunnel/Cut and Cover Build Out Scenarios ........................................................................................... 212 Tunnel/Cut and Cover – Scenario 1 ......................................................................................................................... 212 Tunnel/Cut and Cover – Scenario 2 ......................................................................................................................... 214 Tunnel/Cut and Cover – Scenario 3 ......................................................................................................................... 215 Partial Cut and Cover – Scenario 4 .......................................................................................................................... 216 Summary Cost Information ................................................................................................................................................. 217 Summary of Options .............................................................................................................................................................. 218 Tunnel Summary ............................................................................................................................................................. 218 198 6 Cut and Cover Summary .............................................................................................................................................. 218 Partial Cut and Cover Summary ................................................................................................................................ 218 Recommendations for Further Study .............................................................................................................................. 218 Chapter 13 – Noise .................................................................................................................... 221 Noise Measurement Survey Results ................................................................................................................................. 221 Potential New Methods to Reduce Noise along the I-70 Corridor ..................................................................... 232 Chapter 14 – Implementation Plan and Funding ................................................................... 233 Project Prioritization .............................................................................................................................................................. 234 Financial Summary .................................................................................................................................................................. 234 Chapter 15 – Funding Strategies ............................................................................................. 240 Federal Grants .......................................................................................................................................................................... 240 State Grants ............................................................................................................................................................................... 243 Local Revenue ........................................................................................................................................................................... 244 199 7 List of Figures Figure 1: What is working well with transportation in Vail? ............................................................................................ 12 Figure 2: What is challenging about transportation in Vail? ........................................................................................... 12 Figure 3: What is your primary relationship with the Town of Vail? ............................................................................. 13 Figure 4: How do you travel within Vail? ................................................................................................................................. 14 Figure 5: How do you travel to & from Vail? .......................................................................................................................... 14 Figure 6: What do community members see as the top impacts of I-70? ................................................................. 15 Figure 7: What is your primary affiliation with the Town of Vail? .................................................................................. 16 Figure 8: What community do you live in? ............................................................................................................................. 16 Figure 9: What neighborhood do you live in? (Only respondents who live in Vail) ............................................... 17 Figure 10: Levels of Community Support for New and Improved Trails in Vail ....................................................... 18 Figure 11: Levels of Community Support for Bike Lanes and Shoulders in Vail ....................................................... 19 Figure 12: Levels of Community Support for Sidewalks and Striped Shoulders in Vail ........................................ 20 Figure 13: Levels of Community Support for Road Diets .................................................................................................. 21 Figure 14: Levels of Community Support for RRFBs ............................................................................................................ 21 Figure 15: Levels of Community Support for Speed Limit Standardization ............................................................... 22 Figure 16: Levels of Community Support for Traffic Calming Measures ..................................................................... 23 Figure 17: Levels of Community Support for Transit Frequency Improvements ..................................................... 24 Figure 18: EVTA Fare Free Zone Winter .................................................................................................................................... 24 Figure 19: EVTA Fare Free Zone Summer ................................................................................................................................ 25 Figure 20: Community Input on Overflow Parking .............................................................................................................. 26 Figure 21: Community Input on Frontage Road Parking ................................................................................................... 26 Figure 22: Community Input on Parking Supply ................................................................................................................... 27 Figure 23: Existing AM and PM Peak Hour Traffic Volumes – Roundabouts ............................................................ 31 Figure 24: Existing AM and PM Peak Hour Traffic Volumes – East ................................................................................ 32 Figure 25: Existing AM and PM Peak Hour Traffic Volumes – Central ......................................................................... 33 Figure 26: Existing AM and PM Peak Hour Traffic Volumes – West .............................................................................. 34 Figure 27a: Future 2045 PM Peak Hour Traffic Volumes – Roundabouts ................................................................... 46 Figure 27b: Future 2045 PM Peak Hour Traffic Volumes – East ..................................................................................... 47 Figure 27c: Future 2045 PM Peak Hour Traffic Volumes – Central ................................................................................ 48 Figure 27d: Future 2045 PM Peak Hour Traffic Volumes – West ................................................................................... 49 Figure 28: Previously Recommended Improvement Alternatives – Central Vail ...................................................... 58 Figure 29: Previously Recommended Improvement Alternatives – West Vail .......................................................... 58 200 8 Table 8: Project Summary Table Key............................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Figure 30: Fatality and Speed Correlation (Source: SFMTA Vision Zero Action Plan) ............................................ 69 Figure 31: Current Speed Limits in Vail ..................................................................................................................................... 71 Figure 32: Proposed Change of Speed Limit on Local Roads ............................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Figure 33: Levels of Community Support for Traffic Calming Measures ..................................................................... 77 Figure 34: Chamonix Lane (east) Temporary Speed Bumps ............................................................................................. 79 Figure 35: East Meadow Drive Chokers .................................................................................................................................... 81 Figure 36: Park City flower boxes ................................................................................................................................................ 82 Figure 37: Bulb-outs using bollards and paint in Denver .................................................................................................. 82 Figure 38: Advisory bike lanes on Vail Valley Drive ............................................................................................................. 84 Figure 39: Shoulder striping in Avon ......................................................................................................................................... 84 Figure 40: Level I Traffic Calming Process ............................................................................................................................... 91 Figure 41: Level 2 Traffic Calming Process .............................................................................................................................. 93 Figure 42: Vail Transit Winter Bus Routes ................................................................................................................................ 94 Figure 43: Regional Bus Routes ................................................................................................................................................... 97 Figure 44: Vail Transit Annual Ridership (2007 – 2023) ...................................................................................................... 98 Figure 45: Transit Vision ................................................................................................................................................................ 101 Figure 46: What is Microtransit? ................................................................................................................................................ 104 Figure 47: Potential Schematic Concepts for Expanding Vail Transportation Center .......................................... 108 Figure 48: Mobility Hubs vs Transit Centers ......................................................................................................................... 109 Figure 49: Existing Pedestrian & Bicycle Network .............................................................................................................. 118 Figure 50: Vail Collision Trends, January 2020 through March 2023 .......................................................................... 119 Figure 51: Total Collisions, KSI Collisions, and Fatal Collisions by Involved Parties, January 2020 through March 2023 ............................................................................................................................................................... 120 Figure 52: Harmful Events in Collisions, January 2020 through March 2023 .......................................................... 121 Figure 53: Contributing Driver Actions in Collisions, January 2020 through March 2023 ................................. 121 Figure 54: Frequent Collision Locations in Vail, January 2020 through March 2023............................................ 122 Figure 55: Three Proposed Road Diet Locations ................................................................................................................. 125 Figure 56: South Frontage Road Adjacent to Vail Transportation Center ................................................................ 126 Figure 57: South Frontage Road W Road Diet .................................................................................................................... 127 Figure 58: West Vail Shopping Center Road Diet ............................................................................................................... 129 Figure 59: North Frontage Road Cross Section: Buffered Bike Lanes with No Parking ....................................... 130 Figure 60: Active Transportation Corridors ........................................................................................................................... 134 Figure 61: Proposed Bicycle & Pedestrian Network .......................................................................................................... 135 201 9 Figure 62: Elevated trail in Moab (Source: Kerry Cushman) ........................................................................................... 138 Figure 64: Striped Bike Lane Combining Shoulder and Curb and Gutter ................................................................. 140 Figure 65: Roadway Cross Section with Striped Shoulders ............................................................................................ 141 Figure 66: Example of a Pedestrian Lane in Detroit, Oregon ......................................................................................... 142 Figure 67: CDOT Roadway Design Guidelines Displaying Wide Sidewalk at Roundabout ................................ 146 Figure 68: CDOT Roadway Design Guidelines Displaying Bicycle Sharrow at Roundabout .............................. 147 Figure 69: Vail Roundabouts ....................................................................................................................................................... 148 Figure 70: Pedestrian Infrastructure at Vail Roundabouts .............................................................................................. 149 Figure 71: Crossing Treatment at Significant Driveways.................................................................................................. 151 Figure 72: Vail Driveway Crossings ........................................................................................................................................... 152 Figure 73: Crossing Treatment at Significant Driveways.................................................................................................. 157 Figure 74: Optimal Data Collection Technologies for Bicycle Counts ........................................................................ 163 Figure 75: North Frontage Road Concept from West Vail Master Plan ..................................................................... 165 Figure 76: Average Daily Utilization (All Parking Facilities) ............................................................................................. 168 Figure 77: Average Daily Utilization by Day Type (All Parking Facilities) .................................................................. 169 Figure 78: Parking Duration in Vail Village Parking Structure, Passes vs Transient, December 2023 ............ 170 Figure 79: Where are people traveling from when they use the Vail Village Parking Garage? (Internal Vail vs Eagle County vs Regionally) (Weekday vs Weekend, Morning (5am-12pm), Winter 2022/2023) ................................................................................................................................................................ 171 Figure 80: Where are people traveling from when they use the Vail Village Parking Garage? (Internal Vail) (Weekdays vs Weekends, Morning (5am-12pm), Winter 2022/2023) .............................................. 172 Figure 81: Where are people traveling from when they use the Lionshead Parking Garage? (Internal Vail) (Weekdays vs Weekends, Morning (5am-12pm), Winter 2022/23) ................................................... 173 Figure 82: Paid Parking Infrastructure ..................................................................................................................................... 177 Figure 83: Parking Recommendations .................................................................................................................................... 179 Figure 84: Highway Improvements .......................................................................................................................................... 206 Figure 85: Scenario 1 ...................................................................................................................................................................... 213 Figure 86: Scenario 2 ...................................................................................................................................................................... 214 Figure 87: Scenario 3 ...................................................................................................................................................................... 215 Figure 88: Scenario 4 ...................................................................................................................................................................... 216 Figure 89: Completed and Proposed Cut and Cover Projects ....................................................................................... 220 Table 36 234 202 10 List of Tables Table 1: Level of Service Descriptions ....................................................................................................................................... 29 Table 2: Existing Conditions .......................................................................................................................................................... 39 Table 3: Project Development PM Peak Hour Trips ............................................................................................................. 43 Table 4: Roundabout Volume Comparison ............................................................................................................................. 45 Table 5: Future 2045 Conditions ................................................................................................................................................. 52 Table 6: Future 2045 Mitigated Conditions ............................................................................................................................ 61 Table 7: Delay and LOS Comparison ......................................................................................................................................... 65 Table 8: Sum of Miles by Road Classification ......................................................................................................................... 72 Table 9: Sum of Miles and Percentage of Road Classification with Designated Posted Speed Limit on Vail Controlled Roads (with majority highlighted) ............................................................................................... 72 Table 10: Roadways with Highest Speeding ........................................................................................................................... 87 Table 11: Traffic Calming Treatments Summary Table ....................................................................................................... 89 Table 12: Frequency (in minutes) of Vail Transit Service by Route (December 2022). ........................................... 95 Table 13: Frequency of Regional Public Transit Serving Vail by Route (February 2024) ....................................... 96 Table 14: Planned Layered Transit Network ......................................................................................................................... 102 Table 15: Mobility Hub Amenities to Consider .................................................................................................................... 110 Table 16: A Summary of Planned Improvements ............................................................................................................... 114 Table 17: Road Diet Corridors .................................................................................................................................................... 125 Table 18: Proposed Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities ........................................................................................................ 131 Table 19: Proposed Crossing Treatments .............................................................................................................................. 143 Table 20: Summary of Programmatic Recommendations .............................................................................................. 153 Table 21: Frontage Road Overflow Parking Need (Winter 2022/2023) ..................................................................... 174 Table 22: Identified Locations for Supply Expansion Opportunities ........................................................................... 178 Table 23: Benefits and Challenges of Pricing Adjustments ............................................................................................ 182 Table 24: Summary of Parking Management Recommendations ............................................................................... 184 Table 25: Emerging Technology Trends Action Plan ......................................................................................................... 191 Table 26: A Summary of Next Steps ........................................................................................................................................ 195 Table 27: Highway Improvements ............................................................................................................................................ 207 Table 28: AGS Implementation Strategies ............................................................................................................................. 208 Table 29: Existing Land Uses ....................................................................................................................................................... 212 Table 30: 2005 Tunnel Report Cost Information ................................................................................................................. 217 Table 31: 2023 Conceptual Cost Information ....................................................................................................................... 217 203 11 Table 32: Summary of Short-Term Noise Measurement Data and Calculated Offsets (dBA) ........................... 223 Table 33: Measured Maximum One-Hour Average Noise Levels (dBA Leq) ............................................................. 231 Table : Implementation Schedule for all recommendations .......................................................................................... 233 Table 35: Federal Grant Sources ................................................................................................................................................ 240 Table 36: State Grant Sources .................................................................................................................................................... 243 Table 37: Local Tax Rates .............................................................................................................................................................. 244 Table 38: Potential Local Funding Sources ............................................................................................................................ 244 204 1 Chapter 1 – Introduction and Executive Summary The Town of Vail is North America’s premiere international mountain resort community. Vail is located approximately 100 miles west of Denver, Colorado in Eagle County, in the heart of the Rocky Mountains. As with many Colorado mountain resort towns, Vail is facing many growth-related mobility and transportation challenges. The allure of Vail lies not only in its world-renowned skiing and scenic landscapes but also in the distinct tapestry of its neighborhoods, cultural events, and residents. As Vail continues to evolve, grow, and thrive, this transportation and mobility plan will serve as a valuable tool for charting a course that balances the convenience of modern mobility with the preservation of Vail’s community vision. Go Vail 2045 updates the 2009 Vail Transportation Master Plan based on the Town’s vision and goals set within the Vail 20/20 Strategic Action Plan and the updated Vision statement and goals developed through this planning process. As outlined in the adopted Vision Statement, “Vail is recognized as having a comprehensive multimodal transportation system with well-integrated alternative transportation options which reduce the number of single occupant vehicle trips and overall vehicle miles travelled to, from, and within Vail.” The goal of Go Vail 2045 is to provide a guiding document which reflects the current community’s vision, and that will assist the Town in making decisions about the implementation of improvements to Vail’s mobility and transportation network and facilities. This Plan endeavors to address the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead, weaving together innovative strategies, community input, and sustainable practices. It is a collective vision that reflects the aspirations of Vail’s residents, businesses, and visitors. Go Vail 2045 was a two-year process in which community input was sought for all transportation modes, parking, traffic calming, loading & delivery, and special events. Recommendations are based on analyses of existing conditions, projections for future travel, inclusion of emerging technologies, and community feedback. The recommendations are detailed in the following chapters. Some of the highlights include: Bicycle and Pedestrian Recommendations: • Widening existing paved Multi-Use Recreational trails to 12 feet • New paved trails • New bike lanes & wide shoulders • Potential Frontage Road diets • Amenities along sidewalks and trails 205 2 Transit Recommendations: • More frequent/Year-round transit • New North Frontage Road bus route serving new employee housing • Potential microtransit pilot program • Expansion of regional transit in coordination with Eagle Valley Regional Transit Authority (RTA) • Mobility hubs • Conversion of transit fleet to Zero Emission vehicles • Vail Transit Center Expansion Parking Recommendations: • Demand mitigation through mobility passes, mobile apps, incentives, on-demand transit, fare free bus service between the majority of Eagle County and Vail. • Mitigate overflow parking impacts through improvements to frontage roads, parking area expansions, future development parking. Traffic Calming Recommendations: • Adopt a Traffic Calming Policy to help reduce vehicle speeds in residential areas so that the 85th percentile speed is less than 20 mph. • Physical and non-physical traffic calming measures I-70-related Recommendations: • Support CDOT ’s I-70 PEIS infrastructure improvements • Support CDOT ’s I-70 PEIS AGS recommendations • Support CDOT ‘s I-70 PEIS Non-infrastructure improvements • Continue to assess I-70 noise impacts and follow advancements in noise attenuation opportunities • Consider completing a Feasibility Study to Cut/Cover or Tunnel I-70 Vehicular Traffic Recommendations: • Increased capacity at existing roundabouts • Construction of new roundabouts • Permanent traffic volume counters Transportation Demand Management Recommendations: • Parking pricing management • Free fare transit zone • Wayfinding and technology 206 3 Chapter 2 – Vision and Goals The Town of Vail has long been celebrated for its stunning natural beauty, world-class skiing, and vibrant community. As the town continues to thrive and evolve, it is crucial to develop a forward-thinking transportation strategy that aligns with Vail's unique character and addresses the challenges associated with growth, sustainability, and accessibility. To tell the story of Mobility and Transportation in Vail we need to make sure to carry through relevant discussions/determinations from past Master Plans and identify how best to manage growth and transportation in the future to be in line with our MP Vision and Sustainable Destination Plan. Traffic growth in Vail is currently, and will continue to be, heavily influenced by project development, use of transit/microtransit, and the amount of public parking available. Some strategies that have helped manage traffic growth and keep peak volumes relatively stable include efforts like; Vail & ECO Transit, Bustang, Pegasus, shuttles, winter paid parking, and others. Future efforts need to include transit/mobility improvements (for both vehicles and pedestrians) identified in this plan, paid summer and winter parking, RTA Fare Free Zones, increased regional transit (Bustang frequency), planning for/not precluding an Advanced Guideway System (AGS) Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), or light rail along Interstate 70 (I-70), other. Vision Statement The Go Vail 2045 Vision Statement was developed by updating the 2007 Vail 20/20 vision statement with input and feedback from staff, the public, and Town Council. Vail is recognized as having a comprehensive multimodal transportation system with well-integrated alternative transportation options which reduce the number of single occupant vehicle trips and overall vehicle miles travelled to, from, and within Vail. Transit, walking, and biking are highly encouraged, comfortable, safe, affordable, reliable, and convenient, supported by state-of-the-art infrastructure, emerging mobilities and technologies, as well as education and outreach programs. Vail's transportation system is designed to support the sustainability of the natural environment and contribute to the Town’s Climate Action goals as well as to provide equitable access to economic, recreational, and other opportunities. Those who choose to drive are welcomed with a well-maintained roadway system and clear direction for locating Vail’s managed parking areas and alternative fuel vehicle stations. Loading of goods, services, and passengers is efficient and clearly designated through the town’s dispersed loading and delivery system. Traveling between Vail and regional destinations within the intermountain area and the Front Range is reliable, convenient, safe and seamless by public transit, AGS/Light Rail, or private vehicle. Convenient connections to the nearby airports make year-round travel to Vail easy from anywhere in the world. 207 4 Overall Goals Overall goals for Go Vail 2045 were developed as part of this project and include the following: Enhance Accessibility and Connectivity • Implement a comprehensive safe multimodal transportation system that includes well-maintained roads, pedestrian-friendly pathways, and efficient public transit options. • Foster connectivity between different neighborhoods, recreation areas, and commercial hubs to promote accessibility for all residents and visitors. Sustainable Mobility • Promote and invest in sustainable transportation modes, such as transit, electric vehicles, bicycles, and walking, to reduce the town's carbon footprint. • Explore innovative technologies and partnerships to enhance sustainability, such as electric charging infrastructure, smart traffic management, alternative fuels, and green transportation initiatives. • Manage peak hour traffic volumes to existing levels so that roadway network improvements are limited to those identified in this plan. Resilient Infrastructure • Develop and maintain resilient transportation infrastructure that can withstand the challenges posed by extreme weather events and changing climate conditions. • Invest in robust and adaptable road systems, bridges, and transit facilities to ensure long-term functionality and safety. Innovative Technologies • Embrace cutting-edge technologies to enhance transportation efficiency, safety, and user experience. • Explore the potential of smart city solutions, autonomous vehicles, and data-driven decision- making to optimize traffic flow and improve overall transportation performance. Preservation of Vail's Character • Develop transportation solutions that respect and preserve the unique character of Vail, balancing the need for modernization with the town's aesthetic and cultural identity. Economic Vitality • Support local businesses by ensuring convenient and accessible transportation options for residents and visitors. 208 5 • Explore partnerships with the private and public sectors to enhance transportation services and infrastructure while contributing to the economic vitality of the community. Bicycle and Pedestrian‐Specific Goals Safety is a priority. Vail can improve the bicycle and pedestrian mobility experience by providing more and safer facilities along heavily used pedestrian corridors and vehicle/pedestrian conflict areas like Vail Village, West Meadow Drive, E. Lionshead Circle, and the South Frontage Road parking areas. • Multimodal Options – Make it easy to get to Vail or around Vail without needing a car. • Equity – Enhance and prioritize bicycle and pedestrian facilities in areas near employee housing, affordable housing, and bus stops with consideration for the range of users accessing each multimodal travel facility in the Town of Vail. • Climate/ Quality of Life – Reduce Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions in Vail per the recent Climate Action Plan Update and reduce parking demand by making walking/biking for transportation more feasible • Access – Ensure that bicycle and pedestrian facilities require minimal out-of-direction travel and connect comfortably to key destinations, including trailheads, bus stops, commercial areas, and parks. Expand the existing system to provide multiple options for travel. • Innovation – Incorporate emerging mobilities such as electric bike share, electric bike charging stations into the Town’s transportation infrastructure. • Safety – Ensure that bicycle and pedestrian facilities are comfortable for a wide range of ages, abilities and user-types. Consider general recreation, “serious” recreation, and commuter use, and design facilities according to the ‘weakest link approach’ (i.e., they are only as comfortable as the most stressful segment or crossing). Transit‐Specific Goals The planned transit improvements described in this chapter will advance the Town toward achieving the following six community transit-related goals: • Multimodal Options – Allow people to conveniently get to Vail and around Vail without a car. • Equity – Provide seamless connections between local and regional transit and increase transit options for employees in Vail. • Climate/Quality of Life – Reduce GHG emissions and parking demand in Vail by making transit feasible for more trips. • Access – Increase access to high-frequency transit to more areas of Vail. • Innovation – Transition to zero emission buses and explore opportunities for autonomous transit vehicle technology. • Safety – Provide safe/comfortable access to buses for people walking to and waiting for the bus and improve safety of bus operations in locations with high pedestrian traffic. 209 6 Parking‐Specific Goals • Multimodal Options – “Right-Size” the parking supply by reducing parking demand, while accommodating the long-term travel demand by offering more transportation options. This will reduce single-occupancy vehicles and allow people to conveniently get to and around Vail without a car. • Equity – Provide intuitive access to parking for residents, employees, and guests who need to travel by vehicle to reach Vail. Provide transparent information on parking availability and pricing to ensure guests can understand mobility choices and clearly make informed decisions on where to park. • Climate/Quality of Life – Reduce parking demand in Vail by making other modes of transportation (transit, biking, walking, rolling) feasible for more trips, while supporting Climate Action Plan and Stewardship Roadmap strategies. • Access – Provide transparent information on parking availability and pricing to ensure guests can understand mobility choices and clearly make informed decisions on where to park. (Same as Equity goal above) Ensure that reaching final destinations from parking facilities is safe, seamless, and easy. • Innovation – Utilize technology to make Town of Vail parking facilities and availability of parking more intuitive to locate and navigate. Study where vehicles parking in Town of Vail facilities originate to better target opportunities for shifting vehicle trips onto other modes, while also improving other modes • Safety – Provide safe overflow parking, whether on Frontage Road or in other areas, by reducing pedestrian-vehicle conflicts and ensuring that reaching final destinations from parking facilities is safe, seamless, and easy. The transportation vision and goals outlined for the Town of Vail reflect a commitment to creating a resilient, sustainable, and community-centric mobility network. By embracing innovation, and prioritizing the unique character of Vail, the town can build a transportation system that not only meets the needs of today but also ensures a vibrant and connected future for generations to come. Traffic‐Specific Goals Multimodal Options - Reduce congestion through encouragement of mode-shift and a reduction of Single-Occupancy Vehicles (SOVs). Equity - Provide opportunities for all users to access all means of transportation to reduce SOVs to reduced traffic and congestion. Climate/Quality of life - Reduce Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions in Vail per the recent Climate Action Plan Update by encouraging mode-shifts and the reduction of SOVs. Manage the congestion at all intersections to a Level of Service D, except in the busiest 10 days of the year to improve quality of life. Access – Provide safe and appropriate access to and along all transportation corridors from all developments, neighborhoods, and I-70 to promote safe and ease of mobility throughout Vail. 210 7 • Innovation – Utilize technology to promote safety (i.e. SMART City) and reduce congestion (i.e. Travel Demand Management) and encourage mode shifts. • Safety – Reduce serious accidents within Vail for all modes of transportation and embrace the statewide Vision Zero mission, eliminating all serious injury and fatal accidents for all modes of transportation. 211 8 Specific Measurable Goals • Pedestrian By 2045 the Town has implemented and maintained new and existing pedestrian and bicycle facilities, as identified in this Master Plan, along active transportation corridors (Recreation Trails, sidewalks, pedestrian crossings etc…) that facilitate and provide safe alternative modes of transportation for pedestrians throughout Vail, so that Vail is recognized as an equivalent Platinum Level Bicycle and Walk Friendly Community. • Transit By 2045, people who live, work, and recreate in Vail use the Eagle Valley Transportation Authority and Town of Vail Bus Systems as their preferred method of transportation as evidenced by reducing the percentage of vehicles parking in the Vail and Lionshead Parking structures that originate from Eagle County from ~72% to ~50%. More specifically reducing the percentage of parked vehicles which start their day in Vail from 32% to 20%; and reducing the percentage of parked vehicles which begin their day in Eagle County but outside of Vail from 40% to 30%. These measurements can be monitored by use of Big Data analytics. • Parking By 2045 the Town has eliminated overflow parking on the Frontage Roads for all but 10 days during any winter and 5 days summer season, 15 days all year. This has been accomplished by Transit services, Travel Demand Management, Capital projects, and developer improvements as identified in this Master Plan. • Traffic Through 2045 the Town of Vail has managed peak traffic congestion times in Vail to a Level of Service of D or better (less than one minute of average delay) at all intersections except for the 10 busiest days of the year; on which a maximum average delay of up to 5 minutes is acceptable at the Main Vail and West Vail roundabout intersections. This has been accomplished through Transit service, Travel Demand Management, and Capital projects as identified in this Master Plan and monitored at key intersections within Vail. • Safety Through 2045 the Town has continuously seen a trend of reducing accidents throughout the town in all modes of transportation and now shares the statewide Vision Zero mission, eliminating all serious injury and fatal accidents for all modes of transportation. The culture of Vail’s driving public is to obey and maintain safe speed limits, evidenced by reduced speed violations, reduced speed related complaints and concerns, and a reduction of the average 85th percentile speed on residential roads from 25 to 20 mph. • Climate Through 2045 the Town has continuously reduced the environmental impact of transportation by supporting efforts within Eagle County by decreasing single occupant vehicle (SOV) travel and 212 9 increasing transit useage thus helping to achieve the Eagle County Climate Action Goal of reducing carbon emissions (2014 baseline) by 50% by 2030 and 80% by 2050. 213 10 Chapter 3 – Public Engagement Go Vail 2045 was informed by a comprehensive public outreach process. This chapter summarizes the engagement efforts the Town of Vail undertook and highlights the most consistent themes regarding transportation needs that emerged during the plan development process. Public outreach was conducted through in-person engagement events (called “intercept events”), formal public meetings, (Town Council, Planning & Environmental Commission, Vail Economic Advisory Committee), an on-going interactive on- line project site on engagevail.com, as well as three online surveys. In-person engagement events allowed the project team to increase awareness of the project, advertise the online surveys, collect feedback about project priorities, and answer questions from the public about various transportation related topics. For the intercept events, the average attendance was approximately 50 people. The intercept events and survey in 2022, the first year of the project, were focused on visioning and existing conditions questions to inform the first phases of work. The intercept events and surveys in 2023 allowed participants to review transit, parking and bicycle/pedestrian infrastructure concepts and provide feedback. Intercept Events 1. Vail Village Transportation Center– July 19, 2022 2. Bighorn Park Community Picnic – July 19, 2022 3. Vail Farmers Market & Art Show – July 24, 2022 4. Donovan Park Community Picnic – August 9, 2022 5. Bighorn Park Community Picnic – July 11, 2023 6. Donavan Park Community Picnic – August 8, 2023 7. Community Meeting – March 5, 2024 Council & Commission Meetings The Go Vail 2045 project team presented at the following council and commission meetings throughout the life of the project to keep elected officials and key stakeholders informed in the project progress and solicit input on results, recommendations, and project direction. • Vail Town Council Meetings (11 meetings) ◦ June 21, 2022 ◦ September 6, 2022 ◦ August 1, 2023 ◦ August 15, 2023 ◦ October 17, 2023 ◦ December 19, 2023 ◦ January 2, 2024 214 11 ◦ March 5, 2024 ◦ March 19, 2024 ◦ May 21, 2024 ◦ June 18, 2024 • Planning and Environmental Commission (PEC) Meetings (6 meetings) ◦ August 14, 2023 ◦ January 22, 2024 ◦ April 8, 2024 ◦ April 22, 2024 ◦ May 13, 2024 ◦ June 10, 2024 • Vail Economic Advisory Council (VEAC) Meetings (2 meeting) ◦ October 10, 2023 ◦ March 12, 2024 Surveys 1. Visioning Survey – 7/19/2023-8/21/2023 – 228 responses 2. Parking Survey – 3/18/2023-4/4/2023 – 175 Responses (Focused on people parking in the public parking garages and lots and results are included in the Parking chapter.) 3. Concept Survey – 8/8/2023-9/5/2023 – 143 Responses Engage Vail A project page was created for Go Vail 2045 on the Town of Vail’s public engagement website, https://www.engagevail.com/, at project kick-off. The Go Vail 2045 page was updated at key project milestones with summaries of engagement opportunities both online and in-person, analysis and outreach results to date, and preliminary recommendations for comment. The project page also provided the opportunity for continuous interactive engagement between the project manager and the public via comment sections and e-mail. 215 12 Community Outreach Results Phase 1 (Summer 2022) Phase one of outreach, taking place in the summer of 2022, focused on how people travel to, from, and within Vail, and the strengths and weaknesses of the existing transportation network. We heard from 228 survey respondents during phase one and spoke with roughly 150 people in person across four intercept events. Conversations at the intercept events involved educating the public about the projects, encouraging people to take the online survey, and discussions about what is working well and what they would like to see improved about transportation in Vail. This section summarizes the results of the survey and intercept conversations from Phase 1. Successes and Challenges Both through survey responses and conversations at intercept events we were able to identify four major components of Vail’s existing transportation system that are working well. Namely, walking and biking are easy and comfortable, sidewalks and trails are well maintained, local buses are frequent, free, and easy to use, and navigating by car is easy (Figure 1). The primary challenges identified with the existing transportation network included conflicts between pedestrians and bikers in dismount zones and on trails, finding places to park or load passengers, a desire for more local and regional bus services, and traffic congestion (Figure 2). Figure 1: What is working well with transportation in Vail? Figure 2: What is challenging about transportation in Vail? 216 13 Who We Heard From Of survey respondents, 46% stated they worked in Vail and 53% of survey respondents stated they lived in Vail full-time. A proportion of the respondents did not live or work in Vail, but owned vacation homes, operated a business, or primarily visited for recreation and services (Figure 3). Overall, the survey captured a variety of respondents with different interests and roles within the community. Figure 3: What is your primary relationship with the Town of Vail? How People Travel We asked respondents how they most commonly travel within Vail and to and from Vail. For in-town transportation, the preferences of respondents varied significantly by season. In the fall and winter, riding the bus was the most popular way to get around, with 37% of respondents saying it was their primary mode of transportation. However, in the spring and summer, 31% of respondents said they primarily drove alone, and only 17% took the bus as a primary mode of transportation. There were relatively high rates of walking and biking in town, although these numbers were lower in the fall and winter months; biking as a primary mode of transportation fell significantly in the fall/winter, to only 2% of respondents (Figure 4). 217 14 Figure 4: How do you travel within Vail? When asked how respondents most commonly travel to and from Vail, the majority said they either drove alone or carpooled. Some respondents identified ridesharing, Bustang, and ECO Transit, or wrote in other forms of transportation such as van-ride services and flying. In general, people get to and from Vail primarily by driving, although in the summer 6% of respondents state they use regional bike trails (Figure 5). Figure 5: How do you travel to & from Vail? Community Sentiment About I70 Community members were also asked what they experienced as the top impacts of I-70 on the Town of Vail. Of respondents, 76% of respondents viewing noise as a negative impact to the community (Figure 6). 218 15 Figure 6: What do community members see as the top impacts of I‐70? Phase 2 (Summer 2023) The second phase of outreach took place during the summer of 2023, and asked respondents to help identify community priorities by expressing their level of support on various possible transportation interventions. We heard from 143 respondents during Phase 2 and roughly 100 people across two intercept events. Key insights from Phase 2 are summarized below. Who We Heard From In this round of outreach, we asked community members how they are primarily affiliated with the Town of Vail. 74.2% of the respondents worked in Vail, and just over half (51.5%) lived in Vail full time. A proportion of the respondents did not live or work in Vail, but owned vacation homes, operated a business, or primarily visited for recreation and services (Figure 7). Most of the respondents were from Vail with the remainder coming from other towns in the valley, including Edwards, Avon, and Eagle (Figure 8). Of the respondents from Vail, several neighborhoods were represented which helped us gain a more complete field of responses (Figure 9). 219 16 Figure 7: What is your primary affiliation with the Town of Vail? Figure 8: What community do you live in? 220 17 Figure 9: What neighborhood do you live in? (Only respondents who live in Vail) Recreation Trail Improvements A major piece of the transportation network in Vail are the paved recreation trails running through town, such as the Gore Valley Trail. These trails make it easy for residents to get around the community by bike and on foot. We asked participants to evaluate eleven possible recreation trail improvements and rate their level of support on a 5-point scale. The most supported proposals included: • Improvements near Lionshead Village, such as a bypass along Gore Creek around the gondola • Connecting to Donovan Park with a separated trail along the south frontage road • Adding a pedestrian-only soft surface nature trail connecting to the library on the south side of Gore Creek. All these improvements were supported or strongly supported by approximately three quarters of respondents. In general, support was high(~60%-80%) for all the various recreation trail improvements. Proposals with less support included the idea to add a recreation trail crossing under I-70 from the South Frontage Road to Bald Mountain Road, with 14% opposing (sum of oppose or strongly oppose), 59% supporting (sum of support or strongly support), and 26% having no opinion (Figure 10). 221 18 Figure 10: Levels of Community Support for New and Improved Trails in Vail Designated Bike Lanes Respondents were asked whether they would support adding designated bike lanes and shoulders along four recommended residential roads to achieve Vail’s goal of increasing safe mobility throughout town and helping prioritize bicycle traffic. For each road, support ranged from 78% to 82% and opposition ranged from 11% to 12%. Overall, respondents indicated a high level of support for designated bike lanes throughout the proposed locations in Vail (Figure 11). 222 19 Figure 11: Levels of Community Support for Bike Lanes and Shoulders in Vail Striped Shoulders and Sidewalks Adding striped shoulders or sidewalks to busy streets can increase the safety of pedestrians and make walking a more feasible form of transportation. Respondents were asked to express their level of support on a 5-point Likert scale for striped shoulders and/or sidewalks along 13 proposed roads. Support for one or both methods ranged from 59% to 69% for each of the proposed roads, and opposition varied from 7% to 11%. These results indicated high levels of support for some combination of striped shoulders and sidewalks at the proposed locations around town (Figure 12). Additionally, Vail’s 2023 Master Plan conducted a community survey that found that 64% of respondents are supportive of Vail constructing new striped shoulders and/or sidewalks with 35%-45% specifically in support of additional sidewalks. 223 20 Figure 12: Levels of Community Support for Sidewalks and Striped Shoulders in Vail Road Diets A road diet is the narrowing or reducing of travel lands on roadways to reallocate infrastructure space for people walking and biking—it is a common strategy for slowing traffic and making roadways safer for pedestrians. Respondents were asked whether they would support road diet interventions at three key points: • The North Frontage Road adjacent to the West Vail Shopping Center • The South Frontage Road West just east of the sandstone underpass • The South Frontage Road adjacent to the Vail Transportation Center. Support for these interventions varied from 56% to 66%, and opposition varied from 22% to 37% (Figure 13). 224 21 Figure 13: Levels of Community Support for Road Diets Rapid-Flashing Beacon Installation Rectangular rapid-flashing beacons (RRFBs) can be installed at strategic locations to allow pedestrians to cross safely at mid-points along roads. The flashing beacon engages when a pedestrian is trying to cross, alerting drivers to slow down and give right of way to the pedestrian, but otherwise does not interfere with vehicular traffic. The Town’s policy has been to install these at critical crossings along the higher volume Frontage Roads. When asked if they would support expanding the rapid-flashing beacon installations to crosswalks along Vail Valley Drive, Vail Road, and East and West Lionshead Circle, 78% of respondents supported the measure and 21% opposed it (Figure 14). Figure 14: Levels of Community Support for RRFBs 225 22 Residential Speed Limit Standardization Currently, residential speed limits in the Town of Vail range from 15 to 25 miles per hour. Respondents were asked if they would support changing all posted speed limits to 20 MPH in residential areas to achieve consistency, of which 77% supported and 14% opposed the idea (Figure 15). Figure 15: Levels of Community Support for Speed Limit Standardization Traffic Calming Traffic calming measures refer to a variety of strategies that can help reduce the negative effects of motor vehicle use, such as speeding, and alter driving behavior to improve conditions for pedestrian street users. We proposed four possible traffic calming measures that could be applied to the Town: photo-enforced radar, lane striping, neckdowns/curb extensions, and speed humps. In general, traffic calming devices were not as popular among respondents as some other interventions proposed throughout the survey. However, 79% of respondents did support lane striping. The least popular proposed calming device was photo-enforced radar, which was opposed at a rate of 56%, but still supported by over a third of respondents (Figure 16). 226 23 Figure 16: Levels of Community Support for Traffic Calming Measures Transit Improvements Vail already has a sizable public transit system, and bus routes help make the town easy to navigate for visitors and residents alike. The project team proposed a few interventions that could improve the frequency and quality of transit service (Figure 17). Participants were asked how various service frequency improvements would affect their decisions to take transit more often. In general, only 27% to 53% of respondents said a particular intervention would encourage more transit ridership. However, the most impactful option identified was to have seamless express bus service from East to West Vail with better timed transfers on existing routes. Another improvement, which 45% of respondents said would encourage them to take transit more often, is an increase of bus frequency in West Vail . Another important transit opportunity is to institute a high-frequency, fare-free service route from Vail to Edwards. Respondents were asked if the newly formed Eagle Valley Transit Authority (EVTA) added a high- frequency fare-free zone from Edwards to Vail, with stops in Freedom Park, Avon Station, and Vail, how likely would they be to ride the bus? Respondents were asked to consider their responses for both summer and winter. In winter, 67% of respondents said they would be somewhat likely or very likely (Figure 18), while in summer that rate fell to 57% (Figure 19). 227 24 Figure 17: Levels of Community Support for Transit Frequency Improvements Figure 18: EVTA Fare Free Zone Winter 228 25 Figure 19: EVTA Fare Free Zone Summer Parking Parking is an important and often controversial aspect of transportation in Vail, especially due to increased skier traffic and rates of tourism in the winter months. During these months, it is common for drivers to use overflow parking along frontage roads, which can negatively impact pedestrian and vehicular traffic experiences. When asked which approach to addressing frontage road overflow parking is preferred, half of respondents said they would keep overflow parking but add improvements to mitigate negative effects. However, 40% of respondents said they would prefer to eliminate frontage road parking either immediately or over time. (Figure 20) In the case that overflow parking on South Frontage Road does not get eliminated, respondents were asked which mitigation projects to reduce negative impacts they would approve of. Of survey respondents, 65% approved of adding sidewalks and crosswalks, 47% of limiting parking along particularly busy sections, 41% approved of adding lighting, and 38% supported the idea of requiring payment (Figure 21). Finally, in the case that overflow parking along South Frontage Road is eliminated over time, respondents were asked which strategies they approved of to replace and increase the overall parking supply. None of the proposals garnered more than 50% support, but the most supported ideas were having a temporary parking lot between I-70 and Vail Resort (47%), adding head-in parking along West Vail Fire Station (40%), and adding diagonal parking at Ford Park along South Frontage Road (40%). The idea of a new or expanded parking garage in town was only supported by 28% of respondents (Figure 22). 229 26 Figure 20: Community Input on Overflow Parking Figure 21: Community Input on Frontage Road Parking 230 27 Figure 22: Community Input on Parking Supply Key Public Outreach Takeaways In total, the three surveys received approximately 550 responses, and approximately 300 people engaged with project materials at the in-person engagement events related to this planning process. These outreach efforts reached a wide range of community members representing a multitude of Vails neighborhoods and demographics. The major community priorities that emerged from public outreach included a desire to see more improvements to recreational trails, greater transit service and frequency, and improvements to traffic congestion and difficulty parking. This plan seeks to reflect the community priorities as shared by participants in the outreach process. 231 28 Chapter 4 – Traffic Improvement Recommendations This chapter summarizes the traffic conditions and potential improvement recommendations for the intersections and roadways in the Town of Vail. The results and recommendations presented in the 2009 Vail Transportation Master Plan Update (2009 TMP) were taken into consideration when evaluating improvements for this study. The traffic-specific goals, as presented in Chapter 2, were also taken into consideration for the traffic improvement recommendations. To keep consistency with the 2009 update, the following key study areas were evaluated: • Main Vail Interchange • West Vail Interchange • Vail Village Area • Lionshead Village Area • West Lionshead Redevelopment (Ever Vail) • West Vail Redevelopment • Employee Housing Development Areas The key study areas listed above were chosen in accordance with the 2009 TMP, where current traffic issues occur and also where major development efforts are planned within the Town of Vail. In accordance with the key study areas as listed above, 26 study intersections were selected for evaluation: Highlights of Public Input on Traffic Congestion within Vail was identified as one of the top four issues in Vail’s transportation system by survey respondents in the first project survey. See Chapter 3 for additional details on the public engagement process and results for Go Vail 2045. Collision Analysis There were more than 370 traffic crashes identified in Vail in both 2020 and 2021. In 2022, the number of crashes decreased, but the number of crashes in which someone was killed or severely injured (KSI), and the number of bicyclist-involved accidents remained steady. The number of pedestrian-involved collisions increased in 2022. The most common crash locations in Vail are the North and South Frontage Roads, East and West Meadow Drive, and Vail Valley Drive. About 60% of frontage road collisions in 2021 and 2022 occurred during the winter months, reflecting higher ski traffic volumes. Almost a third of crashes 232 29 occurred during winter weather conditions which reflects more unsafe driving conditions due to poor visibility and low vehicle traction. A detailed collision analysis is provided in Chapter 7 of this report. Analysis Methodology Level of Service (LOS) is a term that describes the operating performance of an intersection or roadway. LOS is measured quantitatively and reported on a scale from A to F, with A representing the best performance and F the worst. Typically, LOS D or better is considered acceptable for urban areas. Table 1 provides a brief description of each LOS letter designation and an accompanying average delay per vehicle for both signalized and unsignalized intersections. The delay represents the average delay per vehicle in the queue to arrive at and proceed through the intersection stop bar. This study used the Highway Capacity Manual 6th Edition (HCM 6) methodology, to remain consistent with “state of the practice” professional standards. This methodology has different quantitative evaluations for roundabouts/signalized intersections and unsignalized intersections. For roundabouts/signalized intersections, the LOS is provided for the overall intersection (weighted average of all approach delays). For unsignalized intersections, the LOS is provided for the average delay per vehicle on the worst- performing movement. Fehr & Peers used the traffic analysis software SIDRA for roundabouts and Synchro for the unsignalized intersections. Table 1: Level of Service Descriptions LOS Description Roundabouts Unsignalized Intersections Avg. Delay (sec/veh)1 Avg. Delay (sec/veh)2 A Free Flow / Insignificant Delay Extremely favorable progression. Individual users are virtually unaffected by others in the traffic stream. < 10.0 < 10.0 B Stable Operations / Minimum Delays Good progression. The presence of other users in the traffic stream becomes noticeable. > 10.0 to 20.0 > 10.0 to 15.0 C Stable Operations / Acceptable Delays Fair progression. The operation of individual users is affected by interactions with others in the traffic stream > 20.0 to 35.0 > 15.0 to 25.0 D Approaching Unstable Flows / Tolerable Delays Marginal progression. Operating conditions are noticeably more constrained. > 35.0 to 55.0 > 25.0 to 35.0 E Unstable Operations / Significant Delays Can Occur Poor progression. Operating conditions are at or near capacity. > 55.0 to 80.0 > 35.0 to 50.0 F Forced, Unpredictable Flows / Excessive Delays Unacceptable progression with forced or breakdown of operating conditions. > 80.0 > 50.0 1. Overall intersection LOS and average delay (seconds/vehicle) for all approaches. Signalized intersection operations are measured under these conditions as well. 2. Worst movement LOS and delay (seconds/vehicle) only. 233 30 Source: Fehr & Peers descriptions, based on Highway Capacity Manual 6th Edition. Existing Conditions The existing conditions analysis evaluates the study intersections and roadways during the peak travel periods of the day under traffic and geometric conditions. Through this analysis, existing traffic operational deficiencies can be identified. Traffic Volumes Background counts at the study intersections were collected by the Town of Vail and provided for analysis. Turning movement counts at the intersections across the Town of Vail were collected between Thursday, December 30, 2021, and Saturday, January 1, 2022. This time period has historically been one of the busiest times of the year for traffic. Raw traffic counts are included in Appendix x. The existing AM and PM peak hour traffic volumes are shown in Figure 23 to Figure 26. 234 31 Figure 23: Existing AM and PM Peak Hour Traffic Volumes – Roundabouts 235 32 Figure 24: Existing AM and PM Peak Hour Traffic Volumes – East 236 33 Figure 25: Existing AM and PM Peak Hour Traffic Volumes – Central 237 34 Figure 26: Existing AM and PM Peak Hour Traffic Volumes – West 238 35 Traffic Conditions Using the SIDRA software (for the roundabouts) and Synchro software (for unsignalized intersections) and the HCM 6 delay thresholds provided above, the project team computed existing background AM and PM peak hour LOS for each study intersection. The results are reported in 239 36 Table 2 (see Appendix for detailed LOS report). As shown in 240 37 Table 2, all study intersections operate within acceptable LOS (LOS D or better), except for the following locations: • Vail Road & S Frontage Road (Main Vail Roundabout South): LOS E in the PM peak hour ◦ This is caused by the high volumes on the westbound approach, accessing I70 from the Vail Village parking structure. ◦ Typical high volumes of traffic during the 2023 December Holiday week caused 5-10 minute delays for vehicles going WB towards the roundabout from the Vail Village parking structure on 4 separate afternoons during the PM peak times. • Vail Valley Drive & S Frontage Road (Blue Cow Chute): LOS F in the PM peak hour ◦ This intersection is currently controlled unconventionally, favoring the northbound side-street movements with stop-controls on the east/west approaches on the S Frontage Road. The high volumes of traffic on the S Frontage Road being stop controlled experience high delays. It should be noted that because of the unconventional configuration, some additional delays are caused by unfamiliar guests stopping on the northbound approach, where there is no stop sign. • East Parking Entrance & S Frontage Road (Vail Village Parking Structure Entrance): LOS F in the PM peak hour ◦ This is caused by the high volumes of vehicles exiting the parking structure (especially left turns) onto the S Frontage Road. ◦ This exit from the Vail Village Parking Structure is also “metered” by the exit pay station which can compound delays within the parking structure. Also as shown in 241 38 Table 2, the PM peak hour shows more delays and intersection LOS issues. Therefore, the future project conditions focus on the PM peak hour. 242 39 Table 2: Existing Conditions ID Intersections Control1 Approach Existing AM Peak Hour PM Peak Hour Delay2 LOS Delay2 LOS 1 Vail Road & N Frontage Road Roundabout Overall 8 A 18 C NB 8 A 21 C NWB 8 A 13 B WB 6 A 11 B EB 9 A 14 B 2 Vail Road & S Frontage Road Roundabout Overall 12 B 39 E NB 15 C 25 D WB 10 A 76 F SB 5 A 7 A EB 12 B 24 C SEB 12 B 11 B 3 Big Horn Road & I-70 WB Ramp SSSC Overall 3 A 4 A WB 14 B 13 B NB 6 A 6 A SB 0 A 0 A 4 Big Horn Road & I-70 EB Ramp SSSC Overall 4 A 3 A EB 13 B 10 B NB 0 A 0 A SB 4 A 2 A 5 Chamonix Road & N Frontage Road Roundabout Overall 7 A 20 C NB 5 A 5 A NWB 4 A 5 A WB 9 A 38 E SB 8 A 14 B EB 8 A 13 B 6 Chamonix Road & S Frontage Road Roundabout Overall 7 A 8 A NB 7 A 6 A WB 7 A 10 A SB 5 A 5 A SEB 8 A 7 A EB 7 A 6 A 9 Ford Park Parking Lot & S Frontage Road SSSC Overall 0 A 1 A NB 10 A 12 B 243 40 ID Intersections Control1 Approach Existing AM Peak Hour PM Peak Hour Delay2 LOS Delay2 LOS WB 8 A 0 A EB 0 A 0 A 10 Vail Valley Drive & S Frontage Road SSSC Overall 13 A * F EB 13 C * F WB 31 D >100 F NB 7 A 8 A 11 East Parking Entrance & S Frontage Road SSSC Overall 1 A 39 E EB 0 A 0 A WB 10 B 9 A NB 19 C >200 F 12 Center East Parking Entrance & S Frontage Road SSSC Overall 2 A 3 A EB 0 A 0 A WB 10 B 9 A NB 21 C 28 D 15 Village Center Drive & S Frontage Road SSSC Overall 1 A 2 A EB 0 A 0 A WB 11 B 10 A NB 22 C 25 C 18 Lionshead Parking & S Frontage Road SSSC Overall 3 A 5 A EB 0 A 0 A WB 9 A 9 A NB 17 C 17 C 19 E Lionshead Circle & S Frontage Road SSSC Overall 4 A 5 A EB 0 A 0 A WB 9 A 9 A NB 15 B 22 C 20 W Lionshead Circle E & S Frontage Road SSSC Overall 2 A 3 A EB 0 A 0 A WB 9 A 8 A NB 13 B 17 C 21 W Lionshead Circle W & S Frontage Road SSSC Overall 1 A 2 A EB - - - - WB 15 B 21 C NB 0 A 0 A 244 41 ID Intersections Control1 Approach Existing AM Peak Hour PM Peak Hour Delay2 LOS Delay2 LOS SB 9 A 8 A 22 Forest Road & S Frontage Road SSSC Overall 1 A 1 A EB 8 A 9 A WB 9 A 8 A NB 16 C 19 C SB 14 B 20 C 23 Westhaven Drive & S Frontage Road SSSC Overall 3 A 3 A NB 14 B 16 C EB 0 A 0 A WB 9 A 8 A 25 Matterhorn Circle & S Frontage Road SSSC Overall 3 A 3 A WB 17 C 17 C EB 0 A 0 A WB 9 A 8 A 26 Gore Creek Road & S Frontage Road SSSC Overall 1 A 1 A NB 15 B 18 C EB 0 A 0 A WB 9 A 8 A 28 Red Sandstone Road & N Frontage Road SSSC Overall 3 A 3 A EB 8 A 8 A WB 0 A 0 A SB 11 B 13 B 29 Lions Ridge Loop & N Frontage Road SSSC Overall 3 A 3 A EB 8 A 8 A WB 0 A 0 A SB 11 B 13 B 30 Buffehr Creek Road & N Frontage Road SSSC Overall 2 A 3 A SB 11 B 17 C EB 8 A 9 A WB 0 A 0 A 31 Commercial Access (City Market) & N Frontage Road SSSC Overall 3 A 4 A SB 11 B 17 C EB 8 A 9 A WB 0 A 0 A 245 42 ID Intersections Control1 Approach Existing AM Peak Hour PM Peak Hour Delay2 LOS Delay2 LOS 33 Commercial Access (Safeway W Entrance) & N Frontage Road SSSC Overall 2 A 3 A SB 11 B 15 C EB 8 A 9 A WB 0 A 0 A 34 Commercial Access (McDonald's) & N Frontage Road SSSC Overall 2 A 2 A SB 10 B 15 B EB 8 A 9 A WB 0 A 0 A 35 Commercial Access (Hilton) & N Frontage Road SSSC Overall 1 A 1 A SB 11 B 17 C EB 8 A 9 A WB 0 A 0 A Notes: Bold text indicates intersections operating below acceptable LOS threshold. 1. SSSC=Side-Street Stop Control 2. Vehicle delay in seconds/vehicle and is reported for worst movement for each approach. * Indicates delay not being calculated in Synchro due to the volumes exceeding the capacity. Future 2045 Conditions The purpose of the future 2045 conditions analysis is to evaluate the study intersections and roadways with projected traffic volumes due to anticipated growth. Anticipated Development Growth Estimates of the planned developments and the projected net new PM peak hour trips were provided by the Town of Vail. The Town of Vail began tracking future potential developments in 2006 as a part of the Billion Dollar Development boom, as that time, and as identified in the 2009 VTMP, the projected net new PM peak hour total development trips into the future was 2800. The updated projected net new PM peak hour trips generated by current anticipated developments are shown in Table 3. As shown in Table 3, the anticipated remaining developments are expected to generate 1,475 total new trips by 2045. The noticeable reduction in projected net new trips from 2009 is largely due to completed projects that are now existing, and a change in direction and size of other projects. The projected development trips account for multi-modal reductions based on use and location. The 2009 VTMP identified recommended trip generation rates to account for this. This updated MP will carry those recommendations forward with the addition of an added trip rate for high density employee 246 43 housing, based on traffic counts from the existing Timber Ridge and Lions Ridge Apartments employee housing units. Projected Development PM Peak Hour Trips Table 3: Project Development PM Peak Hour Trips Development Project Projected Net New PM Trips Vail Mountain Lodge 23 Manor Vail 19 Cascade 7 Apollo Park 11 Texas Townhomes 3 Gorsuch Building 2 Vail Trails West 4 Evergreen 50 Vail International 14 Lionshead Parking Structure 88 Lodge at Lionshead 62 Lionshead Center 15 Ever Vail 385 Eagle River Water & Sanitation 35 West Vail Lodge 159 Marriott Residence Inn (Under Construction in 2021) 28 Timber Ridge 100 Wren 5 All Seasons 31 Cornerstone 15 Garts' McDonald’s 68 Safeway 45 Vail das Schone 35 Brandess Building 8 West Middle Creek 100 Residence at Main Vail 35 Legacy 15 Elevation 3 CDOT Parcel East Vail 10 Public Works 60 Westhaven Tennis Courts 40 Total Project Development Trips 1475 247 44 Trip Distribution and Assignment The trips generated by the anticipated developments as presented in Table 3 were assigned to the roadway network based on the proximity to major streets and freeways, population densities, and local and regional attractions. The trip distribution percentages were also kept consistent with the assumptions in the 2009 TMP. The project trips were distributed to and from these directions in the corresponding percentages using VISTRO X.X: • 30% - West on I-70 • 15% - West Vail Area • 10% - Lionshead Parking • 15% - Village Parking • 5% - East Vail via S Frontage Road • 25% - East on I-70 Traffic Volumes The 2009 Transportation Master Plan anticipated consistent growth in traffic volumes due to projected development and general traffic background growth. However, based on the most recent traffic counts at key locations since that time, we have not seen the anticipated traffic growth come to fruition. In fact, at the Main Vail and West Vail Roundabouts, there has generally been a decrease in PM peak hour traffic volumes as shown in Table 4. Many factors can play into this with the foremost being that the traffic counts are isolated spot counts and do not provide insight into everyday trends. Other factors that influence traffic volumes over time include changing traffic patterns and capital improvements. For example, transit ridership, parking management strategies, and the construction of the Sandstone Underpass all could have alleviated some of the anticipated traffic growth. The Sandstone Underpass alone has redirected an average of 400 vehicles per peak hour away from the Main Vail and West Vail roundabouts. To avoid overestimating the projected future traffic volumes at the study intersections, the project team decided to incorporate only the anticipated growth from proposed developments as shown in Table 3, and not to assume any background growth. This can be justified by the decrease in traffic seen as identified above despite a 15% population growth (48k to 55k) in Eagle County from 2005 to 2021 (traffic counts dates) and further justified by recognizing that most of the traffic generated through the key intersection locations noted above are generated by motorists who have come from or are going to a parking space, whether that be a parking space in the Vail Village and Lionshead Village parking structures and/or area project developments. Without the development of additional significant parking, there can only be limited additional background traffic growth. Factors that might change this include the construction of significant additional managed or unmanaged parking, reduction of transit services, and an influx of Autonomous Vehicle (AV) passenger pick-up/drop-off which will increase traffic significantly. Currently the implementation of AV’s in Vail is not considered to have a significant impact on travel by 2045 (See Chapter 9). 248 45 The resulting projected future 2045 PM peak hour traffic volumes at the study intersections are shown in Figure 27 to Figure 30. Table 4: Roundabout Volume Comparison 2009 TMP 2021 Counts Difference (veh) Difference (% change) Intersection AM PM AM PM AM PM AM PM Chamonix Rd & N Frontage Rd 1134 2477 1412 1916 278 -561 25% -23% Chamonix Rd & S Frontage Rd 1460 2029 1066 1216 -394 -813 -27% -40% Vail Rd & N Frontage Rd 1600 1550 1109 1552 -491 2 -31% 0% Vail Rd & S Frontage Rd 2710 3190 2302 2919 -408 -271 -15% -8% Total Weighted Average -11% -15% The following shows the percentage of the traffic volumes composed of the trips generated from the anticipated developments: • Vail Road & N Frontage Road/Spraddle Creek Road: About 17% of total traffic is from proposed developments • Vail Road & S Frontage Road: About 18% of total traffic is from proposed developments • Chamonix Road & N Frontage Road: About 20% of total traffic is from proposed developments • Chamonix Road & S Frontage Road: About 25% of total traffic is from proposed developments • Sandstone Underpass Roundabouts: About 25% of total traffic is from proposed developments • About 23% of total traffic is from proposed developments at the remaining non-roundabout study intersections 249 46 Figure 27: Future 2045 PM Peak Hour Traffic Volumes – Roundabouts 250 47 Figure 28: Future 2045 PM Peak Hour Traffic Volumes – East 251 48 Figure 29: Future 2045 PM Peak Hour Traffic Volumes – Central 252 49 Figure 30: Future 2045 PM Peak Hour Traffic Volumes – West 253 50 Traffic Conditions Using the SIDRA software (for the roundabouts) and Synchro software (for unsignalized intersections) and the HCM 6 delay thresholds provided above, the future 2045 PM peak hour LOS were computed for each study intersection. The results are reported in Table 5 (see Appendix for detailed LOS report). As shown in Table 5, all study intersections operate within acceptable LOS (LOS D or better), except for the following locations: • Vail Road & S Frontage Road (Main Vail Roundabout South): LOS F ◦ This is caused by the high volumes on the westbound approach, accessing I70 from the Vail parking structure. The delays are worsened compared to existing conditions due to higher volumes on S Frontage Road from the anticipated developments. • Chamonix Road & N Frontage Road (West Vail Roundabout North): LOS F ◦ This is caused by the high volumes on the westbound approach, accessing I70 from the West Vail commercial development. The westbound approach already operates at LOS E in existing conditions; the anticipated growth worsens this approach to LOS F and causes the overall roundabout to fail. • Vail Valley Drive & S Frontage Road (Blue Cow Chute): LOS F ◦ This intersection is currently controlled unconventionally, favoring the northbound side-street movements with stop-controls on the east/west approaches on the S Frontage Road. The high volumes of traffic on the S Frontage Road being stop controlled experience high delays. The delays are worsened compared to existing conditions due to higher volumes on S Frontage Road from the anticipated developments. • East Parking Entrance & S Frontage Road (Vail Village Parking Structure Entry): LOS F ◦ This is caused by the high volumes of vehicles exiting the parking entrance (especially left turns) onto the S Frontage Road. The delays are worsened compared to existing conditions due to higher volumes on S Frontage Road from the anticipated developments. • Center East Parking Entrance & S Frontage Road (Vail Village Parking Structure Top Deck Entry): LOS E ◦ This is caused by the high volumes of vehicles exiting the parking entrance (especially left turns) onto the S Frontage Road. The delays are worsened compared to existing conditions due to higher volumes on S Frontage Road from the anticipated developments. 254 51 • Village Center Road & S Frontage Road: LOS E ◦ This is caused by the high volumes of vehicles exiting Village Center Road (especially left turns) onto the S Frontage Road. The delays are worsened compared to existing conditions due to higher volumes on S Frontage Road from the anticipated developments. • E Lionshead Circle & S Frontage Road: LOS E ◦ This is caused by the high volumes of vehicles exiting E Lionshead Circle (especially left turns) onto the S Frontage Road. The delays are worsened compared to existing conditions due to higher volumes on S Frontage Road from the anticipated developments. • W Lionshead Circle (West) & S Frontage Road: LOS E ◦ This is caused by the high volumes of vehicles exiting W Lionshead Circle (especially left turns) onto the S Frontage Road. The delays are worsened compared to existing conditions due to higher volumes on S Frontage Road from the anticipated developments. • Forest Road & S Frontage Road: LOS F ◦ This is caused by the increased volumes turning onto S Frontage Road from the stop- controlled side-streets, due to the anticipated growth with the Ever Vail development. 255 52 Table 5: Future 2045 Conditions ID Intersections Control1 Approach 2045 + Project PM Peak Hour Delay2 LOS 1 Vail Road & N Frontage Road Roundabout Overall 15 B NB 8 A NWB 18 C WB 20 C EB 39 E 2 Vail Road & S Frontage Road Roundabout Overall >100 F NB 45 E WB >100 F SB 9 A EB >100 F SEB 18 C 3 Big Horn Road & I-70 WB Ramp SSSC Overall 4 A WB 14 B NB 6 A SB 0 A 4 Big Horn Road & I-70 EB Ramp SSSC Overall 3 A EB 11 B NB 0 A SB 2 A 5 Chamonix Road & N Frontage Road Roundabout Overall 73 F NB 7 A NWB 7 A WB >100 F SB 21 C EB 20 C 6 Chamonix Road & S Frontage Road Roundabout Overall 15 C NB 10 A WB 24 C SB 5 A SEB 13 B EB 10 A 9 Ford Park Parking Lot & S Frontage Road SSSC Overall 1 A NB 13 B 256 53 ID Intersections Control1 Approach 2045 + Project PM Peak Hour Delay2 LOS WB 0 A EB 0 A 10 Vail Valley Drive & S Frontage Road SSSC Overall * F EB * F WB >300 F NB 8 A 11 East Parking Entrance & S Frontage Road SSSC Overall >100 F EB 0 A WB 10 B NB >300 F 12 Center East Parking Entrance & S Frontage Road SSSC Overall 5 A EB 0 A WB 10 B NB 47 E 15 Village Center Drive & S Frontage Road SSSC Overall 2 A EB 0 A WB 11 B NB 36 E 18 Lionshead Parking & S Frontage Road SSSC Overall 7 A EB 0 A WB 9 A NB 30 D 19 E Lionshead Circle & S Frontage Road SSSC Overall 6 A EB 0 A WB 9 A NB 37 E 20 W Lionshead Circle E & S Frontage Road SSSC Overall 3 A EB 0 A WB 9 A NB 22 C 21 W Lionshead Circle W & S Frontage Road SSSC Overall 3 A EB - - WB 38 E NB 0 A 257 54 ID Intersections Control1 Approach 2045 + Project PM Peak Hour Delay2 LOS SB 9 A 22 Forest Road & S Frontage Road SSSC Overall 82 F EB 10 B WB 8 A NB 72 F SB >400 F 23 Westhaven Drive & S Frontage Road SSSC Overall 3 A NB 22 C EB 0 A WB 9 A 25 Matterhorn Circle & S Frontage Road SSSC Overall 3 A WB 8 A EB 0 A WB 25 D 26 Gore Creek Road & S Frontage Road SSSC Overall 1 A NB 21 C EB 0 A WB 8 A 28 Red Sandstone Road & N Frontage Road SSSC Overall 3 A EB 9 A WB 0 A SB 16 C 29 Lions Ridge Loop & N Frontage Road SSSC Overall 2 A EB 8 A WB 0 A SB 16 C 30 Buffehr Creek Road & N Frontage Road SSSC Overall 3 A SB 21 C EB 9 A WB 0 A 31 Commercial Access (City Market) & N Frontage Road SSSC Overall 5 A SB 24 C EB 10 A WB 0 A 258 55 ID Intersections Control1 Approach 2045 + Project PM Peak Hour Delay2 LOS 33 Commercial Access (Safeway W Entrance) & N Frontage Road SSSC Overall 4 A SB 21 C EB 10 B WB 0 A 34 Commercial Access (McDonald's) & N Frontage Road SSSC Overall 3 A SB 18 C EB 10 B WB 1 A 35 Commercial Access (Hilton) & N Frontage Road SSSC Overall 1 A SB 24 C EB 10 B WB 1 A Notes: Bold text indicates intersections operating below acceptable LOS threshold. 1. SSSC=Side-Street Stop Control 2. Vehicle delay in seconds/vehicle and is reported for worst movement for each approach. * Indicates delay not being calculated in Synchro due to the volumes exceeding the capacity. Improvement Recommendations Previously Recommended Improvement Alternatives The 2009 TMP presented recommended improvement alternatives in the following main areas, which coincide with the updated identified LOS E/F projected traffic conditions above: • Main Vail Interchange • West Vail Interchange • South Frontage Road – Vail Road to Ford Park (Vail Village Area) • South Frontage Road – Vail Road to Forest Road (Lionshead Village Area) • West Vail Redevelopment Area The recommended improvements proposed in the 2009 TMP are supported by the 2045 Master Plan and are shown in Figure 31 and Figure 32. 259 56 Main Vail Interchange The following potential improvements were recommended for the Main Vail Interchange to increase capacity and alleviate congestion for the predominant PM Peak Hour movement of vehicles traveling NB under the underpass to the WB I-70 On-Ramp: • Expand and Re-stripe for 2 northbound lanes on Vail Road through the underpass, between the two roundabouts. • Clearly designate turn lane assignments along the westbound approach at the Vail Road & S Frontage Road roundabout. • Expand the Vail Road & N Frontage Road/Spraddle Creek Road roundabout to a full two-lane roundabout, extended onto the WB I-70 on-ramp ◦ A trial of this configuration was completed during the summers of 2016/17 during the Sandstone Underpass construction. The configuration was temporary and sub design standards, though still increased capacity of the NB movement under the underpass by 22%. West Vail Interchange Similar to the recommended improvements for the Main Vail Interchange the following potential improvements were recommended for the West Vail Interchange to alleviate congestion for the predominant PM Peak Hour movement of vehicles accessing the WB I-70 On-Ramp: • Expand and Re-stripe for 2 northbound lanes on Chamonix Road between the two roundabouts. South Frontage Road – Vail Road to Ford Park (Village Frontage) The following potential improvements were recommended for the Village Frontage to alleviate congestion for left turn movements from Vail Valley Drive and the Vail Village Parking Structure: • Construct new roundabout at Ford Park. • Convert the Vail Valley Drive & S Frontage Road intersection to a traditional side-street stop control with the stop sign on the northbound approach and free movements east/west on S Frontage Road. Also convert this intersection to a ¾ movement, restricting left turns out onto S Frontage Road. This configuration forces all NB Vail Valley Drive traffic to go east to a new west Ford Park roundabout, alleviating delays at the intersection, but creating out of the way travel for Vail Valley Drive EB traffic, similar to the out of the way travel created by the right-in/right-out only condition at Vail Health and Town Municipal Center • Provide officer control or other traffic control device at the East Parking Entrance & S Frontage Road intersection to allow signal-like efficiency. This can be made more efficient in combination with the above west Ford Park roundabout by encouraging exiting traffic to go WB to the west Ford Park roundabout in order to go EB. Creating a free flow condition for exiting traffic with a small amount of out of the way travel. 260 57 • Add right turn acceleration/deceleration lane in the eastbound direction on S Frontage Road between Vail Valley Drive and the new roundabout at Ford Park, allowing a free flow movement from Vail Valley Drive to the South Frontage Road South Frontage Road – Vail Road to Forest Road (Lionshead Frontage) The following potential improvements were recommended for the Lionshead Frontage: • Construct Simba Run(Sandstone) underpass of I-70 with roundabout intersections at frontage roads. (Completed 2017) This underpass alleviates congestion at both the West Vail Roundabouts and the Main Vail Roundabouts by providing an alternate way to cross the interstate. Every vehicle that goes through the Sandstone Underpass is one less vehicle crossing under the West Vail or Main Vail underpasses and through the associated roundabouts. It also provides an additional pedestrian and transit route crossing. (Recent traffic counts confirm this alleviates an average of 400 vehicles from Main Vail and West Vail roundabouts during the peak hour.) • Relocate S Frontage Road and combine Forest Road and W Lionshead Circle intersections as a roundabout along with the Ever Vail development. This roundabout provides more efficient access for both Forest Road and W Lionshead Circle and efficient access to Ever Vail’s large east underground parking garage (1000+ parking spaces) • Widen S Frontage Road to include median lane and continuous eastbound acceleration/deceleration lane. • Add a roundabout at E Lionshead Circle. This roundabout about provides more efficient left turn access to and from E Lionshead Circle and specifically provides an improvement to Vail’s In-Town bus route which needs to make left turns in and out of E Lionshead Circle. • Provide officer control or other traffic control device at the Lionshead Parking & S Frontage Road. (At this time improvements have been made to this intersection to add left and right turn lanes, and add a free flow right turn lane out of the Lionshead Parking Structure.) West Vail Redevelopment Area The following potential improvement was recommended for the West Vail Redevelopment Area: • Provide a primary full-movement roundabout access at the center of the commercial area on N Frontage Road. This roundabout would alleviate left turns in and out of most of the commercial access points providing more efficient access. 261 58 Figure 31: Previously Recommended Improvement Alternatives – Central Vail Figure 32: Previously Recommended Improvement Alternatives – West Vail 26 2 59 26 3 60 Recommended Improvement Alternatives Out of the recommended improvement alternatives presented in the 2009 TMP, the Simba Run (Sandstone) underpass, and improvements at the Lionshead Parking Structure have been built, along with a new roundabout at Vail Health to improve access. For this analysis, the previously remaining recommended improvements were evaluated with the updated projected 2045 future volumes, including the anticipated growth from the redevelopment and additional recommended improvements. Main Vail Interchange and West Vail Interchange Explore options to improve safety for cyclists at the Vail Road and Chamonix Road roundabouts through signage, sharrow striping, etc. At both interchanges, it is recommended that the northbound lanes be re- striped to provide 2 lanes. South Frontage Road – Vail Road to Ford Park (Village Frontage) The proposed roundabout at Ford Park allows for opportunities to make a U-turn, which benefits the side- street stop intersections at the Village parking. Rather than making a left turn onto S Frontage Road, vehicles would have an option to make a right turn, and a U-turn at the Ford Park roundabout to access the Vail Road roundabouts onto I-70. South Frontage Road – Vail Road to Forest Road (Lionshead Frontage) The proposed roundabout at the Forest Road/Ever Vail access and W Lionshead Circle provides the capacity to carry the additional traffic from the proposed Ever Vail redevelopment, as well as the background traffic on S Frontage Road efficiently. West Vail Redevelopment Area The West Vail Master Plan published in November 2021 presents concepts of a roundabout on North Frontage Road in the commercial area, with potentially restricting the other business accesses to right- in/right-out. This concept was not implemented for the analysis for this TMP update because the results showed acceptable LOS at the study intersections in this area. However, this is likely due to the limitations of the Synchro software not being able to capture the queue spillback from the Chamonix Road & North Frontage Road roundabout. The concept of a roundabout with right-in/right-out restrictions on North Frontage Road will likely help the intersections operate at acceptable LOS. Using the SIDRA software (for the roundabouts) and Synchro software (for unsignalized intersections) and the HCM 6 delay thresholds provided above, the future 2045 PM peak hour mitigated LOS were computed for each study intersection. The results are reported in Table 6 (see Appendix for detailed LOS report). As shown in Table 6, the Village East Parking Entrance & S Frontage Road intersection was analyzed as a signal for the mitigated conditions. Although the intersection is not a physical signal, controlling it with officers or other traffic control devices would allow it to function like a signal. 264 61 The results shown in Table 6 show that implementing the previously recommended improvement alternatives mitigates all study intersections to acceptable LOS (LOS D or better), with the exception of the following locations: • Vail Road & S Frontage Road (Main Vail Roundabout South): LOS F ◦ The improvements reduce the delays, but the roundabout is still expected to operate at LOS F. A sensitivity analysis was performed on the traffic volumes at the roundabout, and was determined that if 15% of the westbound traffic (coming from the Village) is rerouted elsewhere and removed from the roundabout, the roundabout is mitigated to operate at an overall LOS D. This can most efficiently be accomplished through Travel Demand Management (TDM) (See Chapter X.X). The most beneficial TDM measures are likely increased transit usage, encourage off-peak travel, and encourage I-70 EB travelers to access I-70 via the East Vail interchange during the PM peak hour. • Chamonix Road & N Frontage Road (West Vail Roundabout North): LOS E ◦ The improvements reduce the delays and LOS, but the roundabout is still expected to operate at LOS E. A sensitivity analysis was performed on the traffic volumes at the roundabout, and was determined that if 10% of the westbound traffic (coming from the West Vail commercial area) is rerouted elsewhere and removed from the roundabout, the roundabout is mitigated to operate at an overall LOS D. This can most efficiently be accomplished through Travel Demand Management. The most beneficial TDM measure will likely be increased transit usage and encourage off-peak travel. Table 6: Future 2045 Mitigated Conditions ID Intersections Control1 Approach 2045 + Project – Mitigated PM Peak Hour Delay2 LOS 1 Vail Road & N Frontage Road Roundabout Overall 15 B NB 8 A NWB 18 C WB 20 C EB 39 E 2 Vail Road & S Frontage Road Roundabout Overall 73 F NB 39 E WB 169 F SB 9 A EB 24 C SEB 18 C 265 62 ID Intersections Control1 Approach 2045 + Project – Mitigated PM Peak Hour Delay2 LOS 3 Big Horn Road & I-70 WB Ramp SSSC Overall 4 A WB 14 B NB 6 A SB 0 A 4 Big Horn Road & I-70 EB Ramp SSSC Overall 3 A EB 11 B NB 0 A SB 2 A 5 Chamonix Road & N Frontage Road Roundabout Overall 43 E NB 7 A NWB 7 A WB 90 F SB 27 D EB 24 C 6 Chamonix Road & S Frontage Road Roundabout Overall 15 C NB 10 A WB 24 C SB 5 A SEB 13 B EB 10 A 9 Ford Park Parking Lot & S Frontage Road Roundabout Overall 8 A NB 10 B WB 12 A EB 7 A 10 Vail Valley Drive & S Frontage Road SSSC Overall 0 A EB 0 A WB 9 A NB 0 A 11 East Parking Entrance & S Frontage Road Signal/Officer Overall 16 B EB 7 A WB 20 B NB 33 C 12 Center East Parking Entrance & S Frontage Road SSSC Overall 2 A EB 0 A WB 11 B NB 18 C 266 63 ID Intersections Control1 Approach 2045 + Project – Mitigated PM Peak Hour Delay2 LOS 15 Village Center Drive & S Frontage Road SSSC Overall 1 A EB 0 A WB 11 B NB 16 C 18 Lionshead Parking & S Frontage Road SSSC Overall 7 A EB 0 A WB 9 A NB 30 D 19 E Lionshead Circle & S Frontage Road Roundabout Overall 12 B EB 10 B WB 14 B NB 12 B 20 W Lionshead Circle E & S Frontage Road SSSC Overall 3 A EB 0 A WB 9 A NB 22 C 21 W Lionshead Circle W & S Frontage Road Roundabout Overall 12 B EB 9 A WB 8 A NB 11 B SB 16 C 22 Forest Road & S Frontage Road3 SSSC Overall - - EB - - WB - - NB - - SB - - 23 Westhaven Drive & S Frontage Road SSSC Overall 3 A NB 22 C EB 0 A WB 9 A 25 Matterhorn Circle & S Frontage Road SSSC Overall 3 A WB 8 A EB 0 A WB 25 D 267 64 ID Intersections Control1 Approach 2045 + Project – Mitigated PM Peak Hour Delay2 LOS 26 Gore Creek Road & S Frontage Road SSSC Overall 1 A NB 21 C EB 0 A WB 8 A 28 Red Sandstone Road & N Frontage Road SSSC Overall 3 A EB 9 A WB 0 A SB 16 C 29 Lions Ridge Loop & N Frontage Road SSSC Overall 2 A EB 8 A WB 0 A SB 16 C 30 Buffehr Creek Road & N Frontage Road SSSC Overall 3 A SB 21 C EB 9 A WB 0 A 31 Commercial Access (City Market) & N Frontage Road SSSC Overall 5 A SB 24 C EB 10 A WB 0 A 33 Commercial Access (Safeway W Entrance) & N Frontage Road SSSC Overall 4 A SB 21 C EB 10 B WB 0 A 34 Commercial Access (McDonald's) & N Frontage Road SSSC Overall 3 A SB 18 C EB 10 B WB 1 A 35 Commercial Access (Hilton) & N Frontage Road SSSC Overall 1 A SB 24 C EB 10 B WB 1 A Notes: Bold text indicates intersections operating below acceptable LOS threshold. 1. SSSC=Side-Street Stop Control 2. Vehicle delay in seconds/vehicle and is reported for worst movement for each approach. * Indicates delay not being calculated in Synchro due to the volumes exceeding the capacity. 3. Forest Road & S Frontage Road intersection is combined with the W Lionshead Circle & S Frontage Road intersection. 268 65 Conclusion The recommended improvement alternatives presented in the 2009 TMP were incorporated into the analysis with the updated projected future 2045 conditions. The future 2045 conditions included anticipated growth from proposed developments in the Town of Vail. The analysis showed that the recommended improvements in the 2009 TMP still apply and mitigate the study intersections. No new improvement alternative (other than those from the 2009 TMP) is recommended for this study. Table 7 below shows the summary of the intersection delay and LOS for the study intersections. Table 7: Delay and LOS Comparison ID Intersections Control1 Existing 2045 + Project 2045 + Project – Mitigated PM Peak Hour PM Peak Hour PM Peak Hour Delay2 LOS Delay2 LOS Delay2 LOS 1 Vail Road & N Frontage Road Roundab out 18 C 15 B 15 B 2 Vail Road & S Frontage Road Roundab out 39 E >100 F 73 F 3 Big Horn Road & I-70 WB Ramp SSSC 13 B 14 B 14 B 4 Big Horn Road & I-70 EB Ramp SSSC 10 B 11 B 11 B 5 Chamonix Road & N Frontage Road Roundab out 20 C 73 F 43 E 6 Chamonix Road & S Frontage Road Roundab out 8 A 15 C 15 C 9 Ford Park Parking Lot & S Frontage Road Roundab out 12 B 13 B 10 B 10 Vail Valley Drive & S Frontage Road SSSC >100 F >300 F 9 A 11 East Parking Entrance & S Frontage Road Signal/Off icer >200 F >300 F 33 C 12 Center East Parking Entrance & S Frontage Road SSSC 28 D 47 E 18 C 15 Village Center Drive & S Frontage Road SSSC 25 C 36 E 16 C 18 Lionshead Parking & S Frontage Road SSSC 17 C 30 D 30 D 19 E Lionshead Circle & S Frontage Road SSSC 22 C 37 E 12 B 269 66 ID Intersections Control1 Existing 2045 + Project 2045 + Project – Mitigated PM Peak Hour PM Peak Hour PM Peak Hour Delay2 LOS Delay2 LOS Delay2 LOS 20 W Lionshead Circle E & S Frontage Road SSSC 17 C 22 C 22 C 21 W Lionshead Circle W & S Frontage Road Roundab out 21 C 38 E 12 B 22 Forest Road & S Frontage Road3 SSSC 20 C >400 F - - 23 Westhaven Drive & S Frontage Road SSSC 16 C 22 C 22 C 25 Matterhorn Circle & S Frontage Road SSSC 17 C 25 D 25 D 26 Gore Creek Road & S Frontage Road SSSC 18 C 21 C 21 C 28 Red Sandstone Road & N Frontage Road SSSC 13 B 16 C 16 C 29 Lions Ridge Loop & N Frontage Road SSSC 13 B 16 C 16 C 30 Buffehr Creek Road & N Frontage Road SSSC 17 C 21 C 21 C 31 Commercial Access (City Market) & N Frontage Road SSSC 17 C 24 C 24 C 33 Commercial Access (Safeway W Entrance) & N Frontage Road SSSC 15 C 21 C 21 C 34 Commercial Access (McDonald's) & N Frontage Road SSSC 15 B 18 C 18 C 35 Commercial Access (Hilton) & N Frontage Road SSSC 17 C 24 C 24 C Notes: Bold text indicates intersections operating below acceptable LOS threshold. 1. SSSC=Side-Street Stop Control 2. Vehicle delay in seconds/vehicle and is reported for worst approach for SSSC intersections, and overall intersection for roundabouts. 3. Forest Road & S Frontage Road intersection is combined with the W Lionshead Circle & S Frontage Road intersection. 270 67 271 68 Chapter 5 –Traffic Calming The purpose of traffic calming is to reduce vehicle speeds on residential roads and through commercial areas to promote safety, liveability, and quality of life for motorists and non-motorists alike. The challenge is to provide that in a manner that is safe and efficient and does not impede mobility. Similar to most communities speeding is a common concern throughout the Town of Vail. This chapter provides tools that can be used for traffic calming to achieve the goal of reducing speeds. Despite the fact that over 75% of the town’s residential roads speed limits are 15 mph, the average speed on most of the town’s residential roads is 20 mph and the 85th percentile speed is 25 mph (See Figure 31). The 85th percentile speed is defined as the speed at which 85% of all motorists travel below on a given road, and therefore indicates that most drivers perceive it as a safe operating speed. The Town’s goal is to reduce that 85th percentile speed and safe operating speed perception to 20 mph. The remainder of this chapter identifies opportunities, that range from adjusting speed limits to physical and non-physical traffic calming measures, the town might persue to reduce vehicular speeds Speed Limits One element that could be considered is adjusting posted speed limits on residential roadways in Vail from 15 mph to 20 mph to provide consistency with the 85th percentile speed goal and not rely on unrealistic speed limits. This would improve comfort for all modes of travel and consistency for drivers. To successfully amend posted speed limits, a robust public outreach campaign should be initiated to further gauge acceptance and to notify residence of the change as well as inform them of recommended enforcement actions and traffic calming policy that the town may adopt. This chapter recommends appropriate traffic calming policies and measures for local streets to increase compliance with speed limits and complement bicycle/pedestrian recommendations in the multimodal chapter. Background on Speed Limit Setting In 2018, HB18-1191 was signed into law, increasing local government and county control on increasing or decreasing posted speed limits for residential neighborhoods within the authority's jurisdiction. Prior to HB18-1191, the process for changing the speed limit required the municipal authority to conduct a traffic investigation or survey justifying the change using the “85th percentile rule.” The rule stipulated that 85 percent of drivers must already be traveling at the speed desired for change before changing the limit. HB18-1191 lifts the requirement of only using the 85th percentile rule as the justification and instead allows communities to consider other factors, including: • Roadway class • Current and future development • Environmental factors 272 69 • Parking practices • Pedestrian and bicycle activity in the vicinity • Crash statistics from the most recent year With this change, the Town of Vail could reevaluate posted speed limits on residential streets based on some of the above practices, in order to create a consistent experience for all travelers, create streets that are comfortable for walking and biking, and determine a posted speed limit that is in line with design speed for vehicles in order to increase compliance. Lower speeds are shown to exponentially reduce risk of fatality for vulnerable users. However, posted speed limits that are unrealistically low do not actually lower speeds. Generally, how fast a driver travels on a road is determined by the geometry of the roadway and how comfortable the driver is traveling at a given speed and not the posted speed limit. Any changes in posted speed limits need to be paired with education, enforcement, and potential changes to roadway infrastructure and programs; this will ensure that residents and visitors are educated about speed limits, and that roadway design speed matches posted speed limit. Together, the appropriate posted speed limit, programs, and infrastructure will result in more comfortable streets for all ages and abilities. Figure 33: Fatality and Speed Correlation (Source: SFMTA Vision Zero Action Plan) Existing Speed Limit Conditions The current posted speed limits in Vail—on roadways that the town can control—range from 15–45 mph on all road classifications. Table 8 presents total miles of roads controlled by Vail, as sorted by speed limit. The percentage of road classifications with a given speed limit is shown in Table 9. Currently, the majority (77%) of local roads are set at 15 mph. However, 1% of local roadways (Vail Transportation Center roundabout) have a 20-mph posted recommended speed limit and 22% of local roadways have a 25-mph posted speed limit. This inconsistency in posted limits on local roadways may create confusion for 273 70 drivers, low compliance, and is not intuitive. Additionally, the 15 mph speed limits are unrealistically low for most roads, difficult to enforce, and cause around 80% of drivers to be in violation. Figure 34 illustrates posted speed limits,85th percentile, and average speeds at select locations where a speed survey was conducted. Results from the 2021 speed survey show that the 85th percentile of speed observed are greater than 15 mph and are mostly within 5 mph of 20 mph; and the average speeds observed are typically ~20 mph. Table 10 shows that achieving a 15 mph 85th percentile speed on most roadways is unrealistic. This is indicative of 20 mph being a more realistic speed limit for residential roads in Vail. The terrain and topography of residential roads also suggests that 20 mph is an ideal speed limit under Colorado State Law. National research and a peer review from other communities, as performed for this report, is aligned with this consideration. This consideration—to adjust to a more consistent 20 mph posted speed limit on most local streets—is described further in the following section. 274 71 Figure 34: Current Speed Limits in Vail 27 5 72 Table 8: Sum of Miles by Road Classification Posted Speed Limit Miles of Arterial % of Arterials Miles of Collector % of Collectors Miles of Local % of Locals 15 1.7 40% 20.3 80% 20 0.1 0% 0.2 1% 25 3.7 27% 2.6 60% 4.7 19% 30 0.3 2% 35 3.8 28% 40 1.7 12% 45 3.9 29% Total 13.4 100% 4.3 100% 25.2 100% Table 9: Sum of Miles and Percentage of Road Classification with Designated Posted Speed Limit on Vail Controlled Roads (with majority highlighted) Road Classification Sum of Length in Miles % of Total Miles in Vail % of Total Miles Controlled by Vail Arterial 13 18% 31% CDOT 24 33% N/A Collector 4 6% 10% Local/ Heated Streetscape 26 34% 59% Total 67 100% 100% Highlights of Public Input on Speed Limit Changes Based on the Go Vail 2045 project survey conducted in 2023, there is a lot of support for changing posted speed limits to 20 MPH in residential areas to achieve consistency, and a realistic speed limit. 77% of respondents indicated they are in support of the change and only 14% opposed. See Chapter 3 – Public Engagement for additional details on the public engagement process and results for Go Vail 2045. Considerations for 20 MPH Posted Speed Limits The main justifications for maintaining the existing 15-mph speed limit are the residential nature of the roadways and the lack of separate pedestrian accommodations along them. However, based on observed speeds, typically 80% of vehicles exceed this speed limit, indicating that it is unrealistically low, making it difficult to enforce. The speeding complaints the town receives are generally in response to pedestrians feeling unsafe while walking along roadways adjacent to vehicles, the complaints are not generally based on documented crashes or safety incidents. Pedestrians are likely experiencing adjacent vehicles traveling 276 73 at speeds of 20-25 mph which can be perceived as much greater when there are no separate pedestrian accommodations. The Multimodal Recommendations, Chapter 7, identifie there may be a future potential need for separated pedestrian accommodations on higher speed roadways, given community support. On residential roadways where the 85th percentile has been documented to be above the speed limit, separate pedestrian facilities should be considered in the future to give greater pedestrian comfort and create a buffer between moving vehicles. Enforcement of the 15 mph speed limits would require the police department to ticket most vehicles. Alternatively, installing physical traffic calming treatments to achieve a design speed of 15 mph on Vail’s roadways would be challenging or infeasible given the frequency of treatment measures that would be necessary to effectively slow traffic to that degree. This type of frequency would also cause maintenance challenges (particularly in snowy conditions), impacts to emergency vehicle response times, evacuation times, and have impacts to buses and the bus rider experience. Findings from the 2021 speed survey determined that most drivers on Vail residential streets drive at speeds of 25 mph or lower, with a few exceptions. On the 24 roadways within the survey with posted speed limits of 15 mph, the 85th percentile speed was 23.4 mph on average. This indicates that 85% of drivers are driving at or below 23.4 mph. It is also a strong indicator that 15 mph speed limits are unrealistically low, and that compliance to the posted speed limit is extremely low. To force compliance, extreme enforcement measures or significant traffic calming measures would be necessary on most roads. If the Town adjusted to a posted 20 mph speed limit on residential roads, there might be concern that speeds would increase. However, we would not expect the 85th percentile or average speed to change, this is made evident by the recent speed limit change along Kinnicknick Road, explained below and supported by many published national studies regarding changes to posted speed limits (Site References). However, changing the posted speed limits to 20 mph would bring Vail in-line with the national push for “20 is plenty”, and bring speed compliance into a much more reasonable and enforceable condition. 20 mph is also the typical School Zone crossing speed in Eagle County and across the state. If 20 mph is appropriate in locations where children cross for school, then it is also likely a conservative speed limit for local residential roads. Nationwide, most communities have historically set residential speed limits to 25 mph or 30 mph. Now, many communities are reducing speed limits to 20 mph on local roadways to improve safety. The National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) City Limits guidance recommends setting default speed limits on many streets at once—for example, setting limits of 25 mph on all major streets and 20 mph on all minor streets. As part of the City and County of Denver’s Vision Zero effort, Denver reduced residential speed limits from 25 mph to 20 mph. The City of Boulder underwent the same process in 2020. Although empirical evidence from the Institute of Traffic Engineering (ITE) demonstrates that geometrics of the roadway dictate travel speeds and posted speed limits do not, communities have used this as a catalyst to change roadway design to align with a lower posted speed limit. To increase effectiveness, changes in posted speed limits should be supplemented by associated changes in roadway design. 277 74 Supporting Speed Studies Kinnikinnick Road Recently, the Town reduced the speed limit on Kinnikinnick Road from 25 mph to 15 mph to improve safety conditions for pedestrians. After several months of intermittent notification of the speed change via the town’s speed trailer, the Town performed a blind speed study. The results of the study indicated no change in vehicle speed. The 85th percentile speed stayed at 21mph on the east end of the corridor, and had a slight decrease on the west end of the corridor—from 24 mph to 23 mph. This means that most vehicles are travelling at speeds 50% greater than the posted speed limit and should be ticketed accordingly. To change this behavior, it is likely traffic calming measures would need to be installed approximately every 200 feet, and strict enforcement would need to occur regularly and continuously. Another option may be to install appropriate pedestrian facilities to alleviate some of the speeding complaints and get to the root of the problem. Montana Speed Limit Study A study out of Montana quantified the operational and safety impacts of setting posted speed limits below engineering recommendations using field data from rural roads in Montana. This study found setting a speed limit of no more than 5 mph below the 85th percentile speed may result in fewer crashes, and can lead to drivers complying closely with the posted speed limit. This study supports raising residential speed limits from the current 15 mph to 20 mph. Enforcing 15 mph is one of the largest hurdles to overcome because most drivers exceed this speed limit. The most recent speed study performed in Vail in 2021 observed on nine residential roads that the 85th percentile ranged from 19 mph to 29 mph. If the speed limit on residential roads were raised to 20 mph, then 88% of observed 85th percentile speeds fall within 5 mph of 20 mph. As the study found, a posted speed limit representing more realistic traffic flow conditions can lead to increased compliance. This change in speed limit on residential roads will bring more drivers into compliance and free up local resources to target enforcement efforts elsewhere. Under Colorado law, narrow, winding mountain roads or roads with blind curves have a presumptive speed limit of 20 mph. Due to current speeding conditions and recommended speed limits under Colorado law, 20 mph speed limits on residential roads are a justifiable change for the Town of Vail. 278 75 27 9 76 Future Considerations Although the speed limit for most local roadways could be 20 mph, there may be some atypical locations that require further consideration. While these situations would be rare, an example of a local roadway operating at 15 mph may be because of steep horizontal and vertical curvature, a known area of safety concern, a high pedestrian volume road like the section of Vail Valley Drive that is part of the Gore Valley Trail, or another safety related reason. If Vail considers adjusting speed limits ,further analysis should consider many important factors to determine the appropriate posted speed limit such as current and future development, land uses, environmental factors, pedestrian and bicycle activity in the vicinity, and speed data monitoring. A spatial analysis of these factors should be performed for a holistic evaluation of the appropriate posted speed limits in Vail. Additional analysis should also study and recommend changes to posted speed limits on collectors and arterials in the Town. Building support on speed limit changes with a range of stakeholders and being consistent with current policies is important. The Town of Vail should ensure consistency with the following policies, groups, and efforts: • Education and publicity campaigns to promote driving at safe speeds • Clean Air Strategies and Zones • Sustainable travel initiatives • Safer school travel initiatives, including School Travel Plans • Promoting safer vehicles and vehicle technology • Improved Signs and Crossings • Enforcement and compliance campaigns, including safety cameras • Co-operation with Local Road Safety Stakeholders Traffic Calming Studies and empirical evidence from the Institute of Traffic Engineering (ITE) demonstrate that the geometries of a roadway influence travel speeds much more significantly than posted speed limits. Since changing the configuration of the roadways is costly and time-consuming, traffic calming provides corrective traffic management treatments to slow down vehicles. The toolbox of traffic management devices is grouped into two categories: • Speed Control Devices – vertical devices, horizontal devices, and narrowing devices • Non-Physical Devices – education, encouragement, and enforcement 280 77 Implementing the appropriate traffic calming strategies, where necessary, is important to effectively manage vehicle speeds. Traffic calming entails implementation of countermeasures to calm vehicle speeds, especially at locations with observed or documented speeding safety concerns. Horizontal and vertical geometric design changes to roads in areas of concern can signal the need to drive more slowly, but also can improve comfort and create environments more friendly to people walking or biking—even before the construction of a sidewalk, trail, or bike lane. When discussing walking and bicycling in the community, public outreach participants cited a lack of separation from vehicle traffic speeds as a common challenge that contributes to discomfort for people walking and bicycling. Summary of Public Input on Traffic Calming When asked about their support for different traffic calming improvements in the Go Vail 2045 survey in 2023, 79% of respondents supported lane striping, 47% supported neckdowns/curb extensions, 44% supported speed humps, and 36% supported photo enforced radar (Figure 35). Figure 35: Levels of Community Support for Traffic Calming Measures Traffic Calming Treatments Traffic calming treatments may include vertical devices, horizontal devices, and narrowing devices. • Vertical deflection devices, such as speed humps, use variations in pavement height and alternative paving materials to physically reduce travel speeds. These devices are designed for travel speeds over the device of approximately 15 to 20 mph depending on the device. • Horizontal deflection devices, such as traffic circles, use raised islands to eliminate straight-line paths along roadways and through intersections. • Narrowing devices use raised islands, curb extensions, and other treatments to narrow the travel lane for motorists. They are not as effective as vertical or horizontal devices but can still provide traffic calming. 281 78 While there are many traffic calming devices available, a select few are identified as appropriate and recommended in the Town of Vail. These are listed below and described in more detail in this section: • Speed table or cushions (vertical deflection) • Bulb-outs, chicanes, or chokers (horizontal deflection) • Lane narrowing/painted shoulders • Enforcement • Signage Speed Tables, Speed Humps, or Cushions Definition: Speed tables are flat-topped speed humps approximately 22 feet long, which is typically long enough for the entire wheelbase of a passenger car to rest on top. Their long flat fields, along with ramps that are more gently sloped than regular speed humps, give speed tables higher design speeds than humps and thus may be more appropriate for streets with snowplows and emergency services vehicles. Concrete is the preferred material. Stamped concrete can give the appearance of brick or other textured materials, which would improve the appearance of speed tables, draw attention to them, and may enhance safety and speed reduction. Another option would be speed cushions. Unlike speed humps or tables, speed cushions include wheel cutouts sized to large vehicles like emergency vehicles and trucks, allowing them to move unaffected, while still slowing passenger vehicles. However, this also makes them difficult to maintain in the winter, since plows cannot clear snow within the cutouts. They are not as flat on the top as speed tables are and have more of a sinusoidal shape. Considerations: Although speed tables make maintenance easier than speed humps or bumps, they are not as effective at slowing speeds. Speed tables should be placed in strategic locations where speeds are higher (such as straightaways) and at a frequency that will reduce acceleration between speed humps. speed tables and humps are point location devices unless installed in series. The frequency of installation is dependent on desired results. ITE Guidelines for the Design and Application of Speed Humps recommends spacing of 260' to 500' to keep 85th percentile operating speed between 25 and 30 mph. Another study recommends spacing of 150’ to 225’ to keep 85th percentile operating speed between 15 and 20 mph. Speed reduction effects decline at the rate of approximately 0.5 to 1 mph every 100 feet beyond the 200-foot approach and exit of a speed hump (ITE). Findings from the previous speed hump studies done in Vail confirm the frequency of placement of speed humps as stated above. (See Below Example) Some other design considerations for speed table/cushion implementation are: • Installing proper signage, reflectors, or other vertical markers roadside to go with the speed humps can provide important visual cues to let plow drivers know there is an obstacle to navigate 282 79 (they typically need to slightly lift the blade and change its angle on approach to have it ride over the hump cleanly without damage). • Temporary speed humps are trickier, but the issue is their tendency to catch the leading edge of the plow and sustain damage. Most snowy places install temporary devices in the summer and remove them in the winter to avoid all issues related to snow removal; drivers tend to speed less when the street has snow because the snow itself serves as a traffic calming measure. • Navigating speed humps while still removing snow/ice effectively does require some effort for the operator, communities with a lot of them often re-think their winter maintenance approach to ensure the right equipment and a consistent set of operators are assigned to specific routes. Example Application: In the Town of Vail, Chamonix Lane (east) received two temporary speed humps in the summer of 2018, shown in Figure 36. The two speed humps were installed along Chamonix Lane just west of the Vail Commons bus stop at a spacing of approximately 225 feet. The intent was to slow traffic to less than 20 mph and the study monitored speeds before, after, and at the mid-point of the speed humps. The speed data results saw a 7-9 mph speed reduction at and between the speed humps, and a 3- mph reduction a couple hundred feet before and after the speed humps. Resident feedback from a resident along Chamonix Lane (east), confirmed the Town’s general findings; the speed humps were only effective at their immediate location. They also indicated that in their discussion with neighbors, some were avoiding the speed bumps all together and increasing traffic volume toward Buffehr Creek Road. The Town of Vail made the conclusion that speed humps will generally slow traffic to less than 20mph at point locations; slowing an entire road like Chamonix Lane (east) or West Gore Creek Drive would require 11-12 speed humps at a spacing of every ~225’. Figure 36: Chamonix Lane (east) Temporary Speed Bumps 283 80 Peer Review: Boston has successfully applied speed humps to reduce speeds on 20 and 25 mph roadways that are not bus routes. Generally, Boston has a policy to place speed humps between 150 and 250 feet apart. These streets are successfully plowed and serve as emergency services routes. The success of this program has resulted in the mayor planning to add 1,500 more speed humps on eligible roadways. In Orem, Utah, on Palisade Drive, which has a posted speed limit of 25 mph, there are 9 speed humps within about a mile. Orem gets an average of 42 inches of snow a year. In Sandpoint, Idaho, on Ella Avenue, which has a posted speed limit of 25 mph, the city has been really impressed with how these humps are slowing traffic down but has not caused any issues with plowing or with heavy trucks traveling this route. They have three humps over a .70-mile distance. Sandpoint gets an average of 58 inches of snow a year. In Aspen, a speed table was implemented on Neale Avenue, which has a posted speed limit of 15 mph, and reduced speeds from 29 mph to 24 mph. Effectiveness: Speed tables typically see a decline of approximately 0.5 to 1 mph midway between tables for each 100 feet beyond the 200-foot approach and exit points of consecutive speed tables (ITE). The effect of speed cushions varies with height and spacing; speed reductions between cushions have been observed averaging 20 and 25 percent. Speeds typically increase by 0.5 mph midway between cushions for each 100 feet of separation (ITE). Generally, speed humps/tables/cushions are effective measures to slow traffic. Based on the examples above they are particularly effective in slowing vehicles down at point locations, and entire lengths of roads down to approximately 25mph when reasonably spaced. Slowing traffic down along an entire length of roadway to below 20 mph would require close spacing which may become problematic. As identified in the above examples they can be effectively plowed during the winter, however this may add additional wear and tear to equipment and add some additional time and expense. This also is true with regards to emergency response vehicles, and evacuation times, where caution should be used to evaluate response and evacuation times and wear and tear on equipment. The same considerations apply with regard to the impact on transit routes and more importantly the impact to rider experience, especially riders who are standing. Bulb-outs, Chicanes, and Chokers Definition: Bulb-outs and curb extensions narrow the roadway at intersections. Bulb bouts are a form of horizontal treatments that make intersections more pedestrian friendly by shortening the crossing distance to leave 10 feet for the nearest auto travel lane and decreasing the curb radii, thus reducing turning vehicle speeds. Both treatments increase pedestrian comfort and safety at the intersection. Chokers are curb extensions at midblock that narrow a street. Chokers leave the street cross section with two lanes that are narrower than the normal cross section that is usually not wide enough for two cars to 284 81 pass. Generally, 12 feet is effective and still allows for emergency vehicles to pass uninhibited. Chicanes are like chokers but narrow only one side of the street at a time and provide alternating narrow and wide sections. Their effectiveness in calming traffic is limited by the absence of vertical or horizontal deflection, but they can still be beneficial. On low volume streets, chokers or chicanes can narrow the street from two lanes to one lane for the short distance of the length of the choker/chicane. This narrows the street dramatically and requires vehicles to yield to oncoming traffic. Considerations: As a temporary treatment, or for an option that reduces construction and maintenance costs, all three of these treatments can be implemented with striping and flex posts that can be removed during the winter to facilitate snow removal and storage. Example Applications: The Town of Vail does have chokers currently; they are located on East Meadow Drive to deter traffic from entering the pedestrian zones, shown in the photo example Figure 37. Figure 37: East Meadow Drive Chokers The Town of Crested Butte installed flower boxes in a chicane configuration (about 1-2 per block) for a lane closure project, which calmed streets by 2-3 mph. Flower boxes are only present during summer months. Park City has also installed planters and bollards to serve as a chicane or median to narrow the street. The city reported that this has effectively slowed speeds. Durango recently underwent an extensive design and public engagement process to rethink Main Avenue. The preferred design, supported by both the community and City staff, deploys a combination of bulb- outs at intersections and chokers midblock. Boulder uses chicanes to narrow low volume residential streets, such as Quince Avenue, from 2 lanes to one lane, for the extent of the chicane. The chicane in Boulder is built using paint and bollards. The posted speed limit on Quince Avenue is 20 mph. 285 82 Figure 38: Park City flower boxes Denver also uses bollards and paints to create bulb-outs on roadways that get regularly plowed. These have effectively slowed turning vehicles. Figure 39: Bulb‐outs using bollards and paint in Denver Effectiveness: For bulb-outs, speed is reduced only at the intersections. There is not national research showing the impact of chicanes or chokers on speed reduction, but anecdotal evidence from example applications have noted speed reductions. 286 83 Lane Narrowing/Painted Edge lines/Shoulder/Edge Lane Roads Definition: Lane striping can be used to create formal bicycle lanes, edge lines, or shoulders. As a traffic management measure, they are used to narrow the travel lanes for vehicles, thereby inducing drivers to lower their speeds. However, past evidence on speed reductions is inconclusive. This striping does provide a designated space for people walking or biking, when a bike lane or sidewalk is not present, which is a valuable addition to a cross section. Advisory Bike Lanes are typically used on narrow streets where there is not enough room for a dedicated bike lane and a separate motor vehicle lane. An Edge Lane uses dashed shoulder striping and narrows the width of the vehicle travel lane to 10’-18’+/-, and provides 4’-6’ Advisory Bike Lanes for pedestrians/bicyclists on on both sides of the vehicle travel lane. This narrows the bidirectional travel lanes to one-way width requiring on-coming cars to yield to each other encroaching on the Advisory Bike Lanes when no pedestrians or bicyclists are present. They can be used on streets with low traffic volumes (6,000 ADT or less; 3,000 ADT or less preferred) and low speeds (30mph and less). Considerations: This treatment is relatively inexpensive, does not slow emergency vehicles, evacuations, or impact buses or plows, and can be used to create a bicycle lane or delineate on-street parking. However, it does require regular maintenance and has not been shown to significantly reduce travel speeds. “Any amount of clear paved shoulder width can benefit pedestrians and bicyclists, however, to be fully functional for their use, the paved shoulder area should be wide enough to accommodate the horizontal operating envelope of these users. To accommodate bicyclists and pedestrian use of the shoulder, provide a minimum width of 4 ft (1.2 m) adjacent to a road edge or curb, exclusive of any buffer or rumble strip.” (Small Town and Rural Multimodal Networks, US DOT) Example Applications: In Summer 2018, West Gore Creek Drive and Chamonix Lane (west) received shoulder lane striping (see Figure 40). The striping provided 2’-3’ shoulders, and a total width of 18’ for bidirectional vehicular travel. The intent was to delineate a zone for pedestrians to walk or bike and provide a much narrower drive lane to encourage vehicles to slow down by ~2-3 mph. Speeds were monitored to determine any change. The striping installations on Chamonix Lane and West Gore Creek Drive saw no reduction in speed; however, it did provide a designated location for pedestrians to use. Feedback from multiple residents confirmed findings that striping did not reduce speeds but provided a designated place for pedestrians. Vail Valley Drive incorporated edge lanes/advisory bike lanes. These shared lanes are restricted to 5’ in each direction and travel lanes are narrowed to 11’ in the center. 287 84 Figure 40: Advisory bike lanes on Vail Valley Drive In Avon, W Beaver Creek Boulevard added shoulder striping (but no centerline striping) and noted 80th percentile traffic speeds at 27 mph. Shoulders are 4’ wide and the travel lanes are 20’ wide combined. Figure 41: Shoulder striping in Avon There has not been a lot of recent statistically significant research on this topic, but Kamyab et al. (2002) reported on the use of lane narrowing as a traffic-calming measure in Twin Lakes, Minnesota. Hallmark, et al. (2007) noted effective speed reduction using lane narrowing as traffic-calming measure in two rural Iowa communities. Effectiveness: There is no consensus in the literature on the relationship between lane width and speed. Some studies have shown speed reductions of as much as 3 mph for every foot of lane narrowing; other studies show a slighter speed reduction of about 1 mph per foot of lane narrowing or no significant effect at all. The studies generally agree that there is wide variability between sites, suggesting that lane width alone is not responsible for the entire speed reduction. (NACTO). Striping has been noted to be less effective when speeds are already low. While there is limited research on speed reduction, the Crash Modification Clearinghouse reports a crash modification factor of between .78-.85 for installing edge line pavement marking on narrow, rural, two- lane roadways. This means that the number of crashes is expected to go down by about 20% after edge line striping is implemented. 288 85 Non-Physical Treatments Non-physical devices include any measure that does not require physical changes to the roadway. They are intended to increase drivers’ awareness of surroundings and influence driver behavior without physical devices. Because these devices are not self-enforcing, they have limited effectiveness as stand-alone devices and should supplement physical devices. Signage It is important to consider that speed limit signs are the primary method used to notify the driver of the speed limit in the area. It is vital that speed limit signage is clear and, if necessary, repeats at appropriate intervals to ensure that drivers are aware of the speed limit and to aid compliance. The town implemented a sign declutter program on residential streets over 30 years ago and limited speed limit signs to one sign per entry to each neighborhood. The town should revisit this program and consider installing additional signage to remind drivers of speed limits where appropriate. This has been successful in the Vail parking structures where additional speed limit signs and dynamic signs where installed to provide awareness to drivers of their speed and of pedestrian crossing areas. Posted speed limits can also be unconventional to increase awareness of the posted speed limit. Beaver Creek recently modified their posted speed limit signs to 19 mph. In addition to signage with the posted speed limit, Town of Vail can add “share the road” signage, which will increase awareness of people walking and biking. This was identified and recommended in the West Vail Master Plan. Signage alone is likely to have a minimal impact on reducing speeds but is effective as a part of suite of other geometric devices, is relatively inexpensive, and can be implemented incrementally over time. Enforcement Compliance with speed limits has seen success when there is a heavy enforcement presence. This can be targeted to roads that have had the most complaints for speeding. However, heavy presence of law enforcement for speeding is unsustainable over long periods of time. Alternative enforcement tools that can supplement police presence over the long-term are education programs, traffic cameras, and neighborhood watch programs that report instances of speeding. The Town of Parker, Colorado has implemented “traffic enforcement saturation days” where around a dozen officers are solely dedicated to traffic enforcement. This new enforcement activity began in April 2023 in response to increased public feedback about chronic speeding. Officers patrol known problem roads and receive community tips from a website that allows residents to report where and when they see problems. The department plans to increase the amount of heavy enforcement days to discourage speeding. Additionally, Parker created a Neighborhood Traffic Calming Partnership, through 289 86 which Parker’s Police and Engineering/Public Works Departments receive many reports of speeding in residential neighborhoods and the associated concerns about safety. The presence of heavy enforcement can be costly, so another type of enforcement approach is Automated Vehicle Identification Systems (AVIS) including red light cameras and photo speed vans. Photo speed vans are usually deployed on residential roads, construction zones, and school zones; they take photos of vehicles exceeding the speed limit and mail tickets accordingly based on license plate information. Recent state law has ruled if a driver is detected driving less than 10 miles per hour over the speed limit, the governmental entity is required to issue a warning first. Additionally, the maximum penalty for a speed violation captured by a photo speed van is $40. There are restrictions on where speed vans can be placed and are only allowed in school zones, residential neighborhoods, within maintenance, construction, or repair zones, or along a street that borders a municipal park. As of 2022, 12 Colorado local governments use AVIS: Aurora, Boulder, Cherry Hills Village, Colorado Springs, Commerce City, Denver, Fort Collins, Greenwood Village, Lone Tree, Northglenn, Pueblo, and Sheridan. The Town of Vail could introduce AVIS, as well as “Photo Radar Enforced” signage to utilize staff time more efficiently and reduce speeding issues. For more information on AVIS, refer to the Issue Brief on AVIS by Legislative Council Staff. Locations for Traffic Calming Traffic calming measures identified are primarily geared towards local streets with current posted speed limits of 25 mph or less, where observed speeds are frequently 25-30 mph. A recent traffic speed study conducted by the Town of Vail found that 85th percentile operating speeds exceed posted speeds by 10 mph or more on the following streets: West Gore Creek Drive, Vail Valley Drive, Chamonix Lane, Buffehr Creek Road, Meadow Drive, Sunburst Drive, Streamside Circle East, and Red Sandstone Road. The study found 85th percentile operating speeds exceed posted speeds by 7 mph or more on the following streets: Alpine Drive, Arosa Drive, Aspen Lane, Bald Mountain Road, Booth Falls Road, Juniper Lane, Katsos Ranch Road, Lupine Drive, Main Gore Drive, and Spruce Way. If the speed limit on these streets was to change to 20 mph, streets with 85th percentile operating speeds 10 mph over posted speed limits would reduce to just two: portions of Buffehr Creek Road and Sunburst Drive. Streets with 85th percentile operating speeds 7 mph over posted speed limit would reduce to six: portions of Buffehr Creek Road, Chamonix Lane, Lions Ridge Loop, Potato Patch Drive, Red Sandstone Drive, and Streamside Circle East. Based on 2021 speed data, the roadways with the greatest difference between 85th percentile speeds and posted speed limit are roadways with 15 mph posted speed limits; these roadways are shown in Table 10. Even with a change in posted speed limit from 15 mph to 20 mph, many of these roadways will still have 290 87 speeding concerns and require traffic calming devices. Some roadways to prioritize for consideration of traffic calming devices include Sunburst Drive, Buffehr Creek Road, Red Sandstone Road, Streamside Circle East, Meadow Drive, Vail Valley Drive, and West Gore Creek Drive. Table 10: Roadways with Highest Speeding Street Name From To Speed Limit % Obey Speed Limit % Over 25mph Sunburst Drive Vail Valley Drive Cul-de-sac 15 5% 30% Buffehr Creek Road N. Frontage Rd West Lionsridge Loop 15 5% 45% Buffehr Creek Road Lionsridge Loop Cul-de-sac 25 25% 75% Red Sandstone Rd N. Frontage Rd. West Vail View Dr 15 5% 45% Streamside Circle East Streamside Circle West Bighorn Road 15 5% 45% Chamonix Lane Buffehr Creek Road Chamonix Road 25 70% 30% Chamonix Lane Chamonix Road Arosa Dr 25 50% 50% Vail Valley Drive S. Frontage Rd. East Gold Peak 15 25% 30% Lions Ridge Loop Moraine Dr Vail View Dr 25 10% 90% Traffic Calming Recommendations The following have been identified as traffic calming opportunities for some of the roads with the highest speeds. Sunburst Dr. • Narrow Golf Course section to 22’ • Add separated bike path Buffehr Creek Rd. and Red Sandstone Rd. • Remove double yellow where appropriate • Add shoulder striping Streamside Circle • Add shoulder striping Vail Valley Drive (to Gold Peak) • Add 5’ striped bike lanes; narrow travel lane Lions Ridge Loop Add neckdowns @ Timber Ridge Parking 291 88 Conclusion Prior to the installation of any traffic calming measure an education outreach campaign should be considered to bring awareness to the safety concern and the mitigating measures that may be installed. Pedestrain safety campaigns should be on-going and emphasized prior to any installation as well as during the National Pedestrian Safety Month (October), National Bicycle Safety Week (May), and Vail’s busiest summer months of July and August. Safety campaigns should include awareness for both Motorists, Pedestrians, and Bicyclists. Motorists Yield for pedestrians Be Alert and focused Obeying all posted signs and speed limits Pedestirans Follow the rules of the road and obey signs and signals Walk on sidewalks whenever they are available If there is no sidewalk, walk facing traffic and as far to the side of the road as possible Cross streets at crosswalks or intersections Wear High Visibility clothing Bicyclists Bicyclists must follow the same rules as motorists Ride single-file in the direction of traffic Remain alert Use hand signals when turning and use extra care at intersections Wear High Visibility clothing There is significant evidence on the benefit of speed tables or cushions to slow speeds, however the frequency of placement is high, and therefore can be costly and impactful. There may be strategic locations between curves or other natural traffic calming features where only a few speed tables are needed on a select segment of straightaway. A location like this would be ideal for an initial implementation speed tables or humps. Edge line striping has less of a proven impact on speed reduction, however, provides known benefits to bicycle and pedestrian comfort and safety. The Town of Vail should continue to pilot edge lane or shoulder striping on roadways with an edge-of-pavement to edge-of-pavement width of more than 22 feet where there is no sidewalk present. Before-and-after data should continue to be collected. For a roadway with one travel lane in either direction, striping can narrow the travel lane portion of the roadway to a minimum of 18 feet, leaving a minimum striped shoulder width of 2’ in each direction. For a more adequate striped shoulder of 4’ or more, the Town should consider widening roadways to 26’. Caution 292 89 should be used, as the increased width may have unintended consequences of raising speeds, i.e., Sunburst Drive. Chokers have less of a proven impact on speed reduction, however, provide known benefits to bicycle and pedestrian comfort. These can be piloted as paint and bollards in the summer, with before and after data being collected. If successful, treatments can be implemented as concrete. Locations should be identified strategically based on speeds and along wide, straight segments of roadway. Chokers can narrow a two- lane roadway to a minimum of 13 feet, requiring vehicles to yield to oncoming traffic. Lions Ridge Loop behind Timber Ridge would be a good test section, as it is a long straightway and Timber Ridge Apartments will be adding head-in parking to this area. Traffic calming in this area due to the addition of parking is recommended. For intersections with reported high speeds, bulb-outs should be implemented. The bulb outs can narrow the roadway to a minimum of 18 feet. These are known to reduce the speeds of turning vehicles. On roadways with significant bicycle and pedestrian traffic or roadways with new edge lane striping, “share the road” signage should be implemented. Signage should also be implemented in coordination with speed tables or cushions. Prior to implementing any traffic control measures, careful consideration should be given to potential impacts to; maintenance (particularly in snowy conditions),emergency vehicle response times, evacuation times, buses and the bus rider experience. Table 11 shows a summary of all three traffic calming devices, the type of roadway where they are appropriate, and level of effectiveness. The prior section called “Traffic Calming Recommendations” identifies the location and treatment type for various traffic calming improvements. Table 11: Traffic Calming Treatments Summary Table Traffic Calming Treatment Roadway Considerations Effectiveness Approximate Speed Reduction Speed tables/cushions Speed tables/cushions should be considered on residential streets but require frequent placement. Medium, with frequent placement Reduced the 85th percentile speed by an average of 25% or 9 mph (USDOT) Bulb-out, chicanes, chokers Bulb-outs are only appropriate at intersections Chicanes and chokers are appropriate midblock. On low volume streets they can be used to narrow a street to a minimum of 13 feet. Low (data is inconclusive) 2.6 mph (ITE) Lane narrowing/painted edge line/advisory bike lane A painted edge line should demarcate the shoulder from the roadway, so a two-lane roadway is at least 18 feet in width. Low (data is inconclusive) Narrowing lanes by one foot would tend to reduce speeds by 0.6mph (NACTO) 293 90 Traffic Calming Process While traffic calming measures often aim to improve safety and quality of life, implementing them efficiently requires a well-defined process. Recognizing limitations in resources, many cities have established clear criteria to prioritize projects. This section explores effective practices from other communities and proposes a traffic calming process tailored specifically for the Town of Vail, ensuring balanced decision-making while addressing genuine neighborhood concerns. Cities typically have a formal process for how traffic calming devices are implemented. Local governments have limited resources and cannot address every complaint or concern. For instance, many cities require an individual or neighborhood to submit a petition form with a minimum number of signatures, and/or require some level of neighborhood funding participation. This section describes best practices found in other communities and recommendations for a traffic calming process for the Town of Vail. Strategies in Peer Communities The Town of Jackson, WY considers traffic calming in response to neighborhood requests and along key cross-town biking and walking routes, according to their Community Streets Plan (p. 27-28). When residents submit complaints, the town collects traffic speeds using a radar gun, then considers traffic calming treatments if speeds exceed 30 mph. On designated biking and walking routes, the town considers traffic calming in tandem with bicycle and pedestrian facilities. The town included chokers, chicanes, raised median islands, crosswalk refuges, and traffic circles in their toolbox. Park City, UT has Neighborhoods First Streets Program in which they reduce posted speeds on qualifying local streets, paired in some cases with traffic calming elements like speed bumps. Residents may request city action in their neighborhood by submitting a request through an online portal. The program began following resident complaints about speeding in neighborhoods. The goals of the program are to improve safety, educate residents, implement traffic calming, and design complete streets and “people-first streets.” The city began by reducing speeds on minor collectors from 25 to 20 mph and reducing speeds on streets in the historic district from 20 mph to 15 mph. As part of the program, the city collects traffic counts and speed data at locations around the community and shares that information on their website Traffic Data Dashboard (arcgis.com). Similar to Park City, the City of Aspen, CO established a Neighborhood Traffic Calming Policy following an increase in resident complaints about speeding. The policy creates a process for residents to submit complaints online, for city staff to evaluate the issue using data, to perform additional neighborhood outreach, and for traffic calming features like speed bumps, street narrowing, bulb outs, or others to be implemented. The purpose of the process is to use clear metrics to guide the decision-making process and to allocate funds effectively. Recommended Traffic Calming Process 294 91 Based on lessons from Jackson, Park City, and Aspen, the Town of Vail should consider developing a similarly transparent traffic calming process. This traffic calming process will formalize the process and identify the responsibilities of the Town and of the neighborhood to garner support for the change. The process of evaluating streets for traffic calming could have two levels. The first level, including evaluation and speed enforcement, and might include the following sequence of steps (summarized in Figure 42): 1. Develop a website for complaints and information (as described later in this section); collect mapped location of complaint and contact information from reports 2. Staff assess speeding and safety issues in locations based on priority a. Safety/crash history b. Pedestrian/bicycle volume c. Bus routes d. Frequency of complaints and variety of complaint reporters 3. Review speed study data and/or complete speed study 4. Determine need and ability for additional enforcement (Engage Special Enforcement Heavy Days) This will require additional Enforcement budget funding. Figure 42: Level I Traffic Calming Process If the steps identified in Level I above are ineffective or if there are ongoing safety concerns, the Town should proceed to Level II. The second level should include neighborhood review of traffic calming opportunities and consist of the following sequence of steps (summarized in Figure 43): 295 92 1. Town to identify and analyze potential traffic calming or pedestrian accommodation option(s). Analysis should include; speed and accident data, traffic and pedestrian volumes, transit impacts, maintenance impacts, emergency services impacts, evacuation impacts, cost impacts, neighborhood support. 2. Town to present options back to neighborhood. 3. Neighborhood representative shall then provide the town with a petition in support of traffic calming with the majority of the effected community in favor of the recommended traffic calming measures. Residents could be defined as those who reside along the road with the complaint and where the traffic calming treatment is proposed. 4. If the recommended traffic calming measures are due to egregious safety or conflict reasons, the Town may implement it as a safety project. 5. The Town Council provides final decision on implementation and funding availability; participation by neighborhood could be an opportunity. 6. Implement temporary traffic calming measures in the summer and study results. 7. If successful implement permanent traffic calming measures. 8. Study before and after speed and safety data. 296 93 Figure 43: Level 2 Traffic Calming Process The Town’s website currently allows residents to report complaints or comments by calling or emailing the Vail Police Department. The Town may benefit from creating a separate web portal for speeding concerns so that complaints can more directly and formally processed and tracked. This web portal can provide information regarding the process and provide additional information on traffic calming, as well as potentially include speed monitoring locations like Park City. (Traffic Data Dashboard (arcgis.com)) The Town should create a dedicated annual budget for implementing the traffic calming process and installing necessary devices. If a traffic calming device is approved, but is lower down on the prioritization list, a community should have the option to pool funds to pay for implementation of the treatment. The Town of Vail would be responsible for all vendor and construction coordination and final designs. 297 94 Chapter 6 – Transit This chapter summarizes the vision for the future transit network within the Town of Vail, including improvements envisioned to the local and regional transit system and facilities by 2045. Implementing the transit vision will be fundamental to achieving the larger multimodal transportation goals identified by the community. Existing Transit Service in Vail This section provides a summary of existing transit service in Vail, including notable trends and challenges that were identified during the Go Vail 2045 existing conditions analysis. A more in-depth summary of existing transit service in Vail can be found in the Appendix. Existing transit service in Vail can be grouped into three major categories: 1. Local Transit 2. Regional Transit 3. Private Shuttle Services Local Transit Vail Transit is the local transit provider managed by the Town. Vail Transit operates eight free bus routes in town in the winter, illustrated in Figure 44Error! Reference source not found., and five routes in the summer. All routes serve the Vail Transportation Center, which is the primary transit hub in Town located in Vail Village and is also served by regional bus routes and privately operated shuttle service. Figure 44: Vail Transit Winter Bus Routes 298 95 More service is provided to West Vail than East Vail. Frequency of service on Vail Transit varies by route, time of day, and time of year as shown in Table 12Error! Reference source not found.. Most routes operate at higher frequencies in the winter, when demand and ridership are higher, as compared to the summer. In a typical year, about 95% of the Vail Transit Operating budget is financed with local funds, with the remaining monies coming from federal funds. Table 12: Frequency (in minutes) of Vail Transit Service by Route (December 2022). Route Winter Peak* Winter Midday* Summer In-Town Shuttle 7.5 7.5 7.5 West Vail Express 10 - - East Vail 15 15 30 Sandstone 20 30 60 West Vail (Red & Green) 30 30 40 Golf Course 30 60 60 Ford Park 30 15 - Lionsridge 60 60 - *Peak represents the morning and afternoon peak periods. The span of the peak period varies slightly by route but is generally from 6:30 AM to 10:30 AM and 2:30 PM to 5:30 PM. Midday is the time between the morning and afternoon peak periods. Regional Transit Regional transit service to Vail is provided by the following operators: • ECO Transit – The Eagle Valley Regional Transit Authority (RTA) operates six routes to Vail in the winter, including five in the summer, from other parts of Eagle County and from Leadville. • CDOT – The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) operates two intercity bus/shuttle services to Vail. This includes the Bustang West Line, which operates over-the-road coach service between Grand Junction and Denver, and Pegasus, which operates shuttle van service between Avon and Denver. • Greyhound – Greyhound Bus serves Vail as part of its cross-country intercity bus route from New York, NY to Los Angeles, CA. Figure 45Error! Reference source not found. illustrates a map of regional transit services and Table 13Error! Reference source not found. summarizes existing service frequency by route and season. 299 96 Table 13: Frequency of Regional Public Transit Serving Vail by Route (February 2024) Operator Route Summer Frequency Winter Frequency ECO Transit Valley (Eagle/ Gypsum via I-70) 60 Min (30 peak dir.) 60 Min (30 peak dir. – with one additional trip to Dotsero) Highway 6 (Edwards) 30 Min (15 peak dir.) 30 Min (5-15 peak dir.) Leadville 2 trips/day (peak dir.) 2 trips/day (peak dir.) Minturn 3 AM & 2 PM trips/day 3 AM & 2 PM trips/day Vail-Beaver Creek Express No Service 20–30 Min CDOT Bustang West (Grand Jct. – Denver) 6 Daily Trips (3 end at Glenwood Springs) Pegasus (Avon – Denver) Fri – Sun: 10 trips/ day Mon – Thu: 6 trips/ day 300 97 Figure 45: Regional Bus Routes 301 98 Private Shuttle Services Numerous private operators also provide both local and regional shuttle services within and to Vail. Many hotels in Vail provide shuttle services for people to get from their hotel to the Eagle County Regional Airport and key destinations in town using small buses, vans, and SUVs. Epic Mountain Express and Peak 1 Express provide hourly shuttle service from Denver International Airport in the winter to individual destinations in Vail or to the Vail Transportation Center. Summit Express is the third major operator of regional shuttle services to Vail. During a typical day in the winter between 35 and 45 hotel shuttles and taxis will serve the Vail Transportation Center per peak hour and a similar amount will serve the Lionshead Welcome Center. The hotels with the most service typically have 4-7 shuttles per peak hour serving each of those two transit centers. Notable Existing Transit Trends and Challenges Analysis of existing conditions of transit in Vail revealed the following key findings: • Vail Transit annual ridership was generally flat 2010 -2019 – Between 2010 and 2019 annual ridership on Vail Transit remained steady at around 2.8 million passengers per year (see Figure 46Error! Reference source not found.), with about 55%-59% of ridership generated by the In-Town route. This reflects minimal change in population growth and wintertime hotel occupancy in Vail over the same time frame. Figure 46: Vail Transit Annual Ridership (2007 – 2023) 2.6 2.8 2.8 2.8 2.9 2.7 2.8 2.8 2.8 2.8 2.8 2.8 2.8 1.7 1.5 2.2 2.8 0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 Mi l l i o n s 302 99 • As of 2023 Vail Transit ridership has rebounded to pre-pandemic levels – After a decline from spring of 2020 through 2022, 2023 ridership on Vail Transit has rebounded to about 100% of pre- pandemic ridership, 55% of which is from ridership on the In-Town route. • Vail Transit ridership has been declining in the winter and growing in summer – Between 2007 and 2019 ridership on Vail Transit declined by 8% in the winter but grew by 40% in the summer. Because winter ridership is still over double the ridership in the summer, overall ridership remained flat. While the causes are not entirely known, the decline in wintertime ridership is largely attributed to fewer employees living in Vail (and more in-commuters), and an increase in use of private hotel shuttle services by visitors reflecting an increasingly higher-income visitor clientele. The increase in the summer is largely attributed to more visitor traffic in the summer (and thus more need for employees), which is reflected in hotel occupancy data that showed an increase of average summer occupancy from 40% in 2007 to 45% in 2019. • Vail Transit covers most of Vail – 95% of Vail residents are within a half mile of a bus stop and 80% are within a quarter of a mile. However, some routes only operate at 60-minute headways during some times of the day and some routes only operate in the winter. Additionally, a half mile walk to a bus stop may be less accessible in the winter when snow, ice, and topography can make walking more challenging. • Ridership on ECO Transit is growing – ECO Transit provides regional transit service to Vail from other parts of Eagle County and from Leadville. Between 2014 and 2019 ridership on ECO Transit grew by 26%, reflecting an increasing trend of more workers in Vail commuting from other communities. • Vail Transportation Center nearing capacity – The Vail Transportation Center is the Town’s key transportation hub in Vail Village where all nine Vail Transit routes and all six ECO transit routes terminate. It is also served by Bustang, Pegasus, Greyhound, and private shuttles mainly from DIA. In 2010 Lionshead Transit Center was constructed to help alleviate some of the congestion at the Vail Transportation Center at the time. However, the Vail Transportation Center is nearing capacity, which will limit the ability to expand local and regional transit service in the future. In 2024, the Town of Vail is commissioning a design project with matching grant dollars to expand the Transportation Center into a mobility hub to increase transit capacity and facilitate connections with more modes of transportation. • Vail is part of a new Eagle County RTA – Voters approved formation of a new Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) in Eagle County, effective January 1, 2023, which will cover most of the County (excluding Gypsum) and includes an additional half cent sales tax. The new RTA will allow for significant growth in regional transit service to Vail, particularly along the Highway 6 route, allow for fare-free service expansion to the majority of Eagle County, will further the need for the Vail Transportation Center to expand and will give the Town of Vail more influence over regional transit planning and coordination with local transit service. 303 100 Highlights of Public Input on Transit In the initial Go Vail 2045 public survey that was conducted in 2022, survey respondents mentioned transit quite a bit. Vail’s local bus system was one of the top four themes for what is working well in Vail today. A desire for more regional bus routes and greater frequency of regional bus routes were in the top four themes for how transportation in Vail could be improved. Additionally, in the project survey conducted in 2023, the respondents’ top priorities for transit improvements were: 1. A seamless express service between East Vail and West Vail (53% of respondents indicated this improvement would encourage them to take transit more often.) 2. Increased frequency of the West Vail express (45% of respondents indicated this improvement would encourage them to take transit more often.) See Chapter 3 – Public Engagement for additional details on the public engagement process and results for Go Vail 2045. Transit Plan Goals The planned transit improvements described in this chapter will advance the Town toward achieving the following six community transit-related goals: • Multimodal Options – Allow people to conveniently get to Vail and around Vail without a car. • Equity – Provide seamless connections between local and regional transit and increase transit options for employees in Vail. • Climate/Quality of Life – Reduce GHG emissions and parking demand in Vail by making transit feasible for more trips. • Access – Increase access to high-frequency transit to more areas of Vail. • Innovation – Transition to zero emission buses and explore opportunities for autonomous transit vehicle technology. • Safety – Provide safe/comfortable access to buses for people walking to and waiting for the bus and improve safety of bus operations in locations with high pedestrian traffic. Transit Improvements Figure 47 depicts the transit vision for Vail and includes year-round improvements to the local and regional transit network in Vail, as well as improvements to transit facilities and supporting infrastructure. 304 101 Figure 47: Transit Vision Transit improvements are organized into the following four categories that are described in more detail below: • Vail Transit Service Improvements • Regional Transit Improvements • Facilities & Infrastructure Improvements • Safety Improvements Vail Transit Service Improvements The transit vision includes the following three key actions the Town will take to improve local transit service and mobility within the Town of Vail. Prior to implementing a more thorough Transit Service Delivery and Operations Plan will need to be completed. This is scheduled and budgeted for in 2024. Increase Service Frequency and Transition to Year-Round Schedule The Town of Vail will gradually increase frequency of Vail Transit service and explore transitioning to a year-round schedule to meet increasing demand in the summer and shoulder seasons and provide convenient transit services at all times of year. These improvements will allow the Town to capture not only more existing trips via transit, but may also capture future trips generated by anticipated growth (see Table 3 in Chapter 4). These improvements will be particularly important to implement in conjunction with expanding paid parking (see Chapter 8) in order to provide a viable alternative to driving. A foundational principle of improving transit service in Vail will be to transition to a layered network approach for all transit services as summarized in Table 14. A layered transit network will provide scheduling and operations consistency that will improve the convenience and reliability of service, including for trips requiring a transfer. Assigning a service type to a particular route will be based on ridership demand and other contextual factors (adjacent land use, roadway network, and proximity to other transit services). The layered network will include the service types listed in Table 14 as part of the 305 102 all-day transit network (generally operating from at least 7 AM to 6 PM). The Town will strive to maintain high frequencies in the evening and late night, but evening operations may vary from the daytime schedule. Table 14: Planned Layered Transit Network Service Type Frequency Example Planned Routes High Frequency ≤ 15 minutes West Vail Express, East Vail, In-Town Local Service 20-30 minutes West Vail (Red & Green), Golf Course, Sandstone/Lionsridge, NEW Employee Housing route On Demand Demand Response Where operationally feasible and that cannot support 30-minute service (potentially Buffehr Creek) Regional Service Varies ECO Transit Special Event Service Varies As part transitioning to a layered transit network, the Town will explore the following improvements to Vail Transit service: • Year-Round, All-Day West Vail Express – The West Vail express currently operates at 10-20 minute frequencies in peak periods during the winter only. In the future the Town will explore operating the West Vail Express year-round with at least 15-minute frequencies throughout the day. • Year-Round, High-Frequency East Vail Service – The Town currently runs piggyback service to East Vail during peak times to meet demand in winter and operates a special East Vail hiker express in the summer with overlapping service. In the future the Town will explore operating East Vail service with at least 15-minute frequencies throughout the day in the summer to improve service quality and connections to West Vail. In the winter (when frequencies are already 15- minutes) the Town will explore providing 7.5-10 minute service as demand warrants instead of piggyback service, potentially starting on weekends at peak times. • Timed Transfers Between East Vail and West Vail Express – In the future schedules should be coordinated between the West Vail Express and the East Vail route to allow convenient transfers at Vail Transportation Center to improve the convenience of cross-Vail travel. • 20-30-Minute Service on Lions Ridge and Sandstone – In the future the Town will explore combining the current Lions Ridge and Sandstone route into one loop that provides 20-30- minute all-day service year-round. • West Vail Local Service to 30-Minute Year-Round – In the future the Town will explore increasing service frequency of the West Vail Local Service (Green and Red Loops) to provide at least 30-minute all-day service year-round. • New Transit Route to Serve Planned Employee Housing – Over 340 new employee housing units were recently constructed or are planned to be constructed adjacent to Middle Creek Village 306 103 north of I-70 in central Vail, in total that is over 500 employee housing units. To meet future demand generated by these developments the Town will explore adding a new transit route to meet anticipated new transit demand from the developments near Middle Creek Village. One option to explore is operating a short loop route between Vail Transportation Center, Middle Creek Village and Lionshead. Service should operate at 30-minute frequencies or better. • Coordinate Overlapping Service to Maximize Stop Frequency – In the future, where routes overlap, service should be scheduled to the extent that is feasible to maximize frequency of transit. For example, if the combined Red Sandstone/Lionsridge route, new employee housing loop route, and West Vail Local route each operated at 30-minute frequencies, each could be scheduled to provide 10-15-minute frequencies to Red Sandstone Garage and Middle Creek Village, thus providing frequent service to planned developments at those two locations. Phasing Service Improvements The improvements to local transit service outlined above will provide more frequent transit service to areas of Vail already served by transit. These improvements will be phased using the following strategies: • Increase Summer Frequency in Coordination with Paid Summer Parking – As part of converting to a year-round schedule, the most significant frequency improvements described above will occur in the summer. Service frequency improvements in the summer should be coordinated with implementing paid parking in the summer. This will maximize the benefits of the transit investments, support the goals of the Parking Plan (see Chapter 8 – Parking) to mitigate vehicle trips, and provide affordable convenient mobility alternatives to driving. Pairing transit service improvements with implementing paid parking will be critical from an equity perspective, especially so people working in Vail have alternative options to driving and paying to park. • Increase Service Frequency Adjacent to Dense Development – The transit service plan outlined above will improve transit service to workforce housing developments planned at Timber Ridge and around Middle Creek Village as follows: ◦ Middle Creek Village – The existing and planned developments in and around Middle Creek Village (including Residences at Main Vail, West Middle Creek, and Solar Vail) would be served by a 10-15-minute all-day bidirectional service through the combined West Vail Local (Red & Green routes), Red Sandstone/Lions Ridge Loop, and new employee housing loop route. ◦ Timber Ridge – This planned development would be served by 10/15-minute all day bidirectional West Vail express, plus 30-minute all-day bidirectional West Vail Local (Red & Green routes), and one direction of the 30-minute all-day Red Sandstone/Lions Ridge Loop. Explore On-Demand (Microtransit) Service Along Buffehr Creek/Potato Patch or Golf Course As part of the layered network approach the transit vision includes operating fixed-route local service in Vail, along the valley floor, at a minimum of 30-minute daytime frequencies. With this approach there are locations in Vail that are not feasible to operate a fixed route due to lower ridership demand or other operational barriers such as steep, narrow roads and poor roadway connectivity, in areas above the valley 307 104 floor. In these locations the Town will explore implementing on-demand transit, often referred to as microtransit, which can leverage the use of smaller vehicles which are more likely to be effective given the conditions and would add a transit option to those locations. Figure 48: What is Microtransit? Potential locations to consider piloting microtransit service include Buffehr Creek Road and Potato Patch Drive. Microtransit service should connect those areas of Vail with one of the existing or planned mobility hubs, such as Lionshead Welcome Center or Vail Transportation Center, so users can transfer to the larger high-frequency Vail transit network. Consolidate Private Shuttles on High Frequency Transit Routes Historically, the Town used to require shuttles as part of many large hotel and condo developments. This was done in part to not overload Vail Transit. Increasingly, hotels are operating more shuttle service as a customer amenity. Many of these shuttles operate overlapping service with partially full vehicles. In addition to the roadway congestion this adds, at peak times the shuttles can overload the shuttle drop- offs at Vail Transportation Center and Lionshead Welcome Center. The Town needs to balance the volume of shuttles with ridership on Vail Transit. To reduce vehicle miles traveled in town and address capacity limitations at the Vail Transportation Center and the Lionshead Welcome Center, and other smaller convenient drop-off locations, the Town will What is Microtransit? • On-demand public transit to match trip requests in real-time (like Uber or Lyft) • Typically operates in a smaller geographic area vs. regional fixed-route transit. • Smaller vehicles operating without a specific route, typically fulfilling trips in 30 minutes or less • Pick-up and drop-off within very short walking distance (1 block or less) • Trips requested via smartphone app or call-in option for those without a smartphone 308 105 explore reasonable strategies to reduce the use of private shuttles along high-frequency transit routes, which may include limiting the total number of shuttle permits issued for a given year. Many hotels in Vail operate guest shuttles on fixed schedules. Where these shuttle services overlap with high-frequency bus routes or other shuttle routes, the Town should work with the private entities to consolidate those services. Potential initial strategies to explore include: • Ending the historic requirement for developments to provide shuttle services. • Encouraging resorts to focus shuttle services on evening events (to dinner, etc.) and direct guests to public transit during day (to ski, etc.). • Communicate with shuttle operators (potentially when they annually renew their permit with the Town) about the inefficiencies in overlapping service and support a model of consolidated shuttle service in place of multiple shuttles (which could also be more cost effective for hotels). • Long-term strategies to explore (particularly if shuttles more regularly exceed capacity at Vail Transportation Center and other Drop-off locations): ◦ Increase fees to hotels that continue to operate shuttles when alternatives are available. ◦ Regulate access to drop off locations at the transit centers (shuttles per hour, etc.). Regional Transit Improvements The transit vision includes the following four actions the Town will take to improve regional transit service and increase mobility options for people traveling to/from the Town of Vail. Eagle Valley RTA The Town of Vail will support implementation of the Eagle Valley RTA. Key near-term elements planned as part of implementing the RTA include: • Increasing frequency on all five ECO Transit regional routes to Vail, including doubling service levels on the US 6 Route. • Adding a new express service along I-70 and US 6. • Expanding the span of service on the Beaver Creek-Vail Express route. • Proving fare-free service to the majority of Eagle County. In addition, the Town of Vail should work with the RTA to make the following improvements: • Improve coordination of regional and local service operations within the Town. This would include: ◦ Improving transfer opportunities between local and regional service in West Vail and at the Vail Transportation Center. 309 106 ◦ Operating the Highway 6 Route along the West Vail Express alignment in Vail with stops at the planned mobility hubs at West Vail, Timber Ridge, and Lionshead. • Marketing and improving intercept lots to capture more eastbound travelers into Vail that may not have convenient bus stops within walking distance. This includes travelers from more rural parts of Eagle County and from Garfield County. • Explore marketing transit service from the Eagle Airport for visitors. Considerations include bus schedules, onboard luggage racks, and marketing. Study Transit Service to Summit County Based on origin-destination data from mobile phones, travel patterns show as much as 10-15% of regional travel to Vail originates in Summit County. To better capture more of this market via transit, the Town will work with CDOT to promote inter-county service improvements. Opportunities may include enhanced service on the existing Bustang West route— specifically between Frisco and Vail—and a dedicated Pegasus route between Breckenridge and Vail. Partnerships to Expand Intercity Transit Service to Denver Analysis of origin-destination data from mobile phones shows that about 15%-20% of regional trips to Vail originate in locations along the I-70 corridor outside of Eagle and Summit County, most notably the Denver Metro area. To better capture more of this travel market via transit, the Town of Vail will expand partnerships and support expansion of regional transit via these partners along I-70 to Vail. The Town of Vail will support expansion of regional intercity transit along I-70 in the following ways: • Advocate for additional transit services to Vail with I-70 regional partners. • Provide amenities and space for regional buses and shuttles in the Vail Transportation Center for regional partners. • Communicate with I-70 regional partner agencies on the bus schedule and routing needs of regional services to Vail. • Continue to hold regular (bi-annual) meetings with each I-70 regional partner agency as part of the I-70 Coalition to share information on needs, coordinate services, plan for future improvements, and maintain a regular relationship. • Market and advertise regional transit service options to residents, employees, and tourists. • Explore Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS – see Chapter 9) to expand beyond the current integrated platforms (such as Google Maps) to better integrate the Ride Vail App with regional transit services, such as Bustang/Pegasus, as well as with other modes (car share, bike share, etc.). I-70 Regional Transit Partners: • CDOT (Bustang/Pegasus) • Airport Shuttle Providers (e.g. Peak 1 Express, Epic Mountain Express) • Greyhound • I-70 Coalition • Vail Resorts 310 107 Plan for I70 Advanced Guideway System/Rail Connections The Town of Vail will continue to plan for the potential long-term implementation of an Advanced Guideway System (AGS) along I-70 through Vail (studied by CDOT in 2013, with an update in 2023), which could include passenger rail service in the corridor. Long range land use and transportation planning should plan for and preserve the possibility of AGS in the I-70 corridor through Vail. Designs for the updated Mobility Hub at the Vail Transportation Center should also account for the possibility of AGS along the I-70 corridor. The Town will continue to support long-term advancement of the I-70 Mountain Corridor AGS to improve mobility and non-driving access to and from Vail. As demand for transit increases in the Vail and Eagle Valley the Town will also explore in coordination with RTA the potential for local light rail connectivity as a long-term transit option between the Vail Transportation Center and the Eagle County Regional Airport. Facilities & Infrastructure Improvements The transit vision includes the following infrastructure investments that will advance the Town toward achieving the community’s transit related goals. Continue to Explore Affordable Housing Options for Drivers A core barrier to expanding transit service in Vail is the challenge of hiring and retaining bus drivers due to the lack of affordable housing options within Town. To counter this challenge, the Town will continue the actions it has already taken in recent years in implementing the Town Housing goals and plan to provide affordable housing opportunities for drivers based on staffing levels needed to provide the level of transit service outlined Go Vail 2045. Increase Capacity at Vail Transportation Center The Vail Transportation Center is the hub of local, regional, and intercity transit serving the Town and is exceeding its designed capacity. To better meet existing demand and allow for expansion of local and regional transit as envisioned in this plan, the Town will make improvements to the Vail Transportation Center to increase capacity. To meet planned transit service expansion, the Transportation Center should be expanded to include 18-20 bus bays, an additional 15-20 bays for smaller shuttles and taxis, and allow for (or at least not preclude the possibility) of a potential pedestrian connection to I-70 in anticipation an in-line bus station along I-70 or long-term Advanced Fixed Guideway (AGS) station. Additionally, the expanded Vail Transportation Center should be designed as a mobility hub with multimodal connections (such as bike share and car share), programming of vendors, staffing, and daily maintenance to ensure amenities and transportation options are functioning and dependable. Two high-level schematic concepts for potential ways the Town can explore expanding the Vail Transportation Center to provide more bus and shuttle capacity are shown in Figure 49. 311 108 Figure 49: Potential Schematic Concepts for Expanding Vail Transportation Center Implement New Mobility Hubs The Town of Vail will add and/or expand existing mobility hubs at the following locations to facilitate transfers between buses and non-bus modes, and generally increase access to the transit system to more people. The location of mobility hubs is based on key transfer locations in the transit network as well as high-activity destinations within the Town. Three type of mobility hubs are planned: Major, Minor, and Residential TOD, based on the amenities that will be provided as well as the associated land-use. The major mobility hub will continue to be the Vail Transportation Center. Minor mobility hubs are located at key mixed-use/commercial developments that are also high-activity destinations in Town. Residential TOD mobility hubs are planned in future dense residential developments and are mainly intended to cater to transit riders that live in or are visiting those developments. The addition of mobility hubs at Timber Ridge, Middle Creek Village, and Ever-Vail should be phased and coordinated concurrent with planned developments around those locations. Future Major Mobility Hubs: • Vail Transportation Center Future Minor Mobility Hubs: • West Vail • Lionshead Welcome Center • Ever-Vail 312 109 Future Residential TOD Mobility Hubs: • Timber Ridge • Middle Creek Village Figure 50: Mobility Hubs vs Transit Centers Table 15 presents planned mobility hubs organized into the three tiers (Residential TOD, Minor, and Major) with a summary of amenities to consider for each type. 313 110 Table 15: Mobility Hub Amenities to Consider Amenity Residential TOD Mobility Hub (Timber Ridge, Middle Creek Village) Minor Mobility Hub (West Vail, Ever Vail, Lionshead) Major Mobility Hub (VTC) Transit service/stops Transit stop enhancements (shelters, benches, trash receptacles) Real time travel information Bike share parking Bike racks Access infrastructure (crosswalks, sidewalks, and bikeways) Regular maintenance and programming (daily attention that bikes are available, signs/lighting are working, trash removal, etc.) Bathrooms Visitor information Car share Taxi/ride hailing service Taxi/ride hailing loading zones Passenger pick-up/drop-off area Vending machines/water fountain Vendor/food/beverage amenity Additional programming of services Staffing to support passengers needs/information Bus bays for future service growth Electric charging for buses Driver break area Connection to future rail along I-70 Convert Fleet to Zero Emission Vehicles In alignment with the Town’s Electric Vehicle Readiness Plan and Destination Stewardship Plan, the Town will gradually convert the bus fleet completely to zero emission vehicles. This may require upgrading of the maintenance facility to be compatible with the vehicle types. It will also likely require the Town to upgrade charging capabilities for buses, including more powerful chargers and potentially inductive charging at the transit center to support routes with longer mileage blocks. 314 111 Explore Opportunities for Autonomous Transit The Town will explore opportunities for implementing autonomous vehicle (AV) transit as the technology and cost enables. Autonomous transit has the potential to improve operations (including bus docking and fuel efficiency), improve safety, and reduce costs by eliminating the need for drivers on every bus. However, the technology is still in the early stages of development, and not likely something Vail will be able to adopt soon, particularly given the challenges posed by the snowy climate in Vail. See Chapter 9 (Technology) for additional detail about AV readiness planning. As autonomous transit advances, the Town will take the following steps toward exploring opportunities and preparing for use on the transit system: • Monitor AV transit technology progression and look for opportunities to incorporate or pilot in Vail (advantages of AV transit to monitor for effectiveness are improved safety, smoother operations, and cost savings from eliminating drivers). • Implement AV transit in stages starting with partially autonomous vehicles to support smoother operations and safety features and strive for higher levels of autonomy as the industry evolves to eventually eliminate driver costs. • Successful implementation of AV transit in Vail in the near-term may need to wait until technology is proven to resolve existing operational challenges during adverse weather. • Consider additional striping and markings to better define the lanes, intersections, etc. along any bus route slated for AV experimentation. • Upgrade transit maintenance facility and staffing to support AV technology prior to implementation. Safety Improvements The transit vision includes the following safety improvements the Town will take to improve the safety of passengers getting to and from the bus and of bus operations. Corridor Study to Mitigate Transit/Pedestrian/Bicycle Conflicts Along In-Town Route The In-Town Route is a high frequency bus service that operates through a pedestrian mall in Vail Village for part of the route (between Vail Road and the Covered Bridge) and overlaps with other corridors with high pedestrian and bicycle activity. The pedestrian mall segment includes brick pavers that create an inviting space for pedestrians. This mixing of modes has led to safety concerns for pedestrians in the mall who are not always aware that buses come through the area as well. It can also sometimes lead to operational challenges for bus drivers. Note: for the portion of the route that operates along W Meadow Drive, Chapter 7 – Multimodal Recommendations includes recommendations to improve pedestrian and bicyclist safety and comfort along that segment. The Town will complete a corridor study to identify safety improvements along the pedestrian mall portion of the In-Town route to address safety concerns and potentially separate people walking and biking from potential transit conflicts. Three potential solutions to study, include: 315 112 3. Infrastructure Improvements – This would include exploring solutions to better separate modes (transit, pedestrians, and bicyclists), such as adding a curb that better differentiates the bus lanes and primary pedestrian walking areas (this could be similar to the design of the 16th Street Mall in downtown Denver). 4. Operational Improvements – This could include: a. Adjusting schedules of the In-Town route to account for slower operations and likely delays at peak times of day; b. Adding noise devices to buses so pedestrians are more aware of their presence (this will be especially important with electric buses which are quieter); c. Adding signage and pavement markings directing pedestrians where to walk and bringing attention to bus routes, bus operations, and bus stop locations; d. Better defining bus stops and loading areas in the mall; and e. Increasing bus operator training on the unique aspects of operating buses through the pedestrian mall and safety practices to employ in that context. 5. Rerouting the In-Town Route – Reroute the In-Town bus around the pedestrian mall via the Frontage Road. Option 1 would have the most significant impact on the experience in the pedestrian mall as well as cost. Option 3 is least desired - as a route that does not directly serve the mall would significantly degrade the customer value of Vail Transit’s most productive bus route, and likely reduce ridership. Add Bus Shelters & Amenities to Bus Stops The Town will make the following improvements to bus stops to improve the comfort and safety of passengers waiting for the bus: 6. Add bus shelters at stop locations with high daily boardings. 7. Add amenities, such as benches, larger waiting area, trash receptacles, etc. to stop locations with a medium level of boardings. 8. Provide a larger area with more separation from traffic at all bus stops along higher speed streets, including the Frontage Road and Bighorn Road. 9. Improve bus stops (such as adding shelters, benches, or other amenities as appropriate) when development densities around the bus stop increase (e.g., Timber Ridge). The Town will develop thresholds that define what constitutes medium and high daily boardings as part of implementing this action. Add Pedestrian Lighting to All Bus Stops The Town will add pedestrian lighting to ALL bus stops in Town to increase drivers’ ability to see people waiting for the bus as night. 316 113 Improve Pedestrian Crossings at Stops Along Major Roads The Town will improve pedestrian crossings along arterial and collector roads where crossing the street is necessary to access a bus stop, and sufficient crosswalk infrastructure does not currently exist. Improvements may include marked crosswalks with signage, lighting, rapid rectangular flashing beacons (RRFBs), traffic signals, roundabouts, stop signs, or other traffic calming devices as appropriate to the context of the street (traffic speed, traffic volume, and number travel lanes). Potential locations to evaluate include (but are not limited to): • Along Bighorn Road in East Vail • Along the Frontage Road where there are land uses on both sides of the street In locations along the Frontage Road where there is no development on the interstate side of the street, the Town will work toward removing the pedestrian crossing and design the stop so both directions of bus service stop on the non-interstate side of the street (similar to existing bus stops at Red Sandstone Garage and Middle Creek Village). This will negate the need for pedestrians to cross the street to access the bus. Potential existing locations to evaluate include (but are not limited to): • West Vail Mall • Ever-Vail (when redeveloped) New stops that are added along the Frontage Road in the future should also be designed with this configuration when there is not land use on the interstate side (e.g. at the planned West Middle Creek Village site). Improve Pedestrian Access to Bus Stops The Town will encourage porosity through developments from upper-level roads to lower-level roads where feasible to allow for legal short cuts, potentially through easements, to bus stops from locations that otherwise may have difficulty accessing transit. Awareness and Education The town should expand and maintain a public awareness and outreach campaign about planned transit improvements to encourage transit useage. Market and incentivize the use of transit and how to best utilize the transit system to get from point A to point B. 317 114 Table 16: A Summary of Planned Improvements Strategy Action Phasing Cost1 Goals Alignment Vail Transit Service Improvements Increase Service Frequency and Transition to Year-Round Schedule Short-Term $2,000,000 – $3,000,000 per year Multimodal Options Equity Climate/Quality of Life Access Explore On-Demand (Microtransit) Service Along Buffehr Creek/Potato Patch or Golf Course Short-Term $400,000 – $700,000 per year Multimodal Options Equity Access Consolidate Private Shuttles on High Frequency Transit Routes Mid-Term N/A Climate/Quality of Life Regional Transit Improvements Implement Eagle Valley RTA Short-Term N/A Multimodal Options Equity Climate/Quality of Life Access Study Transit Service to Summit County Mid-Term $ Multimodal Options Climate/Quality of Life Partnerships to Expand Intercity Transit Service to Denver Short-Term N/A Multimodal Options Climate/Quality of Life Plan for I-70 Advanced Guideway System/Rail Connections Long-Term N/A Multimodal Options Climate/Quality of Life Innovation Facilities & Infrastructure Improvements Continue to Explore Affordable Housing Options for Drivers Short-Term Varies Multimodal Options Equity Climate/Quality of Life Access Increase Capacity at Vail Transportation Center Short-Term $10,000,000 – $30,000,000 Multimodal Options Equity Climate/Quality of Life Access Implement New Mobility Hubs Mid-Term Varies/ Development Dependent Multimodal Options Equity Climate/Quality of Life Access Convert Fleet to Zero Emission Vehicles Long-Term $$$ Climate/Quality of Life Innovation Explore Opportunities for Autonomous Transit Long-Term Unknown Climate/Quality of Life Innovation Safety Improvements Corridor Study to Mitigate Transit/Pedestrian/Bicycle Conflicts Along In-Town Route Short-Term $150,000 – $250,000 Safety Add Bus Shelters to High Boarding Stops Short-Term $30,000 – $50,000 per stop Equity Access Climate/Quality of Life Safety 318 115 Strategy Action Phasing Cost1 Goals Alignment Add Pedestrian Lighting to All Bus Stops Short-Term $2,000 – $10,000 per stop Climate/Quality of Life Safety Improve Pedestrian Crossings at Stops Along Major Roads Short-Term $5,000 – $1,000,000 per stop Safety Improve Pedestrian Access to Bus Stops Ongoing N/A Multimodal Options Equity Climate/Quality of Life Access 1 – For mid-term and long-term improvements: $ = <$1 million, $$ = $1-$5 million, $$$ = >$5million 319 116 Chapter 7 – Multimodal Recommendations Highlights of Public Engagement on Multimodal Transportation Two of the top four themes for what is working well with transportation in Vail today (from the 2022 project survey) were related to walking and biking: 1. Walking and biking is easy and comfortable. 2. Sidewalks and trails are well maintained. One of the top four challenges with transportation identified through the survey was conflicts between people walking and biking, particularly within bike dismount zones around town. In the second project survey (2023) respondents were asked about their support for potential recommendations. The majority of respondents supported all the recommended trail projects, bike lanes, sidewalks, and shoulders around town. The majority of respondents also supported the implementation of road diets and rapid flashing beacons on the frontage roads. See Chapter 3 – Public Engagement for additional details on the public engagement process and results for Go Vail 2045. Existing Bicycle and Pedestrian Network As a destination for outdoor recreation, the Town of Vail has a relatively robust system of paved trails for people walking and biking as well as other facilities for people biking such as shared streets and wide shoulders. Existing bicycle and pedestrian facilities, not including sidewalks, are shown in Figure 51. The North Recreation Path along the north side of I-70 and the Gore Valley Trail on the south side of I-70 are both paved multi-use recreation trails that provide critical east-west pedestrian and bicycle connectivity. However, missing links and congested “Hot Spots” along these trails—when the trail is located along roadways with high traffic volumes and vehicle speeds as well as crossings of roadways—function as barriers and create safety concerns for people walking and biking. An additional challenge for active transportation is limited connectivity in many parts of town; both bicyclists and pedestrians experience north-south travel barriers due to limited opportunities to cross I-70. In addition to more formal facilities, residential neighborhoods around Vail are also adjacent to a system of soft surface trails, trailheads, and social trails that provide recreational access to the mountains. Apart from multi-use recreation trails, other facilities (such as bike lanes, shared roadways, and sidewalks) for people walking and biking to key destinations around Vail are limited. Streets in Lionshead Village and Vail Village, which are hotspots for pedestrian activity, generally include attached sidewalks. Sidewalks are 320 117 only sporadically present in residential neighborhoods. People walking and biking in these neighborhoods typically use the sides of the road since these areas have low posted speeds between 15 and 25 mph. “Hot spots,” shown in Figure 62 are locations of significant high-volume bicycle and pedestrian activity that experience congestion, conflicts, and safety concerns between people walking and biking. These hot spots are higher stress, lower comfort locations for active transportation. The recommendations in this chapter seek to improve the comfort for people walking and biking at these locations and improve transportation and recreational access for people walking and biking in the Town of Vail. 321 118 Figure 51: Existing Pedestrian & Bicycle Network 32 2 119 Collision Analysis There were more than 370 traffic crashes in Vail in both 2020 and 2021 (Figure 52Error! Reference source not found.Error! Reference source not found.). In 2022, the number of traffic crashes decreased, but the number of crashes in which someone was killed or severely injured (KSI), and the number of bicyclist- involved crashes remained steady. The number of pedestrian-involved collisions increased in 2022. Figure 52: Vail Collision Trends, January 2020 through March 2023 While bicyclist- and pedestrian-involved collisions represent a low share of total collisions in Vail (19 of 1090 total collisions from 2020-2022 or about 2%), they represent almost half (43%) of all seven serious collisions and both of the two fatal collisions. This disproportionate share of serious and fatal crashes reflects the vulnerability of people walking and biking. Vail does not have a consistent trend of serious injuries or fatal crashes, however in 2022 there was an unfortunate spike with 2 fatalities and 1 serious injury. Each incident should be evaluated to understand how each could have been avoided and what steps the town could take to help mitigate these types of accidents in the future. Providing safe pedestrian facilities throughout town by maintaining and improving existing facilities and adding new facilities as identified in this Chapter should be a priority. Areas that may be of particulat concern due to pedestrian congestion are highighted in Figure 60. Of the recorded KSI accidents some are from hitting embankments or running off the road, there are also a few KSI crashes that took place on private property. 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 2020 2021 2022 Nu m b e r of KS I / P e d / b i k e co l l i s i o n s Nu m b e r of to t a l co l l i s i o n s Axis Title Vail collision trends, 2020 through 2022 Total collisions KSI collisions Fatal collisions Pedestrian‐involved collisions Cyclist‐involved collisions 323 120 Figure 53: Total Collisions, KSI Collisions, and Fatal Collisions by Involved Parties, January 2020 through March 2023 The most common types of collisions in Vail are rear end crashes, crashes involving parked motor vehicles, broadside crashes, and sideswipes.Error! Reference source not found.Error! Reference source not found. For the most part, these types of crashes cause property damage but are less likely to lead to serious injuries. Broadside collisions can be serious, but can largely be addressed with geometric changes at intersections that have a historically high number of these crash types. More serious types of collisions, like overturning crashes and head on crashes, are less common. Crashes involving parked motor vehicles is partially addressed in the parking section, where guidance is provided to shift parking away from being on-street on arterials. Rear-end crashes tend to be at driveways and roundabouts, and will be partially addressed through recommendations for improved signaged and striping at driveways and roundabouts, as identified in this section. Given the overwhelming percent of crashes on the Frontage Roads (Figure 56), improving the cross-section and driveways/intersections along this corridor should be a top priority. Total collisions Vehicle Cyclist Pedestrian KSI collisions Vehicle Cyclist Pedestrian Fatal collisions Vehicle Cyclist Pedestrian 324 121 Figure 54: Harmful Events in Collisions, January 2020 through March 2023 Crash reports do not always include a contributing driver action. For crashes with a driver action recorded, the most common trends are careless driving, improper backing and turning, and speeding Error! Reference source not found.. One third of crashes that resulted from careless driving were inclement weather-related. Figure 55: Contributing Driver Actions in Collisions, January 2020 through March 2023 The most common crash locations in Vail are the North and South Frontage Roads, East and West Meadow Drive, and Vail Valley Drive (Figure 56). About 60% of frontage road collisions in 2021 and 2022 occurred during the winter months, reflecting higher ski traffic volumes. Almost a third (30%) of crashes occurred during winter weather conditions which reflects more unsafe driving conditions due to poor visibility and low vehicle traction. 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 325 122 Figure 56: Frequent Collision Locations in Vail, January 2020 through March 2023 Though detail on exact crash locations is not available for every single collision, most of the crashes on the South Frontage Road occur adjacent to the Vail Transportation Center and the Lionshead Parking Garage and most on the North Frontage Road occur near the Safeway shopping center. Almost a third (29%) of all crashes were coded as occurring in parking lots. On East and West Meadow Drive, crashes most frequently occur adjacent to Vail Health Hospital, Solaris Residences, and Vail’s Mountain Haus. On Vail Valley Drive, crashes most frequently occur between the Galatyn Lodge and the Passport Clubhouse at Golden Peak. The above areas, are high traffic volume areas, which require attentive drivers that are making numerous decisions regarding speeds, wayfinding, turning, parking, buses, pedestrians, etc… and the result is congestion and unprepared or unaware drivers. To help mitigate incidents and accidents the recommendations are suggested; Work with officers and reporting software to be able to get more detailed information on location and circumstances surrounding the incident so that more specific recommendations can be made in the future. Remove overflow Frontage Road Parking at the Vail Village and Lionshead Parking Structure areas and consider Road Diets and medians where possible in these areas, see Parking Chapter Implement West Vail Master Plan Road Diet and medians Implement clear Wayfinding to improve driver awareness Add pedestrian and bicycle facilities as identified in this Chapter. Improve driveway crossings as identified in this Chapter. 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 S Frontage Rd N Frontage Rd E & W Meadow Dr Vail Valley Dr Vail Rd Lionshead Cir Bighorn Dr Vail View Dr Potato Patch Dr Elkhorn Dr 2020 2021 2022 2023 326 123 Proposed Bicycle and Pedestrian Treatments The vision for the bicycle, pedestrian, and multimodal networks in Vail is to create a transportation system with numerous affordable, convenient, and comfortable options and that establishes seamless transitions between modes. For example, a resident of Vail leaving their home to head downtown should be able to easily choose to bike via the Gore Valley Trail, to catch a bus to travel either locally or regionally. A complete and comfortable bicycle and pedestrian network is essential to establish first-and-last-mile connections to transit or to use during their entire trip. Everyone is a pedestrian at the start and end of a journey, no matter how they travel in between. Bicycle and pedestrian recommendations consist of road diets, corridor treatments, intersection treatments, and programs and policies. These are all described in greater detail in this chapter. Traffic calming devices that promote more comfortable walking and biking are identified in Chapter 5 –Traffic Calming. Bicycle Glossary There are a number of different bicycle facility types present in Vail currently and proposed in the future. This section provides a consistent nomenclature and definitions for this set of facilities. Multi-use Recreation Trail Any section of the paved, multi-use trails in Vail that are part of the Gore Valley Trail (GVT) or the North Recreation Path (NRP). They include several types of facilities: • Separated Trail: 10-12’-wide asphalt or concrete trail that is not attached to or directly adjacent to a roadway. The edge of trail is at least 4’ from edge of pavement or back of curb. • Attached Trail: 10-12’-wide asphalt or concrete trail that is attached to a roadway by curb and gutter. Example – North Recreation Path west of the Vail Post Office. • Wide Shoulder: A section of multi-use trail along the asphalt shoulder of a roadway, typically 5-6’ wide and delineated with a white edge line. Example – Bighorn Road or South Frontage Rd West, west of the West Vail Interchange. • On-street Trail: Sections where the GVT or NRP route is on a vehicular roadway and delineated with “sharrows” on the road or signage. Example – Meadow Dr near the hospital or Sunburst Ln east of the Golf Course Clubhouse. 327 124 Sidewalk An attached or slightly separated walkway along a roadway. The width is typically 6-10’ and is generally used by pedestrians although some bicycle traffic can be expected. Wide Shoulder A 5-6’ wide paved shoulder separated with a white edge line. They are not Bike Lanes since they are not marked with a bicycle symbol. They can be used for overflow parking. Bike shoulders are present along most of the Frontage Roads. Bike Lane A bike lane is striped lane marked with a bicycle symbol that is at least 5’ wide. Residential Striped Shoulder A 2-4’ wide paved shoulder separated with a white edge line. They provide a delineated separation between vehicles and pedestrians. They are not Bike Lanes since they do not meet the minimum standard width of 5’. Shared Roadway These facilities are marked by a shared lane or “sharrow” symbol and/or signage denoting that bicyclists may be present. Example – South Frontage Road East along the Village Parking Structure, eastbound Advisory Bike Lanes A preferred space for bicyclists and pedestrians to operate on narrow streets with motorists that would otherwise be a shared roadway environment. An Advisory Bike Lane road will have a central, narrow driving lane for bi-directional traffic, with an advisory bike lane on either side, demarcated with dashed white lines. When drivers coming in opposite directions meet, they must enter the advisory bike lane to pass, first yielding to bicyclists or pedestrians. If a vehicle approaches a pedestrian or cyclist in the advisory bike lane, the vehicle must yield to both the cyclist and oncoming traffic. A vehicle may pass a bicyclist if there is no oncoming traffic. When clear, vehicles return to the center vehicular travel lane of the road. While there are a number of other terms for this facility type (FHWA uses the terms “Advisory Shoulder” and “Dashed Bicycle Lane”, another recent term is “Edge Lane”), the Town of Vail will use the term Advisory Bike Lane. Future Road Diets Figure 57 and Table 17 Error! Reference source not found.illustrate the three locations for potential future road diets – the South Frontage Road adjacent to the Vail Transportation Center, South Frontage Road west of W Forest Road, and the North Frontage Road adjacent to the West Vail Shopping Center. A road diet is the reallocation of right-of-way from vehicle travel/turn lanes to other uses like bicycle lanes, wide sidewalks, or a landscaped median. They promote traffic calming and pedestrian safety. Prior to implementing any road diets, careful consideration should be given to potential impacts to traffic volumes 328 125 and potential congestion, maintenance, snow removal, impacts to emergency vehicle response times, impacts to evacuation times, and impacts to buses and the bus rider experience. Figure 57: Three Proposed Road Diet Locations Table 17: Road Diet Corridors Roadway Segment Existing Cross-section Proposed Cross-section South Frontage Road Adjacent to Vail Transportation Center Two travel lanes in either direction, turn lanes, and with a wide shoulder for on- street parking on the north side Narrow travel lanes and remove on-street parking; consider landscape medians and buffered or protected bike lane South Frontage Road west of W Forest Road Two travel lanes in either direction, a center turn lane, and a westbound right turn lane Remove center turn lane and implement 10’-12’ separated trail on the south side and wider vegetated buffers on both sides North Frontage Road Adjacent to West Vail Commercial Area One travel lane in either direction, with continuous acceleration/deceleration lanes, left turn lanes, and parking on the south side Remove acceleration and deceleration lanes to accommodate a bike lane on both sides of the road, and landscape medians. Long term, consider removing parking on south side to eliminate pedestrian crossing. South Frontage Road Adjacent to Vail Transportation Center Drivers are currently permitted to park along the north side of the South Frontage Road when the Lionshead Parking structure and Vail Village Parking structure are full. This poses a significant safety concern for people parking on-street and crossing the 3 to 5 lane roadway that have the highest traffic volumes and do not have marked pedestrian crossings. This also becomes a safety concern for people biking during a few peak days of the winter and summer months, since cyclists normally occupy the shoulder but parking forces them into traffic. This issue is most prominent in front of the Vail Village 329 126 parking structure/ Vail Transportation Center (Figure 58), along the north shoulder or westbound side of the street. Oftentimes buses idle in this same shoulder due to a lack of bus storage at the transit center. Figure 58: South Frontage Road Adjacent to Vail Transportation Center With the importance of safety for pedestrians and cyclists, there are several near-term and long-term strategies Town staff may employ to manage this issue of bicycle and parking conflicts on the South Frontage Road. The Parking chapter further defines solutions in the short and long-term from a parking perspective. The Town can also implement parking management strategies such as increased parking pricing in the garages to reduce overall demand by encouraging carpooling and alternative travel modes. The Town should also consider shifting overflow Frontage Road parking away from high volume areas and where possible from the north side of the street to the south side of the street to decrease conflicts with pedestrians crossing the roadway after parking. In the long term, an eventual road diet, specifically in front of the Vail Village parking structure could be a more permanent solution. Narrowing travel lanes from 12’-13’ to 11’ would free approximately 10’ in addition to the existing 8’ shoulder on the north side of the roadway. This offers additional flexibility to consider providing bike lanes and landscaped medians. Given safety concerns stemming from overflow Frontage Road parking, the Town should further evaluate removal of overflow Frontage Road parking in the long-term, as identified in the Parking chapter. South Frontage Road West of Forest Road The segment of the South Frontage Road shown in Figure 59 is currently four lanes – two travel lanes, a center turn lane, and a westbound right turn lane. This section of roadway has relatively low turning 330 127 movements considering adjacent land uses. It is recommended that the Town implement a road diet that repurposes right-of-way from the center turn lane and potentially the right turn lane to create a new 10’- 12’ separated trail on the south side of the roadway along with bike shoulder lanes and wider vegetated buffers on both sides of the roadway. This narrower road cross section would create new space for people walking and biking and calm traffic by requiring drivers to reduce their speeds and wait for left turning vehicles to exit the travel lane. Figure 59: South Frontage Road W Road Diet North Frontage Road Adjacent to West Vail Commercial Area This road diet along North Frontage Road (Figure 60 and Figure 61) was identified in the West Vail Master Plan (2021). The North Frontage Road currently has one travel lane in each direction. However, due to the high volume of vehicles turning into and out of the commercial driveways for the West Vail Mall, there are left and right turn deceleration and acceleration lanes along the corridor between the roundabout and Buffehr Creek Road. These turn lanes create the perception that the North Frontage Road is four lanes wide, which results in higher vehicle speeds and uncomfortable conditions for people walking or bicycling along or across the North Frontage Road. This plan recommends the following short and long-term actions: Short-term: • Remove the westbound through acceleration and deceleration lanes. Due to the 25 mph speed limits they are not required by CDOT Access Code. • Minimize right and left turn lanes to minimum required 331 128 • The additional roadway space gained from removing above could be reallocated to develop a roadway cross section with bike lanes in each direction that enhances access for users of all modes while also creating a more inviting and aesthetically pleasing environment. Long-term: • Per the West Vail Master Plan, add roundabout/medians, remove westbound acceleration and deceleration lanes, and restrict access to certain driveways to minimize left turn movements By dedicating part of the right-of-way to a raised center median with landscaping, it will serve to both visually narrow the vehicle travel lanes, which would have a traffic calming effect, while creating a visual buffer between I-70 and West Vail Center. This recommendation is shown in Figure 60 and Figure 61 The road diet should be studied further, considering potential increases in vehicle trips associated with the redevelopment of West Vail Center and the impacts to emergency services and snow removal. 332 129 Figure 60: West Vail Shopping Center Road Diet 33 3 130 Figure 61: North Frontage Road Cross Section: Buffered Bike Lanes with No Parking 33 4 131 Proposed Corridor Treatments Proposed facilities for people walking and biking, as identified in this section of the plan, were developed based on a trail or roadway’s identified status as a primary or secondary active transportation corridor that serves people walking, biking, or rolling (see Figure 62). Primary active transportation corridors are those that provide key connections like the frontage roads, Bighorn Road, the Gore Valley Trail (GVT), and North Recreation Path (NRP). Secondary active transportation corridors are oftentimes directly adjacent to primary corridors, but slightly more “off the beaten path” or in residential neighborhoods. These secondary corridors still provide essential connectivity throughout Vail, and provide an alternate facility for users to bypass otherwise busy primary corridors. Table 18 details existing and proposed facilities on primary and secondary corridors in the Town of Vail, while Figure 63 maps each of these proposed corridor treatments. The following sections will describe each of these proposed bicycle and pedestrian facilities in greater detail. Table 18: Proposed Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities Corridor Sections Bike Corridor Pedestrian Corridor Existing Proposed Facility Arterials North Frontage Rd Primary Primary 3'-6' wide shoulder w/ 8- 10' North Rec Path 6' wide shoulders w/ adjacent 10’-12’ separated NRP South Frontage Rd: Town of Vail boundary to West Vail Roundabout Primary Primary 4'-8' wide shoulder 5-6' bike lane w/ separated 10’-12’ GVT (Optional 10’ trail bypass around Stephens park) South Frontage Rd: West Vail Roundabout to Donovan Park Primary Primary 3'-6' wide shoulder w/ 10' GVT 6' bike lane where possible w/ adjacent 10'-12' GVT South Frontage Rd: Donovan Park to Ford Park Primary Primary 3'-6' wide shoulder 6' bike lane w/ adjacent 10' sidewalk separated where possible South Frontage Rd: Ford Park to Bald Mountain Road Primary Primary 3'-6' paved Shoulder 6' bike lane w/ adjacent 10' sidewalk separated where possible. (Optional 10’ trail w/ I-70 underpass to north side of I- 70 behind sand storage berm) South Frontage Rd: Bald Mountain Road to Katsos Ranch Road Primary Primary 3'-6' paved Shoulder w/ 10’ separated trail and sidewalk 6' bike lane w/ adjacent 10’-12’ separated trail and sidewalk South Frontage Rd: Katsos Ranch Road to Bighorn Road Primary Primary 3'-6' paved Shoulder 6' bike lane w/ adjacent 10’-12’ separated trail Bighorn Rd Primary Primary 6' wide shoulder 6' bike lane w/ adjacent 10'-12’ separated trail 335 132 Corridor Sections Bike Corridor Pedestrian Corridor Existing Proposed Facility North Rec Path Primary Primary 10' separated trail attached in some locations 10’-12' separated trail, extend to Spraddle Creek Trailhead Gore Valley Trail Primary Primary 10'-11' separated trail 10’-12' separated trail GVT: Lionshead Gondola Primary Primary 11' trail through pedestrian area 10’-12’ separated trail along Gore Creek GVT: Lionshead to W. Meadow Dr Primary Primary 11' trail 11' trail w/ 6’ pedestrian only bypass nature trail through Tract A across creek GVT: W. Meadow Dr Primary Primary 8’-16’ walk on north side; 6’ walk on south side; Shared Roadway for people biking Route GVT pedestrian users to north side with an enhanced crossing and implement advisory bike lanes. GVT: Vail Road Primary Primary 6’ sidewalk north of creek; no pedestrian facilities south of creek 6’ sidewalk; 5’-6’ bike lanes GVT: along Mill Creek to Vail Mountain Club) Primary Primary Pedestrian Zone/6’ sidewalk Direct bicycles via Vail Road and Vail Residences with better signage and striping; improve the gate for trail users. GVT: Vail Mountain Club to Ski Club Vail Primary Primary 10’ trail 10'-12' trail GVT: Ski Club Vail to Golf Course Hole #6 Bus turnaround Primary Primary Advisory Bike Lanes 10'-12' separated trail GVT: Golf Course Hole #6 Bus turnaround to Sunburst Dr Primary Primary Advisory Bike Lanes Realign through Nature Center, across Gore Greek and then along Gore Creek adjacent to S. Frontage Road as a10'-12' trail GVT: Sunburst Dr from Vail Valley Drive to Vail Golf Club Primary Primary 4’ shoulder Remove shoulders and add 10' trail separated if possible GVT: Sunburst Dr from Vail Golf Club to cul-de-sac/start of trail Primary Primary Shared Road Advisory bike lanes Collectors Kinnickinnick Rd Secondary Secondary 2' Shoulder 4' wide shoulder and/or 6' sidewalk Chamonix Ln/Rd Secondary Secondary 2'-3' Shoulder 4' wide shoulder and/or 6' sidewalk W. Gore Creek Dr Secondary Secondary 2' Shoulder 4' wide shoulder and/or 6' sidewalk Main Gore Dr (Frontage Road to Meadow Drive) Secondary Secondary 2' Shoulder 4' wide shoulder and/or 6' sidewalk 336 133 Corridor Sections Bike Corridor Pedestrian Corridor Existing Proposed Facility Matterhorn Cir (Lower) Secondary Secondary Nothing 4' wide shoulder and/or 6' sidewalk Westhaven Dr Secondary Secondary 6’ walk to Creek; then no facility 4' wide shoulder and/or 6' sidewalk from frontage road to Matterhorn connector Vail Valley Drive: S. Frontage Road to Ski Club Vail) Primary Primary 6' sidewalk and shared roadway 6’ sidewalk and 5’ bike lane (Narrow travel lanes to 9’) Vail Valley Drive: Ski Club Vail to Sunburst Primary Primary Advisory Bike Lanes Advisory bike lanes Vail Rd Primary Primary 6' walk 6’ sidewalk and 5’ bike lane (Narrow travel lanes to 9’) West Lionshead Cir Secondary Primary 6' walk 6’ sidewalk and 5’ bike lane (Narrow travel lanes to 9’) East Lionshead Cir Secondary Primary 6’ walk (one side), 6’ shoulder (one side) 6’ sidewalk and 5’ bike lane (Narrow travel lanes to 9’) Residential Buffehr Creek Rd Secondary Secondary Nothing 4' wide shoulder with 18' travel way Lions Ridge Loop Secondary Secondary Nothing 4' wide shoulder with 18' travel way Beaver Dam Rd Secondary Secondary Nothing 4' wide shoulder with 18' travel way Lupine Dr Secondary Secondary Nothing 4' wide shoulder with 18' travel way Columbine Dr (South of Bighorn Road) Secondary Secondary Nothing 4' wide shoulder with 18' travel way Streamside Cir East Secondary Secondary Nothing 4' wide shoulder with 18' travel way Meadow Dr Secondary Secondary Nothing 4' wide shoulder with 18' travel way 337 134 Figure 62: Pedestrian & Bicycle Corridors 33 8 135 Figure 63: Proposed Bicycle & Pedestrian Network 33 9 136 Multi-use Recreational Trails This plan refers to multi-use paths/shared use paths as multi-use recreation trails (trails for short). One of the major safety issues for people walking and biking in Vail today is congestion along popular trail segments. People walking, biking, riding e-bikes, taking the bus, and driving vehicles compete for space and move at different speeds in core areas of Vail such as the Vail Village, Lionshead Village, and along the Gore Valley Trail (GVT). While this section includes recommendations and strategies for addressing this congestion and improving the trail system from a transportation and mobility perspective, the Town of Vail should complete a more comprehensive Trails Plan in the near-term. The Town’s latest Trails Master Plan was published in 1988. Along both Frontage Roads, the North Recreation (Rec) Path (NRP) and GVT provide low stress and high comfort options for people walking and biking where there is low user congestion. However, to address trail congestion in high bicycle/pedestrian-traffic areas, creating more consistently wide (6’) Frontage Road shoulders can provide safe on-street bike facility options for more confident bicyclists traveling at higher speeds. The Town has widened most of the Frontage Road shoulder to 5’-6’, however the long term goal should be to have consistent 6’ shoulders and convert them to bike lanes. A web map has been created to identify the existing shoulder widths. https://tov.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=b2468eafdf444869a55813748fb1826a To accommodate pedestrians and cyclists of all ages and abilities, this plan recommends that the Town of Vail make three types of upgrades to the GVT and North Recreation Path: 1. Upgrade sections of the GVT and North Recreation Path that are not separated trails (i.e., wide shoulders, Sunburst Dr. and Bighorn Rd.; or shared roadway, Vail Rd, Vail Valley Drive, Sunburst Dr) 2. Widen multi-use recreation trails to be 12’ wide with a striped centerline to separate bidirectional traffic). 3. Provide an adjacent 10’ sidewalk along the South Frontage Road in sections where the GVT trail is offset from the roadway and runs along Gore Creek such as from Donovan to to East Lionshead Circle These changes can better accommodate trail users, highlight two-way traffic on the trail, maintain space for passing, and reduce safety conflicts, and provide alternate routes for different types of users and during periods of congestion. Wider trails also improve sightlines around tighter curves, alongside vegetation management. Installing additional signage on trail etiquette can help communicate responsibilities of trail users to keep to the right, leash dogs, respect proper cycling speeds, pay attention at high traffic intersections, etc. In the near term, areas to prioritize for these sightline and signage improvements include sections of the GVT from Donovan Park to Lionshead Village. Gore Valley Trail: Lionshead to Golf Course This area of the GVT is one of the most congested sections of the trail, with multiple users competing for space. In Lionshead, at the Gondola and skier bridge the GVT runs through a busy plaza. For this section 340 137 it is recommended to implement the designed re-route just to the south of the Gondola along Gore Creek. Then, from Lionshead Village to W Meadow Drive along Gore Creek and behind the library, the GVT becomes inundated with users in July and August. It is recommended that an alternate soft surface pedestrian nature trail be provided through Tract A on the south side of Gore Creek to help alleviate congestion and provide an inviting nature walk. Along W Meadow Drive, it is recommended that the Town route pedestrians along the north side of the street where a wide paver sidewalk exists by implementing an enhanced crossing and signage. The town should implement advisory bike lanes to encourage bicyclists to ride in the street. Doing so can separate lower and higher-speed active transportation traffic to reduce collisions. As the GVT enters Vail Village, signage should clearly indicate that pedestrians may continue through, but that bicyclists should either dismount or turn right and follow Vail Road to avoid people biking through the core pedestrian area. There is currently signage to this effect, but users frequently miss it and lose their way along the GVT. This signage can be made more visible and intuitive for users to follow Vail Road along the recommended bike lanes, and increase compliance with the dismount zone. An additional location of the GVT in need of improved wayfinding is access from the trail through Vail Chalets an Vail Mountain Club and the ski yard. The Town should work with Vail Resorts for improvements at this location. Strategies to improve this signage could include an in-street painted arrow at the key turn, more user friendly bypass of the existing gate, and painted bike symbols and GVT-branded trail signs for users to track along their route (for example, the “Wiggle” bike route in San Francisco uses similar strategies to help riders find their way). In this area Vail Road is scheduled to have the sidewalk extended from the Vail Chapel to Vail Chalets; in addition to the sidewalk 5’ bike lanes should be added along Vail Road in this area to make it intuitive for bicyclist to follow the GVT along Vail Road. 341 138 Figure 64: Elevated trail in Moab (Source: Kerry Cushman) Finally, before exiting the hotspot of activity and congestion in the Vail town core, the GVT traces Vail Valley Drive and Sunburst Drive toward the Vail Golf Course Clubhouse. Along these corridors, the project teams recommend that the Town provide enhanced facilities, as identified in Table 18. A new separated10’-12’ trail along the Ford Park Soccer field and Vail Valley Drive that then crosses Vail Valley Drive and goes along the Nature Center access road, across Gore Creek and traces between Gore Creek and the South Frontage Road. This new alignment would provide a new high-comfort east-west connection reducing conflicts on Vail Valley Drive and offer redundancy in the active transportation network. This section of trail could be a cantilevered or elevated trail along Gore Creek, as shown in the Moab, UT example in Figure 64. This particular section runs through and along environmentally sensitive areas, the Nature Center and Gore Creek. Environmental impacts assessments will need to be completed and reviewed for feasibility of this type of project. The following list summarizes the key short, mid, and long-term corridor recommendations identified in this section: Short-term 342 139 • Build pedestrian nature trail on Tract A • Add signage to direct pedestrians to north side of W Meadow Drive • Stripe W Meadow as Advisory Bike Lane • Add signage at intersection of W. Meadow Dr and Vail Rd. • Add Bike Lane to Vail road south of W. Meadow Drive • Improve signage and striping at Vail Chalets turn • Restripe Sunburst with no double yellow and narrow vehicle travel lane to 18', making bike lanes 6' (Vail Valley Drive to Golf Clubhouse) • Stripe the section of Sunburst south of the Golf Course as an Advisory Bike Lane Mid-Term • Construct GVT LH Gondola bypass • Add the already designed separated 10'-12' path from Ford Park Soccer field to Golf Course Hole #6 Bus turnaround • Narrow Sunburst and add 10' trail from Vail Valley Drive to Golf Clubhouse Long-Term • Add new 10-12' trail connection across Nature Center Drive and Gore Creek to new cantilevered path adjacent to Gore Creek and the S. Frontage Road to bypass Vail Valley Drive residential area Bike Lanes On certain collectors that experience high volumes of bicycle traffic, such as Vail Valley Drive, Vail Road, and East and West Lionshead Circle, bicycle facilities are currently limited to sharrows. In these locations, it is recommended that the Town formalize designated facilities for people biking by creating new striped bike lanes. This can be accomplished by converting roadway currently dedicated to 2 vehicular travel lanes and 2’ curb and gutter to narrow 9’ travel lanes with a wider 5’ bike lane that replaces the 2’ concrete gutter with seamless asphalt (example shown in Figure 65). This can be coordinated with the next asphalt overlay budgeted for these roads. In addition, some of the wide shoulders along the Frontage Roads should be converted to designated Bike Lanes. 343 140 Figure 65: Striped Bike Lane Combining Shoulder and Curb and Gutter To achieve the minimum recommended 5’ width for a bike lane, many of these roadways will need to narrow travel lanes to 9’. However, many of these street segments are also bus routes. Town staff should communicate with bus drivers that while these painted lane widths serve as guidance for private passenger vehicles, buses may carefully encroach on the bike lane in chokepoints, when bicyclists are not present. Sidewalks and Shoulders Additional pedestrian facilities can greatly contribute to a sense of comfort during walking trips. Vail generally has a limited presence of sidewalks outside of the Vail/Lionshead Villages and the dedicated trails and a segment of sidewalk along Chamonix Lane, Moraine Drive, and Red Sandstone Road. Opportunities to add additional curb and sidewalks on the residential streets in Vail can be limited by cost constraints, the existing right-of-way not being sufficiently wide, or impacts to private improvements. The Town typically only adds curb and gutter where attached sidewalk exists and where restrictions do not allow for a typical drainage swale. 344 141 Based on feedback from the public as well as speed data, collector roads in the Town of Vail – especially Vail Valley Drive, Chamonix Lane, Kinnickinnick, W. Gore Creek Drive, Main Gore Drive– tend to have more instances of speeding and safety concerns. It is recommended that in the future, the Town consider investigating constructing 6’ sidewalks to improve safety. This will require a robust public outreach comapaign to gauge community interest. Otherwise, residential striped shoulders are a treatment that has proven popular in the community. These striped shoulders provide a designated space for walking at a low cost. They also visually narrow the roadway and can reduce vehicle speeds. Typically, the vehicle travel lanes will be narrowed down to 18’ with the striping, leaving the remainder as shoulder width in each direction. However, since most of the Town’s streets are 22’ wide it leaves a minimal 2’ width for a striped shoulder. Figure 66: Roadway Cross Section with Striped Shoulders On local and collector streets that can be widened to 26’ wide, the Town may consider narrowing travel lanes to 9’ (18’ total) where feasible to designate 4' shoulders that can be used by people walking and biking. Although this striped shoulder is not wide enough to meet the AASHTO requirements for a bike 345 142 lane, this shoulder can still provide a designated space for people bicycling or walking that is more comfortable than sharing the travel lane with vehicles. This may require widening roadways given the current width of many local roads in Vail. However, providing striping to visually narrow the street and a designated place for people to walk and bike can offset the higher speeds that are often seen on wider roadways, Striped shoulders can be implemented on any roadway in Vail where there is sufficient width for both a striped shoulder and two-way vehicle travel. On more narrow roadways, striping can be considered to be added to one side of the street (with a striped buffer between the shoulder and roadway if space allows). This treatment is ideally applied on roadways with less than 2,000 average daily vehicles and speeds less than 20 mph. See the Rural Design guide for more details on Visually Separated Pedestrian Lanes (https://ruraldesignguide.com/visually-separated/pedestrian-lane). Figure 67: Example of a Pedestrian Lane in Detroit, Oregon Proposed Crossing Treatments This plan recommends crossing enhancements throughout the Town of Vail. These crossing enhancements fall under three categories—crossings of I-70, improved crossings at all legs of roundabouts, and improved crossings of driveways. These are summarized in Table 19 and described in greater detail in this section. 346 143 Table 19: Proposed Crossing Treatments Crossing Type Crossing Location Notes Improve existing crossings of I-70 Columbine Drive underpass Provide an 8’ trail and sharrows through each underpass at a minimum, 10-12’ where possible. At the three interchanges, the trails should be on both sides. East Vail Interchange/Big Horn Road underpass Elkhorn Drive underpass Vail Road underpass West Vail underpass New crossing of I-70 Bald Mountain Road Coincides with a proposed wildlife crossing. Middle Creek w/ Civic Area/Housing Projects; Note that there is a 30'elevation difference b/w each Frontage Road side N/S Buffehr Creek w/ WV Commercial Area; 20' elevation difference b/w each Frontage Road side N/S Red Sandstone Creek w/ Ever Vail-30' elevation difference b/w each Frontage Road side N/S Roundabout crossing upgrades See Figure 71 All legs of all roundabouts should have crosswalks, flashing beacons, signage, and ADA-accessible ramps. The existing inventory of each of these treatments at each leg of the roundabouts within Town is shown in detail in this section. Roadway and driveway crossings See Figure 73 Implement low stress crossings, especially where trails cross roadways and driveways. Most driveways should include a stop bar, marked crosswalk, and ADA-accessible curb ramps. At significant driveway crossings with higher traffic volumes, trail crossings should be recessed one vehicle length to allow turning vehicles to clear the trail while waiting to turn. They should include signage, painting or paving treatments, and/or a raised crossing. Major Crossings of I-70 While the North Recreation Path and the Gore Valley Trail provide critical east-west connectivity for people walking and biking, I-70 acts as a barrier to north-south access. Given the relative infrequency of crossings in certain parts of Vail, these available crossings become important factors for whether someone chooses to walk or bike. If someone is trying to access a destination right across I-70 but must walk or 347 144 bike up to a mile out of direction to cross the highway, they are likely to choose to drive. Similarly, if a crossing is close by but very stressful and uncomfortable for someone walking or biking due to traffic proximity, speed, and volume, they may also choose to drive. This plan recommends that the Town improves the existing north-south crossings of I-70 and consider forming new connections in the future. To appropriately accommodate people walking and biking with a facility separate from underpass traffic, the Town should at minimum provide an 8’ sidewalk and sharrows within the roadway at the entrance to each underpass. Where possible, the Town should provide wider 10-12’ sidewalks on both sides if possible or a wider walk on the major pedestrian corridor side with a narrower walk on the minor pedestrian corridor side. An interim improvement could be to stripe a 5' bike lane in each direction at Main Vail and West Vail underpasses since there is available width in both locations. Design of the crossing should consider maintenance in order to reduce icing and improved protection from snow/debris coming off of I-70 with increased shelter. Currently, Columbine Drive and the East Vail Interchange/Big Horn Road underpasses lack any pedestrian accommodations. Sandstone Underpass provides the best accommodations for bicyclists and Pedestrians with 10’ walks on both sides. The town should also consider building overhead structures at each underpass to protect pedestrians and cyclists from snow and/or debris that may come off the interstate. The Town of Avon has recently constructed such structures. The Town may also consider forming additional north-south connections across I-70. Possible locations could include at Red Sandstone Creek, Middle Creek, Buffehr Creek Road, Westhaven Drive, or at the west end of Bald Mountain Road. Each crossing could be implemented with connected future development projects. A crossing at Red Sandstone Creek in conjunction with the development of “Ever Vail”; Middle Creek in conjunction with the housing development on the north side of I-70 and the Civic Area development on the south side of I-70 ; or at Buffehr Creek Road in conjunction with a West Vail Commercial redevelopment; or at the west end of Bald Mountain Road in conjunction with a potential wildlife crossing. This last connection would provide an alternate route for a multi-use recreational trail along the Frontage Road, which would encroach upon the Golf Course, see Figure 61. Each of the connections would provide improved access to key pedestrian areas, providing enhanced connectivity throughout the Town of Vail. The Eagle County Safe Passage for Wildlife Study (2018) recommends multiple wildlife over or underpass connections, two of which might be able to be cooridinated with the pedestrian connections mentioned above. An underpass at mile marker 175 might be completed in conjunction with a pedestrian underpass at Red Sandstone Creek with the “Ever Vail” redevelopment. An underpass at 177.8 (adjacent to the golf course) might be completed in conjunction with a pedestrian underpass at the west end of Bald Mountain Road. The other identified wildlife crossings at mile marker 172.9 and 179 do not align with above recommended pedestrian connections but should be considered if one or the other move forward in the planning process. 348 145 Roundabouts Roundabouts can be challenging to navigate for people walking and biking. There are seven major roundabouts in Vail. Figure 71 shows the pedestrian treatments present for each leg of each roundabout with a pedestrian crossing. Every leg of every roundabout should include a marked crosswalk, flashing beacon, signage alerting drivers to the presence of pedestrians, and ADA-accessible curb ramps. Most of the roundabouts score relatively well. Roundabout 1 and 2, West Vail Roundabouts, each are missing flashing beacons and pedestrian signs on several legs. This plan recommends that the Town install these missing crossing treatments. Roundabout 6, the Main Vail entrance roundabout, lacks crossings on the three legs on the east side of the intersection, due to the east side of the underpass also lacking pedestrian accommodation. It is recommended that the Town improve pedestrian access on the east side of this underpass and roundabout to encourage walkability of the town core. This project could be complete as a part of the widening project being planned by the Town that would add a second northbound lane. The Town of Vail is currently improving lighting at the Main Vail and West Vail roundabouts by replacing and installing additional LED lights to improve visibility for drivers and pedestrians. It is recommended that the town consider revisiting and adopting the Draft Vail Lighting Master Plan and implementing it in order to address lighting needs along the Frontage Roads. To accommodate bicyclists, the Town should create 8-12’ trails where it is possible to widen sidewalks around roundabouts. An example of this is provided in the CDOT Roadway Design Guidelines (2023) Figure 9-35, shown in Figure 69. Signage should also be added to make drivers aware that bicyclists may be using full lane and not to pass bicyclists in roundabout. The Town should add sharrow markings within all roundabouts and at the entrance to each roundabout on each non-highway ramp leg. An example of this is provided in the CDOT Roadway Design Guidelines (2023) Figure 13-34, shown in Figure 69. 349 146 Figure 68: CDOT Roadway Design Guidelines Displaying Wide Sidewalk at Roundabout 350 147 Figure 69: CDOT Roadway Design Guidelines Displaying Bicycle Sharrow at Roundabout 351 148 Figure 70: Vail Roundabouts 35 2 149 Figure 71: Pedestrian Infrastructure at Vail Roundabouts West Vail North West Vail South Sandstone North Sandstone South Main Vail North Main Vail South Vail Health 353 150 Roadway and Driveway Crossings Many roadway crossings and driveway crossings in Vail do not have the appropriate suite of pedestrian crossing treatments. Research shows that a bikeway is only as a strong as its weakest link; in other words, a high stress crossing on a low stress trail will dictate what users feel comfortable traveling on a facility. Therefore, it is important to implement low stress crossings, especially where trails cross roadways and driveways. These crossing points are conflict points between vehicles and people walking/biking and are the location of many crashes, nationally. Pedestrian crossings at roadway intersections and mid-block crossings should be evaluated for improvements to include cross-walks, signage, and lighting; and further consideration should be given to adding additional Rapid Flashing Beacons (RFB’s). Currently the Town has a general policy of adding RFB’s at crosswalks along arterials (Frontage Roads) and roundabouts. The Town should consider expanding this policy to add RFB’s at higher volume collector roads with high volumes of pedestrians. These locations would include Vail Road, Vail Valley Drive, East and West Lionshead Circle. However as RFB’s are added in more residential areas, the Town should consider light pollution impacts and investigate RFB’s that might have shields/cut-offs to minimize light impacts to adjacent neighborhoods. Based on the 2023 survey ~80% of the respondents supported this type of initiative. However, RFB’s are only beneficial if they are used. It is not uncommon for pedestrians to not use RFB’s, thus nullifying their impact. The Town should create an awareness and education campaign targeted toward pedestrians to “Push the Button”. This could be a localized campaign or coordination throughout Eagle County for a larger awareness impact. Most driveways in Vail (“Standard Driveway Crossings” in Figure 73) should include a stop bar, marked crosswalk, and ADA-accessible curb ramps. Legally, only roadway crossings require ADA accessible curb ramps, but it is recommended that all crossings in Vail, even driveways, are ADA compliant. At significant driveway crossings with higher traffic volumes, as recommended in the West Vail Master Plan, trail crossings should be recessed one vehicle length to allow turning vehicles to clear the trail while waiting to turn. The jog should begin as early as possible within right-of-way constraints; this gradual jog will increase the likelihood that users will not cut the curb. Low shrubbery and signage can also be used increase compliance. Due to the wide trail and existing set back, the jog will be slight. These trail crossings should be indicated with signage alerting drivers to the presence of people walking and biking, using painting or paving treatments, and/or a raised crossing. 354 151 Figure 72: Crossing Treatment at Significant Driveways Figure 72 illustrates the recommended treatment for significant driveways. Vehicles seeking to turn out of these driveways currently must block trail crossings to access the necessary sightline to find a gap in traffic to exit the driveway. This would be solved by moving the trail crossing at each driveway just over one vehicle length (~25’) back from the Frontage Road, towards the commercial businesses, so that the first vehicle can clear the trail crossing prior to waiting for a turning opportunity. The trail crossings should be kept clear, using signage alerting drivers to the trail crossing, paving, or painting treatments that delineate the trail from the driveway (such as green paint or brick pavers), a vertical treatment that raises the trail crossing above the driveway maintaining the grade of the trail , or a combination of all three. Stop bars should be placed before the edge of the travel lane and in combination with a STOP legend pavement marking before the crosswalk. 355 152 Figure 73: Vail Driveway Crossings 35 6 153 Program and Policy Recommendations Programs and policies, often falling under the category of Transportation Demand Management strategies, are a critical companion to infrastructure projects and provide the supportive environment necessary to shift behavior, change culture, and supplement infrastructure projects to ensure they are successful. A significant finding from this process is that investing in infrastructure alone is not enough to achieve Vail’s goals and dramatically shift the way we travel. Programmatic investments include initiatives related to communication and education, travel safety, demand management, and cultural shifts. The following are programs the Town of Vail could implement to better support those walking, rolling, and biking (also summarized in Table 20). Table 20: Summary of Programmatic Recommendations Program/Policy Description Landscaping and street furniture Landscaping such as buffers between pedestrians and drivers can provide shade, slow vehicle speeds, improve environmental benefits, and provide a more comfortable experience for all users. Benches, whether located at bus stops or along a trail, improve the pedestrian experience. Pedestrian-scale lighting Dark-sky compliant lighting, can improve safety and reduce crash risk. The Draft Vail Lighting Master Plan recommends dark sky compliant bollard lighting along multi-use recreational trails. Bike-calming treatments Bike-calming treatments located at strategic locations along trails, allow various users to share the trails comfortably and reduce the speed discrepancy between those walking and biking. Wayfinding and signage Wayfinding and signage provide directional information and create a sense of place for all users. Mobility Pass Program A mobility pass provides a one-stop-shop for users to understand their travel options, and reserve and pay for multimodal choices such as transit, bike share, or parking. Bike parking Bike parking makes biking more reliable and convenient; parking should be covered and secure with e-bike charging options in locations with more longer-term storage Bike share The current bike share program should be expanded to be more convenient for users traveling locally and regionally. Maintenance Consistent and prioritized maintenance, snow, and debris removal for bicycle and pedestrian facilities are critical for ensuring the network is a reliable, comfortable, and safe transportation resource for community members year-round. Education and awareness Education for all users about rules of the road is important to ensure a consistent and comfortable experience for both residents and visitors. Data collection The Town should collect data on both vehicle speeds as well as bicycle and pedestrian counts to inform capital project investments. Regional partnerships The Town should explore opportunities for regional partnerships to better connect Vail to neighboring communities and the recently formed Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) and improve transportation infrastructure throughout Eagle County. Active Transportation Coordinator & updated Trails Master Plan It is recommended the Town establish the position of a Town active transportation coordinator to facilitate updating the Vail Bicycle and Pedestrian Facility Master Plan with a new Vail Bicycle and Pedestrian Facility Master Plan to provide more specific recommendation of the above improvements; and implementation of plan recommendations focused on walking and biking. 357 154 Program/Policy Description Access management Access management strategies as identified in previous plan will regulate the interactions of roadways with intersections and driveways, by reducing or consolidating driveways and access points. It is an important strategy to mitigate conflicts between turning vehicles, pedestrians, and bicyclists and decrease congestion. Developer requirements The Town should establish development requirements for the multimodal network and communicate what portion of infrastructure developers will be responsible for to ensure bicycle and pedestrian facilities are connected and built to Town design standards and guidelines. Enforcement The Town should develop a speed management program to help regulate and enforce speeds and behavior on trails as well as roadways. Program Recommendations Sidewalk & Trail Amenities Landscaping and Street Furniture The Town can use landscaping and street furniture to create a buffer zone alongside bicycle and pedestrian facility types. Planting native trees, shrubs, and grasses along trails and sidewalks provides shade, decreases temperatures, and acts as a buffer from vehicle traffic. Street furniture such as benches, streetlamps, bus stops, fountains, public art, and waste receptacles provide important amenities and makes the environment more comfortable, safe, and appealing. Benches cater to people waiting for the bus, as well as older adults and small children, who may need to take more breaks. Pedestrian lighting, discussed below, creates a sense of safety on a street at night. Along trails, amenities like shade, water fountains, seating, and ADA accessible restrooms support recreation and active transportation. Each amenity listed creates a more pleasant and comfortable environment, making it more attractive to walk. The Town already has a number of locations with landscaping and street furniture. Priority locations for additional amenities are along the trail network, where there is a high volume of people walking and biking, and near key destinations. Pedestrian-Scale Lighting Lighting is an important component in making trail environments comfortable and inviting. Areas that are well-lit can encourage use at all times of day, whereas dark, unlit corridors feel uninviting or unsafe and discourage users from walking or biking at night. Community members identified poor lighting as one of the main barriers to feeling safe during non- daylight hour walking and bicycling trips. Specific locations with a lack of lighting noted during public outreach include Buffehr Creek Road and the segment of the North Frontage Road west of the West Vail North roundabout. Community members also cited a need to maintain low lighting, to minimize light pollution, as a community priority. 358 155 Lighting plays an important role in establishing a safe and inviting environment for people to walk and bike. Many are likely familiar with Main Street environments that create an appealing place to walk at all times of day, with lampposts and cheerful string lights that continue to draw visitors to shops and restaurants throughout the evening. The opposite is also true. Dark, unlit corridors, regardless of whether they are a local street or a major arterial, feel uninviting and unsafe to the average person. For those already unsure about walking or biking, especially vulnerable users like mothers with children or older adults, knowing that they will have to return home at night in the dark is likely to discourage choosing to walk or bike. Installing lighting of the appropriate scale and spacing can improve ambiance dramatically and increase one’s sense of safety and “being seen” at night. When updating pedestrian and bike facilities on a corridor, the city should concurrently plan for the upgrade of lighting in the project area. The town should refer back to, and adopt, the Draft Vail Lighting Master Plan. Other lighting considerations include: Scale and Aesthetics: The dimensions of streetlights should be scaled to the width and characteristics of the street. The Town should choose lighting fixtures that accommodate the pedestrian-scale and are spaced roughly 2.5 to 3 times the height of the pole. The Town’s standard street light height per their code is 20' for standard street lights and 16' for standard pedestrian light. An exception of 30' is approved at the at the West Vail and Main Vail roundabouts. Other attractive types of lighting beyond lampposts can support illumination of the public realm, such as string lights, storefront lighting, lit signs, etc. The town often uses 4’ bollard lighting along recreation trails as a low-level, durable fixture. Spacing: Spacing between streetlights should be roughly 2.5 to 3 times the height of the pole. Density along a corridor and traffic speeds also affect ideal spacing. Lighting will be less frequent in rural areas, but alongside new development, lighting frequency should increase. Light cones are roughly the same diameter as the height of the fixture, which will influence the maximum distance between streetlights to avoid dark areas. Light Pollution and Energy Efficiency: “Dark sky friendly” lighting fixtures focus lighting directly downward onto the street to minimize flare and light pollution, while maximizing useful light. Shielded and cut-off fixtures with energy-efficient LED light bulbs are more cost-effective and reduce light pollution by directing light toward the ground. Solar powered fixtures should be installed when possible. Smart Lighting: Smart lighting is a technology so far used mainly in Europe that incorporates motion sensors to turn on or increase brightness of light posts when users are detected. This technology is considered “dark sky friendly” because it only activates when necessary and otherwise remains off or dim. Lighting can also be powered with solar energy and use efficient LED systems, helping to decrease greenhouse gas emissions. By using smart lighting, the Town can ensure bicycle and pedestrian corridors are safe and well-lit when people are walking and biking while decreasing the impact of lighting overall. Using smart lighting along sections of the Gore Valley Trail and in parks could also be beneficial for wildlife. The Town should explore potential sidewalks and multi-use trails where smart lighting technology 359 156 may be beneficial. For example, the Town could implement a pilot program on the Gore Valley Trail to evaluate the technology and collect feedback from users before expanding the program to other areas. Bike-calming Bike-calming strategies such as paint and rumble strips can be implemented on trails to remind bicyclists to share the trail and slow down when other users are present. Painting words or symbols on the paths provides messaging to cyclists to slow down. Bicycle rumble strips are slightly raised strips that provide those biking with a vibration reminding them to slow down. They are designed very differently from the type used for motor vehicles and do not directly obstruct the cyclists’ travel. These rumble strips can alert cyclists that they are approaching highly trafficked segments of the trail. The Town should implement bike-calming measures in trail segments that are heavily trafficked or have high potential for conflict between those biking and walking, such as access points to Lionshead and Vail Village near the dismount zone and at chokepoints on the Gore Valley Trail. Wayfinding & Signage Signage is a practical component of a community’s transportation system, directing users to key destinations. However, it also offers an opportunity for the Town to create a sense of place and a cohesive, artistic system for orienting visitors and bringing people into the downtown core and commercial districts to explore shops and restaurants. In this way, wayfinding can simultaneously function as an economic development driver and unite transportation and land use. As recommended in the 2021 West Vail Master Plan, the Town should update and expand upon its current wayfinding signage program, that is now mostly over 25 years old, to include new signage for multimodal infrastructure additions. It should also update existing signage to provide travel times and directions for those biking and walking to help multimodal users better plan their travel. New signs should maintain consistency with existing branding and communication guidelines. The Town may wish to initiate a comprehensive wayfinding and signage study to avoid the proliferation of excessive signage and create a consistent, visible strategy to connect people walking, biking, and driving to downtown and other key destinations. Signage should indicate where to find key destinations, such as shopping and dining, the Town Hall and post office, trailheads, the nearest bus stop, and more. The thoughtful design and placement of this signage can help visitors and residents orient themselves downtown and easily locate key destinations. Figure 74 shows how simple this kind of signage is in Vail, while remaining aesthetically pleasing. The pedestrian scale of this signage caters to people walking downtown and in commercial districts, but it can also be read by those on a bike or in a car. Signage at range of scales, including gateways, directional signs, street banners, pavement markings, map kiosks, and bikeway signage can assist all types of travelers with navigation. 360 157 Figure 74: Crossing Treatment at Significant Driveways Enhanced signage presents an additional opportunity for the Town to foster an environment in Vail that is more conducive to comfortable walking and bicycling trips. Installing signs that alert drivers to the presence of pedestrians and bicyclists serves as reminder to be vigilant. Signage should be present throughout the community and installed using the requirements listed in Chapter 2c of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), 2009 edition. The MUTCD stipulates that signs should be on dedicated posts, should be outside the clear zone (the area on the side of the roadway where vehicles can pull over in the event of an emergency), should be optimized for night-time visibility, should minimize the effects of mud splatter and debris, should not be positioned so as to obscure other signs, should not obscure the sight distance to approaching vehicles on the major street for drivers who are stopped on minor-street approaches, and should not be hidden from view. Sign location and spacing should be calculated according to driver Perception-Response Time (PRT). PRT is a function of distance and vehicle speed; for Vail, where most residential streets have vehicles traveling 20-25 mph, signs should be placed a minimum of 100 feet before locations where pedestrians and bicyclists join the roadway. The town implemented a sign declutter program on residential streets more than 30 years ago and limited speed limit signs, to one sign per entry to each neighborhood. The town should revisit this program and consider installing additional signage to remind drivers of speed limits where appropriate. This has been successful in the Vail parking structures where additional speed limit signs and dynamic signs were installed to provide awareness to drivers of their speed and of pedestrian crossing areas. Subsequent sign spacing intervals should be determined based on PRT, which can be calculated using the MUTCD. Signs should be placed at key locations where there is a high presence of people walking and biking. Per the MUTCD, warning signs alerting drivers to the presence of non-motorized travelers should be yellow with a black border. When a sign is placed ahead of a crossing it should also feature a supplemental plaque denoting the distance to the crossing. 361 158 Recreation trail signage is especially important to help users reach major destinations and landmarks. The town has a comprehensive recreation trail wayfinding system that can be improved upon. Signage should provide bicyclists, pedestrians and trail users with time, distance, and directional information to key nearby destinations. It can also help improve the connection and navigability between recreational trails and on-street facilities, especially for those visiting or unfamiliar with the transportation network. As the town continues to build out bike facilities and new trails over time, they should incorporate additional signs with the same wayfinding standards at decision points—typically at the intersection of two or more bicycle facilities and at other key locations along bicycle routes. Signage should also include maps with ‘you are here’ markers, to help users orient themselves along the trail network. Signage should be regularly refreshed or replaced as it becomes damaged, faded, or out of date. Over time, outdated signage should also be replaced with new, updated information. Signs may be directional and related to routing users to key destinations, mile markers to help users self-locate (already have these) or pertaining to trail etiquette. The Town recently installed trail etiquette signs to communicate responsibilities of trail users. Mobility Pass Program To provide community members with integrated mobility options, the Town should explore a mobility pass program. This program could provide subscribers with access to a variety of transportation modes including Town of Vail parking facilities, Shift Bike e-bikeshare program, and ECO Transit. This could be in the form of an app that includes ticket purchasing, multimodal connections, and membership to all relevant local and regional modes of transportation such as bike share, parking, regional transit, and even Transportation Network Company use. This app provides all travel information in one location and all streamlines and payment and access. Providing a multitude of convenient, affordable, and integrated transportation options makes it easier for users to choose non-vehicular modes of travel and supports the Town’s mobility, climate, and accessibility goals. Los Angeles is an example of successful use of this integrated form of understanding and booking various multimodal transportation options. The city’s TAP Card system integrates over 20 public transit operators and the payment for other modes (scooter-share, ride-share, bike-share, parking, etc.) together with a multimodal trip planner that will allow travelers to plan their trips across all combinations of mobility services. Bike Programs The following are four high-priority bike programs for the Town to invest in. Secure and Adaptable Bike Parking Secure bicycle storage and parking should be a key component of the bicycle network (or “is a key component of a successful bicycle network”). Without ample and safe parking, people may be reluctant to choose to bike. Additionally, as electric bicycle use expands, there is an increased need for infrastructure 362 159 specific to e-bikes, such as charging facilities and bike racks that can accommodate bicycles with wide tires and cargo bikes. The Town’s EV Readiness Plan (2023) discusses the need to develop e-bike and micro-mobility parking and charging infrastructure throughout the municipal parking area in the Town of Vail. The goal stated in this plan as it relates to e-bike parking is: • Develop e-bike and other micro-mobility parking and charging infrastructure throughout Municipal parking areas in the Town of Vail. • Ensure that micro-mobility charging infrastructure meets all applicable safety, electrical, and building code regulations. In addition to adding infrastructure to municipal parking areas, the Town should assess its current bicycle parking and e-bike charging infrastructure to determine locations where supplemental or improved bicycle infrastructure is necessary. Key destinations and commercial land uses are great locations for bike parking. Safety measures at these sites should include security cameras, lights, locker systems, and placed in areas with pedestrian traffic. For lighting around bike parking, LED lighting allows for reduced illuminance without compromising visibility. Warm or filtered LEDs (color temperature (CCT) < 3,000 Kelvin; Scotopic/Photopic (S/P) ratio < 1.2) are recommended to minimize blue light emissions, which are known to disrupt the natural systems of humans, wildlife, and flora. Prioritizing secure storage in key destinations such as downtown, near transit hubs, parks, schools, hotels, and shopping centers can help people choose to bike by making it a convenient and safe mode of travel. The Town plans to expand the e-bike share program over the coming years, which will mean the quantity of parking and charging infrastructure will need to also increase. Monitoring the level of current usage will help gauge the capacity needed to meet demand. The Town should refer to the Association of Professional Bicycle Professionals (APBP) resource, Essentials of Bike Parking, which outlines the design and installation guidelines for short-term and long-term bike parking. Bicycle repair stations located in key locations in Lionshead and Vail Village and along the GVT and NRP would also encourage bicycle ridership by providing assurance that residents and visitors without tools on hand could fix a mechanical issue or pump up their tires. Bicycle Valets and Corrals at Major Events In addition to expanding the permanent bicycle infrastructure, the Town should require bicycle valets and corrals at major events; these are larger areas that store several bikes and are often staffed. Event hosts could be required to either provide this service themselves or hire a service provider to be present. Implementing this requirement would ensure there is adequate and safe bike parking and encourage attendees to choose to bike to the event, which would reduce road congestion and parking demand. A requirement to provide a bicycle valet or corrals should be added to the special event contract used by the Town. 363 160 Bike Share The Shift Bike E-Bike Share program provides a convenient and affordable way for residents to complete short trips, commute, and connect to other modes of transportation, such as transit. The program launched in 2022 with 90 bikes and 20 hub stations which resulted in 7,393 rides between June and October. Assuming these trips would have otherwise taken place in a vehicle, this mode shift from single- occupancy vehicles resulted in an 8.68 metric ton reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, as noted in The Vail Daily News article about Shift E-bike share. The Shift bike share program expanded in 2023 to include Edwards (in addition to Vail, Eagle, Vail, and Avon) and increased the number of bikes to 155 and 32 hub stations. The program in 2023 saw a 40% increase in ridership with 10,330 trips logging 33,600 miles and reducing 12.2 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions, which is the equivalent of removing 2.7 vehicles from the road for one year. While the program will not expand in size in 2024, there will be a strong push to continue increasing ridership. The Town should support the continued expansion of this program to provide increased accessibility and convenience of travel by e-bike. The Town should also consider increasing the speed limit for Shift e-bikes outside town limits to 20 mph. Currently, Shift has a maximum speed limit of 16mph. While this is important for safety within Vail town limits, it makes longer, regional trips less convenient. By increasing the speed limit to 20 mph outside town limits, Shift would become a viable commuting option to Vail for down-valley residents and further support mode shift. Research has shown that e-bikes encourage users to cycle farther and more often than conventional bicycles. More trips taken by e-bikes will support the Town of Vail’s goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50% in 2030 and by 80% by 2050. The Town should collaborate with Shift to assess the possibility of extending the program beyond the May to October schedule to provide users with an e-bike option during the winter months. The expansion of Shift in the long-term can include improving the technology to allow for better integration with other modes, considering a floating bike model, increasing the number of stations and bikes in Vail to make the use of bike share more convenient, and making bike share more accessible to visitors by reducing barriers to entry. Bikes on Buses Town of Vail buses currently have three-tray racks to accommodate those biking and riding the bus. As of late 2022, the Town also installed new bike racks that can accommodate bikes with wider tires and that weigh up to 75 pounds. This change stemmed from the increasing popularity of fat tire and e-bikes as well as the Town’s commitment to supporting multimodal travel and decreasing greenhouse gas emissions from transportation. The Town should continue to promote communication about bike infrastructure on buses to expand awareness and encourage use. Currently, bike racks are allowed to be used at night on Town of Vail buses but not ECO Transit. The Town should expand communication to users about when bikes are and are not permitted on buses. 364 161 Maintenance Consistent maintenance, snow, and debris removal for bicycle and pedestrian facilities are critical for ensuring the network is a reliable, comfortable, and safe transportation resource for community members year-round. This is particularly important in the winter months when weather events can make sidewalks and bike paths uncomfortable or unsafe to use, especially if they are not cleared in a timely manner. Currently, the Town’s Snow & Ice Control Plan provides a priority ranking for plowing routes. This schedule includes Bike Paths and Sidewalks in the “Priority IV” category, which indicates these facilities should be plowed by 9:30 am, after all residential streets and cul-de-sacs. The Town will need to add additional resources to shift this maintenance schedule to better prioritize trails and sidewalks and ensure bike and pedestrian facilities are plowed earlier in the day to allow for biking to be a viable mode of transportation. If sidewalks are not plowed, then biking and walking becomes challenging. Maintenance practices on Gore Valley Trail and in pedestrian-oriented areas should also be assessed to reduce ice and debris. Maintenance of Striping & Pavement Markings Town of Vail staff currently repaint all road markings annually due to yearly wear and tear, especially during the winter season. It can be a challenge to hire crews to perform striping maintenance. Traditional water-based roadway paints are more susceptible to damage, especially during winter seasons, with snowplows and quick changes in temperature causing cracks and grooves in markings. The Town may consider using thermoplastic or methyl methacrylate (MMA) two-component traffic paint rather than traditional paint to extend the life of markings and reduce maintenance frequency. While initial investments in these markings are greater, in most communities, thermoplastics have a service life of three to five years, and MMA has a service life of up to 10 years. MMA has additional benefits beyond thermoplastic, including easier application (does not require a primer, can be applied in all temperatures, and cures faster), resilience to hot surface temperatures, and a wider range of available colors. However, in mountain communities like Vail, both alternatives to paint may not last as long as advertised due to snowfall and climate, so cheaper paint may make more sense if those alternatives perform just as poorly on an annual basis. Education and Awareness Incentivizing and educating people on human powered mobility is critical to increasing use and awareness. One example program the town has implemented since 2011 is Sole Power. This program has encouraged ~2700 participants to log over 500,000 human powered miles reducing ~470,000 pounds of CO2e. Programs like this should be supported and expanded, potentially to include carpooling to further reduce SOV’s in Vail. Initiatives like this need to go hand in hand with expanding education and awareness for drivers and cyclists, this way the Town can help establish more respect for pedestrians and cyclists and improve safety for all. Public education campaigns should also be run that align with Pedestrian Safety Month and Bicycle Safety month as noted in Chapter 5 – Traffic Calming. Because the 365 162 Town of Vail has a significant tourist population, it is especially important to maintain clear and consistent driver education, so all road users are aware of existing laws that govern interactions with those walking, rolling, and biking. Town law enforcement should collaborate with local driving schools to update the curriculum and incorporate more education around such laws, including three-foot passing distance, permission for cyclists to occupy a full travel lane, and requirements to stop for pedestrians in the crosswalk. The Town can also partner with law enforcement to increase enforcement of speeding and reckless driving in locations with high volumes of pedestrians and cyclists. Finally, signage and street markings should be assessed and updated accordingly to draw attention to pedestrian crossings, bicycle trails, and sharrows. Data Collection The Town should collect data on both vehicle speeds as well as bicycle and pedestrian counts. The Town has historically collected speed data, especially before and after implementation of a capital project. The Town should continue to collect speed data, especially as it relates to changes to posted speed limit and traffic calming measures, as described in Chapter 5 –Traffic Calming. This data can provide feedback on the success of a new treatment or the need for additional traffic calming measures. Understanding bicycle and pedestrian activity is a key component for maintaining, updating, and expanding the bicycle and pedestrian network in a way that best supports those walking, rolling, and biking. The Town should consider implementing a bicycle and pedestrian count program to establish benchmark data points and build a more comprehensive understanding of travel patterns for bicyclists and pedestrians. This would also allow the Town to better analyze bicycle and pedestrian-related collisions and determine potential safety improvements to prevent future accidents. Collecting bicycle counts allows city staff to measure the number of riders before and after project implementation. These bicycle counts also help understand changes in bicycle ridership across the bike network. Land use and corridor planning decisions currently consider vehicular volumes, but not volumes of people biking. Collecting bicycle counts allows planners to factor bicyclists into these decisions. Figure 75 displays optimal data collection technologies for bicycle counts, which vary depending on the mode type and the facility type. 366 163 Figure 75: Optimal Data Collection Technologies for Bicycle Counts Multiple municipalities have incorporated bicycle count programs, such as Denver and Arlington County, VA. The Denver Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI) established their bicycle count program in 2019 and collects bicycle data at 50 locations across the City. This data can be accessed publicly through their online dashboard, which displays the location of each counter, the type of bike facility, the street classification, the most recent collection date, and the hourly number of bicyclists over the course of the day. The dashboard also shows the network-wide bicycle counts, displaying the top ten locations with the highest bicycle activity. This dashboard allows the user to filter by year and can also display the monthly volume and average hourly volume. Bike Arlington is Arlington County’s system of continuous automatic counters used to detect and record bicycle and pedestrian volumes – every hour of every day – across its 32 permanent counter locations. The data is displayed in an interactive dashboard that allows the user to filter by mode, direction and range of dates and times. 367 164 As noted, collecting bicycle counts throughout the bicycle network helps staff make better data-driven decisions and this can be done in a variety of ways. The Town of Vail can look towards the bicycle count programs in Denver and Arlington County as examples for its own bicycle count program. Town staff should consider placing initial counters in known bicycle activity hotspots and expand counters to new areas where the Town is planning major corridor projects with new bikeways to be able to track the difference in bicycle activity before and after projects are implemented. The program should include the collection and storage of bicycle activity data at least every six months, and an annual analysis of bicycle activity across the network. Regional Partnerships The Town should explore opportunities for regional partnerships to better connect Vail to neighboring communities and improve transportation infrastructure throughout Eagle County. Specifically, the Town could partner with the recently formed Regional Transportation Authority (RTA), which was created to promote regional collaboration and address the “transportation, mobility, workforce, and climate needs of the Eagle Valley,” per the Eagle Valley RTA website, to discuss strategies for improving and expanding regional trail connectivity. Policy Recommendations Active Transportation Coordinator Active transportation is defined as human-powered transportation: walking, running, cycling, using a wheelchair, skateboard, scooter, and more. The 1988 Recreation Trails Master Plan suggested appointing a “coordinator” with a focus on pedestrian and bicycle facilities. These responsibilities currently fall on multiple people in other positions and progress on bicycle and pedestrian efforts is limited by other priorities. The League of American Bicyclists also suggests “increasing the amount of staff time spent on improving conditions for people who bike and walk, either by creating a new dedicated position or expanding the responsibilities of current staff” to become a Bicycle Friendly Community. It is recommended the Town establish the position of a Town active transportation coordinator. The role of the active transportation coordinator in Vail would be to implement the recommended infrastructure and program improvements identified in this plan as well as facilitate creation of a new Vail Pedestrian and Bicycle Facilities Plan and implement the plan recommendations. Access management refers to planning and regulating the interactions of roadways with intersections and driveways, by reducing or consolidating driveways and access points. It is an important strategy to mitigate conflicts between turning vehicles, pedestrians, and bicyclists and decrease congestion. Access management strategies can include redirecting access to side-streets and alleys and consolidating driveways among property owners to limit the frequency of driveways and access points. Figure 76 of the 2021 West Vail Master Plan suggested updating the 2009 Access Management Plan to support implementation of changes for North Frontage Road and the Gore Valley Trail along South Frontage Road. The Town of Vail should implement the updates provided in both the 2009 and 2021 plans to help create a more inviting, pedestrian-friendly environment. 368 165 Figure 76: North Frontage Road Concept from West Vail Master Plan Figure 76Error! Reference source not found. also outlines additional intersections where access management can be improved by enhancing shared-use trail crossings. These crossings should be redirected further back from the intersection so that vehicles can clear the crossing prior to waiting for a turning opportunity. This strategy will decrease the number of factors drivers must pay attention to when waiting to make a turn and allow those walking and biking to safely cross behind a vehicle that is waiting to make a turn. Developer Requirements Developer requirements can help the Town expand the multimodal network by outlining when a developer is responsible for building pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure adjacent to development. Requirements can include building missing sidewalks and bicycle facilities, installing EV charging stations and infrastructure, adding bike racks, and building or connecting trails. The Town should establish development requirements for the multimodal network and communicate what portion of infrastructure developers will be responsible for to ensure bicycle and pedestrian facilities are connected and built to Town design standards and guidelines. Enforcement The Town should develop a speed management program to help regulate and enforce speeds and behavior on trails as well as roadways. This program could include outreach and education around which users are permitted to use trails, signage for users entering high-pedestrian traffic areas, and speed limits for bikes and e-bikes. Additionally, the Town can explore bike-calming measures indicated in the Bike- Calming section to slow bicyclists on trail segments with high pedestrian volumes or sharp turns. Denver has successfully used spot enforcement and education campaigns for bicyclists (especially e-bikes) to 369 166 abide by speed limits. Speed feedback signs are also helpful to provide awareness of speeds to people biking. Since enforcement for people biking can be expensive, this should be used sparingly; trail design should be the primary method for slowing the speeds of people biking. Chapter 5 –Traffic Calming on traffic calming provides more detail on an enforcement program to increase compliance with posted speed limits. 370 167 Chapter 8 – Parking This chapter summarizes the goals and recommendations for the future of the Town of Vail’s parking system. The goals and actions outlined for parking focus on integrating the existing and future parking facilities into the larger multimodal transportation system. Parking Existing Conditions The Town of Vail maintains the following major public parking facilities: Vail Village, Lionshead, Red Sandstone, Ford Park, and Soccer/Athletic Fields. In total, these parking facilities provide over 2,600 public parking spaces. The town also maintains and manages several additional parking areas and building- specific parking lots that add approximately another 300 parking spaces at Donovan, Frontage Road in front of Safeway, North Trail, and Chamonix. Pricing for the major public facilities varies by location, pass offerings, and by peak and non-peak rate for pre-determined days throughout the season. There is also typically a free period where people may park for free for a short amount of time. Parking Demand Parking utilization is the difference between the number of available parking spaces and the number of transactions, which accounts for turnover and true demand of each space. Parking utilization is a direct representation of the demand for parking at a given facility. The facilities with more than 100% utilization have a higher demand as well as a higher turnover rate of parking spaces being used more than once per day. Vail’s main parking facilities, such as Vail Village and Lionshead, are unique in that they do not only cater toward skier parking, but also other tourist activities, hotel guests, retail and restaurant customers, employees, among many others. Although an ideal turnover number is difficult to predict, parking facilities that provide multiple uses for people who park should aim for a turnover of two to three vehicles per parking space per day (or 200% to 300% parking utilization). Parking utilization data is especially meaningful when compared to different time periods, and the data can indirectly provide insight on the effects of pricing and demand management policy changes.Error! Reference source not found. Figure 77 displays parking utilization by month at all Town of Vail parking facilities, comparing three winter seasons (the 2021/2022 season, the 2022/2023 season, and the 2023/2024 season). When comparing the full winter season (November to April) of 2021/2022 to 2022/2023, parking utilization increased by 0.4%, and then decreased by 5.4% between 2022/2023 and 2023/2024. This means that over the three-year period, parking utilization decreased by 5.0%. However, when comparing the core of each season (December to March), parking utilization decreased by 7.6% between the 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 season. Parking utilization increased by 0.3% between the 2022/2023 and 2023/2024 season, resulting in an overall decrease of 7.3% over the three-year period. By excluding the first and last month of each season, it is a more accurate estimate of the impact pricing and demand management policy changes enacted for the 2022/2023 season had on parking demand for the 371 168 following two seasons, as the fringe months can have more difference in weather and ski conditions than the core months. Figure 77: Average Daily Utilization (All Parking Facilities) Further, parking demand has a significant difference between weekdays and weekends. Figure 78 Error! Reference source not found.displays parking utilization across all Town of Vail parking facilities, comparing weekdays to weekends throughout the winter seasons of 2021/2022, 2022/2023, and 2023/2024. Because many Fridays are considered “peak days” with significant demand, weekdays are defined as Monday through Thursday and weekends are defined as Friday through Sunday. Parking utilization decreased by 4.7% on weekdays and decreased by 7.4% on weekends when comparing the 2021/2022 season to the 2022/2023 season. Between the 2022/2023 season and the 2023/2024 season, parking utilization decreased by another 3.6% on weekdays and by 6.7% on weekends. This means that over the three-year period, parking utilization decreased by 8.3% on weekdays and 14.1% on weekends. 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% 120% 140% 160% 180% 200% Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar April Pe r c e n t of Tr a n s a c a t i o n s of To t a l Pa r k i n g Ca p a c i t y Winter 21‐22 Winter 22‐23 Winter 23‐24 372 169 Figure 78: Average Daily Utilization by Day Type (All Parking Facilities) Parking transaction data can also indicate peak demand periods and parking duration. Overall, the most vehicle entries season over season occurred between 7AM to 1PM, with gradual exits throughout the entire evening. The morning entries do not typically have a peak, but rather are a consistent flow. Figure 79Error! Reference source not found. displays the parking duration of at the Vail Village parking structure throughout December 2023, comparing parking passes to hourly transactions (transient) on peak days and non-peak days. Transient transactions (or hourly) are those where people do not have a parking pass and pay each time they exit a parking facility (unless their parking duration is within the free period). Overall, no matter the pass type or day type, the largest portion of transactions have a parking during of two hours. Furthermore, about 50% of pass holders and about 37% of transient transactions have a parking duration of longer than four hours. However, a larger portion of transient transactions have a parking duration of six to eight hours than pass holders. This parking duration data can potentially indicate how people may react to changes in the pricing or organizational structure of parking. For example, if more people are staying less than four hours (50% of pass holders and 63% of transient transactions) are staying for less than four hours and paying less than the daily maximum, it may be easier to encourage them to take other modes of transportation and/or be more impacted by increased hourly rates. For those who are staying for four hours or more and paying the full-day rate, their behavior may be more unlikely to change unless another mode becomes more favorable for the purpose of their trip. Measures such as a timed-entry system may be more effective in managing the demand for long-term parking. 0% 50% 100% 150% 200% 250% Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar April Pe r c e n t of Tr a n s a c t i o n s of To t a l Pa r k i n g Ca p a c i t y Weekdays 21‐22 Weekdays 22‐23 Weekdays 23‐24 Weekends 21‐22 Weekends 22‐23 Weekends 23‐24 373 170 Figure 79: Parking Duration in Vail Village Parking Structure, Passes vs Transient, December 2023 Origin-Destination Analysis for Parking Facilities As part of the larger effort to provide the Town of Vail an understanding of travel patterns—trips to Vail, from Vail, and within Vail across different seasons and trip purposes—Fehr & Peers collected and analyzed origin-destination “Big” data from StreetLight Data. Included in this analysis was an investigation to answer the following question: “Where are people traveling from when they use the parking facilities?” Figure 80 summarizes the proportion of trips traveling to the Vail Village Parking Garage originating from various locations during the winter 2022/2023 season (November 2022 to March 2023). Trips from Eagle County (outside of Vail) make up 41% of the trips to the Vail Village Parking Garage, and another 19% of trips originate from Summit County (some of which are likely actually from the Denver area as noted). The big takeaway is that with over 70% of trips to the Vail Village Parking Structure originating in Eagle County, including within Vail, there are great opportunities to capture more of these trips via transit, especially with the enhanced EVTA free service. It is important to note that this does not indicate that all the Eagle County trips are residents of Eagle County, but rather that they began their trip in Eagle County. A percentage of these trips are likely from residents outside of Eagle County (such as from the Denver metropolitan area) that arrived in Eagle County the evening before, stayed a night at an accommodation/second home, and then drove from the Eagle Couty location the day they visited Vail. Lionshead Parking Garage saw similar numbers, with both weekdays and weekends. 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 123456789101112131415161718192021222324 Passes ‐ Peak Days Passes ‐ Non‐Peak Days Hourly ‐ Peak Days Hourly ‐ Non‐Peak Days 374 171 Figure 80: Where are people traveling from when they use the Vail Village Parking Garage? (Internal Vail vs Eagle County vs Regionally) (Weekday vs Weekend, Morning (5am‐12pm), Winter 2022/2023) *Some trips from Summit County could be due to travelers from Denver stopping for gas/food in Summit County. Source: StreetLight Data, Fehr & Peers Error! Reference source not found.Figure 81 further breaks down the above and identifies what Vail neighborhood (zone) people are coming from when going to the Vail Village Parking Garage, comparing weekdays versus weekends during the winter of 2022/2023. The zone from which the largest share of trips originate is East Vail with 28% of trips traveling on weekdays and 35% of trips traveling on weekends. The origin zone with the next largest share of trips destined for the Vail Village Parking Garage is the Buffehr Creek/Lionsridge/The Valley zone. This zone also has a significant difference in the portion of trips traveling to the parking garage on weekdays (13%) compared to the weekends (5%). 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% Eagle County Internal Vail Summit County* Denver Metro Lake County Clear Creek/Gilpin County Weekday Weekend 375 172 Figure 81: Where are people traveling from when they use the Vail Village Parking Garage? (Internal Vail) (Weekdays vs Weekends, Morning (5am‐12pm), Winter 2022/2023) 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% Ea s t Va i l Bu f f e h r Cr e e k / Li o n s r i d g e / Th e Va l l e y Sa n d s t o n e / Po t a t o Pa t c h Sa f e w a y / Va i l Co m m o n s Bo o t h Fa l l s / Ba l d Mo u n t a i n Ro a d Li o n s h e a d Go l f Co u r s e Va i l In t e r m o u n t a i n Ma t t e r h o r n Va i l Vi l l a g e Weekday Weekend 376 173 Figure 82 shows what Vail Neighborhood people are coming from when going to the Lionshead Parking Garage on weekdays versus weekends during the winter of 2022/2023. The top three origins of trips headed to the Lionshead Parking Garage during this time are East Vail, Sandstone/Potato Patch, and Vail Village with 16%, 13%, and 9% of weekday trips, respectively. The largest differences between weekday and weekend trips were from Sandstone/Potato Patch and Safeway/Vail Commons which each had 2% more trips on the weekends than the weekdays and West Vail North of I-70 which had 3% more trips to the garage on weekdays than weekends. Zones with more trips originating on the weekends could be due to more seasonal work or winter recreation travel, while zones with more trips originating on weekdays could be due to commuters traveling to work. Figure 82: Where are people traveling from when they use the Lionshead Parking Garage? (Internal Vail) (Weekdays vs Weekends, Morning (5am‐12pm), Winter 2022/23) Frontage Road Overflow Parking Parking on South Frontage Road, in CDOT Right of Way, specifically closest to Vail Village and Lionshead, is permitted only when the Vail Village and Lionshead parking facilities are full, and for a maximum of 60 days per year in accordance with the CDOT lease. Traffic is directed to these areas as a means for handling the “emergency” overflow of parking. The Town of Vail’s Parking and Transportation Task Force strives for 15 days of overflow parking for each season (winter and summer). In the Winter 2020/2021 season, there were 34 days of overflow parking. The following winter (2021/2022), there were 53 days of overflow parking (likely due to the increase in ski traffic since the impact of COVID-19). In the Winter 2022/2023 season, there were 27 days of overflow parking. In the Winter 2023/2024 season, there were 19 days of 0% 2% 4% 6% 8% 10% 12% 14% 16% 18% Weekday Weekend 377 174 overflow parking. Fehr & Peers analyzed the 27 days during the Winter 2022/2023 season in which Frontage Road overflow parking was utilized. This analysis compared transactions to capacity at each parking facility, followed by calculating the difference between the available spaces and the number of cars recorded on the Frontage Road those days. The parking facilities in this calculation included the following: Vail Village, Lionshead, Red Sandstone, Ford Park, Soccer/Athletic Fields, Donovan, Frontage Road in front of Safeway, North Trail, and Chamonix. This resulted in a count of vehicles each day that could have been parked at Frontage Road, rather than how many were parked, if every available parking space could be maximized. As seen in Table 21Error! Reference source not found., out of the 27 days that Vail parked cars in their overflow parking on Frontage Road, there were six days where there were available spaces in the parking facilities for all of the Frontage Road parked cars and more (the days where the “difference” column in the table is negative). Further, ten more days had a difference in available spaces and cars parked on Frontage Road of less than 100 cars. According to these calculations, six days of overflow parking on Frontage Road could have been eliminated, and ten more days could be eliminated if there was a parking facility that could accommodate 100 cars or occupants of the 100 cars chose a different mode of transportation. It is important to note that this analysis captures a scenario in which the Town would be able to perfectly manage its parking supply, which is a highly difficult task to implement during the overflow days and would take significant resources. Historically, and as evident in the below analysis, if the town expanded parking supply by 200-400 spaces overflow parking would be reduced to the rarest occasions and likely meet the new Mater Plan goals of no more than 5 days of overflow on the Frontage Roads for each winter and summer seasons. Table 21: Frontage Road Overflow Parking Need (Winter 2022/2023) Date Net Available Parking Spaces Cars Parked on Frontage Rd. Difference Saturday, 12/10/2022 269 179 -90 Saturday, 12/17/2022 272 175 -97 Wednesday, 12/28/2022 136 205 69 Thursday, 12/29/2022 159 216 57 Friday, 12/30/2022 164 187 23 Thursday, 01/05/2023 198 188 -10 Saturday, 01/07/2023 78 363 285 Thursday, 01/12/2023 180 161 -19 Sunday, 01/15/2023 254 394 140 Thursday, 01/19/2023 131 211 80 Saturday, 01/21/2023 151 321 170 Friday, 01/27/2023 125 149 24 Saturday, 01/28/2023 140 461 321 Friday, 02/03/2023 193 244 51 Saturday, 02/04/2023 167 359 192 378 175 Date Net Available Parking Spaces Cars Parked on Frontage Rd. Difference Friday, 02/10/2023 150 337 187 Saturday, 02/11/2023 173 312 139 Friday, 02/17/2023 165 270 105 Thursday, 02/23/2023 169 214 45 Friday, 02/24/2023 170 163 -7 Saturday, 02/25/2023 73 541 468 Thursday, 03/02/2023 204 242 38 Friday, 03/03/2023 195 236 41 Saturday, 03/04/2023 110 342 232 Saturday, 03/11/2023 205 325 120 Monday, 03/13/2023 190 169 -21 Friday, 03/17/2023 162 212 50 Highlights of Public Input on Parking In the first project survey (2022) respondents indicated that finding parking or passenger loading areas was one of the top four challenges with transportation in Vail today. In the second project survey (2023) respondents were asked about their support of potential strategies to address parking and loading strategies. For frontage road parking, 50% of respondents indicated they wish to see frontage road parking remain but with added improvements. The improvement to frontage road parking with the greatest support (65% of respondents) was the addition of sidewalks and crosswalks. The three concepts for increasing parking supply with the most support were: 1. Temporary parking lot between I-70 and Vail Resorts Maintenance Shop (47% of respondents supported this option) 2. Head-in parking along West Vail Fire Station (40% of respondents supported this option) 3. Diagonal parking at Ford Park along Frontage Road (40% of respondents supported this option) See Chapter 3 – Public Engagement for additional details on the public engagement process and results for Go Vail 2045. Recommendations In direct coordination with the existing conditions data and input received through public engagement, the following recommendations are organized by three main strategies, including managing overflow parking, expanding supply, and employing parking management strategies. 379 176 Managing Overflow Parking Currently, when both Vail Village and Lionshead parking structures are full, vehicles are redirected to park on the South Frontage Road, which is not designed to accommodate regular on-street parking (i.e., the shoulder is not currently striped to safely accommodate parallel parking, there are no pedestrian facilities to connect to final destinations, and there is no lighting). The Town of Vail can explore short- and long- term opportunities for managing overflow parking differently. Short-Term Opportunities Shift Overflow Parking Currently, overflow parking is located along the north side of the South Frontage Road, with the heaviest parking activity occurring directly across from Vail Village and Lionshead. Shifting overflow parking from its current location to east of the Vail Transportation Center, as displayed in Figure 84, can provide the following benefits: • Minimize pedestrian-vehicle conflicts in a heavily trafficked stretch of the South Frontage Road. • Eliminate pedestrian connectivity challenges of crossing busy four- and five- lane sections of the South Frontage Road when accessing Vail Village and Lionshead. • Disincentivizing waiting for the parking structures to fill. To further improve connectivity with this proposed location for overflow parking, the Town of Vail should consider shifting parking from the north side to the south side of the South Frontage Road. This would require additional improvements, such as lane shifts, lane widening, and sidewalk installation, however it would further eliminate crossing issues and improve the pedestrian level of comfort. Currently the overflow parking is on the north side of the South Frontage Road because there are multiple driveway and roadway access points on the south side which would severely limit parking areas. If overflow parking is shifted east of the Vail Transportation Center, there is more opportunity to shift the parking to the south side. This is also true if overflow parking is shifted west of Lionshead. Improve Pedestrian Facilities In places where overflow parking is expected to be maintained, improvements to pedestrian facilities can enhance safety, comfort, and accessibility. These improvements will include adding sidewalks, marked crosswalks, lighting, and signage. Although phasing out overflow parking is a long-term recommendation, these short-term improvements will connect people who park in overflow parking with their final destinations. Importantly, these improvements align with long-term multimodal goals, and can remain in place even if overflow parking is phased out, if installed in the appropriate locations. Any improvements to pedestrian facilities, whether they are directly or indirectly related to parking, should follow the recommendations set forth in Chapter 7 – Multimodal and displayed in Figure 84. These improvements recommend sidewalks along the south side of the South Frontage Road, so coordinated design of said improvements is critical. 380 177 Consider Paid Parking on the Frontage Road In coordination with CDOT, the Town of Vail can consider the feasibility of paid parking on the Frontage Road in locations where overflow parking is anticipated to remain. This option would expand year-round parking supply and would provide clear parking opportunities for locals, employees, and visitors. This option would also, however, carry a high upfront investment along with ongoing administrative costs. Such investments may include lane shifts, lane widening, enhancements to pedestrian facilities, lighting improvements, and enforcement measures. Further, the high costs directly related to creating paid parking spaces, such as the negotiation with CDOT and installation of payment terminals/signage may be determined to be an inefficient use of resources if Frontage Road parking is reduced or eventually phased out. The enhancements to traffic calming, pedestrian facilities, and lighting improvements, however, would be good investments regardless of the fate of parking on Frontage Road. Figure 83: Paid Parking Infrastructure Long-Term Opportunities Phase Out Overflow Parking Overflow parking has proven to be a challenge for the Town of Vail, with goals to reduce the number of days each year that overflow parking must be used. Between the administrative challenges and inconvenient impacts on the user, it is recommended that overflow parking be phased out in the long term. Further, an analysis of the overflow parking days during the Winter 2022/2023 season (see Table 21) indicated that more strategic parking management can significantly decrease the need for overflow parking, albeit a difficult task. The phasing out of overflow parking can be accomplished by aligning parking demand with existing supply of parking through incentivizing shifts to other travel modes. The newly formed EVTA is scheduled to begin a Fare Free Transit Zone from Vail to Edwards and potentially further to Eagle and Dotsero. This alone, may have the biggest impact on parking demand. Transitioning 10%-20% of guests/residents within the Fare Free Zone from driving and parking to using transit may reduce overflow parking days by 50% or more. Hopefully free, fast, and frequent transit will be incentive enough to enable this transition, but the Town should be prepared to further incentivize transit usage as needed. Provide Expanded Supply of Parking in Outlying Areas Increasing parking supply, as described in the following strategy, is a way to decrease the demand for overflow parking while providing sufficient parking options for those who need it. While this may reduce 381 178 or eliminate overflow parking days, it also does not necessarily incentivize other parking management strategies, as these all need to work together and continue to provide a quality guest experience. Expanding Supply The locations identified in Table 22 are opportunities to expand the supply of parking in Vail with varying ease of implementation. These options include creating new formalized parking areas by resurfacing certain outlying locations and potential redevelopment to create parking areas. Table 22: Identified Locations for Supply Expansion Opportunities Location Necessary Action(s) Number of Additional Parking Spaces Estimated Cost Range North Frontage Road west of the West Vail Roundabout in CDOT ROW Receive CDOT approval Construct retaining wall Add sidewalk Pave shoulder Stripe head-in parking 50-60 $750K – $1M Adjacent to Vail Resorts maintenance yard in CDOT I-70 ROW 90% Design Complete Requires Town Manager level discussion with CDOT/FHWA to address snow removal conflicts and other concerns Is temporary until “Ever Vail” is developed 100, includes spaces for larger vehicles (springer vans, single unit RVs), and possible special event staging $2M – $2.5M Angled South Frontage Road parking at Ford Park Confirm support by Ford Park user group Update conceptual design Install traffic calming elements Receive CDOT approval Dual purpose with Ford Park & Traffic Calming 100-200 $3M – $5M Civic Area Plan Align with Civic Area Plan Build underground parking facility adjacent to Lionshead Parking garage 200-400 $20M – $50M 382 179 Ever Vail Develop Ever Vail 400 (according to original, but currently expired, development entitlement) TBD Lions Ridge loop in West Vail East of Timber Ridge development Pave and stripe a parking lane Restrict to no overnight parking Target local/neighborhood traffic 50-80 $400K – $600K Town Hall Municipal Building Align with redevelopment of this site TBD TBD Large outlying park-n-ride lots outside the Town of Vail have not been identified as a part of this process and could be an option if an opportunity presented itself. However, as identified above, there are multiple opportunites within Vail to expand parking if necessary; and with the expansion of the RTA fare free zones, from Vail to Dotsero (See Transit Chapter), outlying lots may not be necessary and might be counterproductive to incentivizing transit from one’s local community. The parking recommendations that relate to specific geographic locations, including supply expansion opportunities, shifted Frontage Road overflow parking, and relevant Frontage Road multimodal improvements are displayed in Figure 84. Figure 84: Parking Recommendations As the Town of Vail explores these locations for supply expansion, it is recommended that parking requirements for private and public developments ultimately encourage and contribute to alleviating parking issues. In conjunction with other mobility, climate, and stewardship goals, the goal is to design policies that ease parking demand and challenges. The expansion of the RTA fare free zone alone may 383 180 significantly reduce parking demand. Coupled with other demand management strategies, the town may find supply expansion is unnecessary in the near term. However, if supply is ultimately necessary, multi- purpose parking solutions should be the priority. Other than combined multi-use developments, the preferred stand-alone option for parking expansion is angled South Frontage Road parking at Ford Park. This option provides a dual prupose need in summer and winter, being adjacent to Ford Park, and within walking distance of Vail Village (Figure 85). Figure 85: Angled South Frontage Road parking at Ford Park Other considerations for expanded parking are oversize vehicles. Currently oversize vehicles are directed to park west of the West Vail Fire Station. This has provided a short term solution but may not be the desired permanent solution. Oversize vehicle parking should be considered when expanding any parking supply and/or when discussing the management and operations of existing surface lots that can accommodate oversized vehicles such as Ford Park lots, top deck of LH parking structure, the Municipal lot, Donovan Park lot, and various trailhead parking lots. This topic is also discussed with regards to Special Events in Chapter 11. 384 181 Employing Parking Management Strategies Beyond providing and enhancing regular and overflow parking supply, the Town of Vail can employ the following management strategies to influence mobility choices and encourage residents, employees, and guests clearly make informed decisions on where to park. Implement Wayfinding and Information Sharing A near-term and high-impact parking management strategy is improving public awareness of resources like Vail’s real-time parking availability dashboard. There is an opportunity to explore the development of a smartphone application that shows guests real-time parking availability and pricing information, along with wayfinding assistance to make connections to available parking spaces more seamless. If private parking operators (e.g., hotels) are open to coordinating with the town, private parking space locations and pricing could also be shown on the app. Currently, ParkMobile, SpotHero, and Waze are applications that other towns and cities have partnered with to provide real-time availability updates, pricing information, and a method to reserve parking spots. Also, Spot Surfer is a local parking application that has recently arrived and allows private residents, hotels, and others to offer parking spaces similar to a short-term rentals. Like any other application that may be used as an official partner of the Town of Vail, policies surrounding how parking spaces are rented out may need to be put in place to ensure the proper use of the app. As described in Chapter 9, the Town of Vail should consider how sharing information about parking may be integrated into other Mobility as a Service (MaaS) technology. Explore Pricing Adjustments Given that the Town of Vail revised parking rates as recently as 2022, it is not recommended any changes be made at this time. Future considerations for adjustments to pricing could include the options depicted in Table 23, which have associated benefits and challenges to implementation. 385 182 Table 23: Benefits and Challenges of Pricing Adjustments Pricing Adjustment Options Benefits Challenges Revisit parking pass structure Accommodates shifts in demand, specifically for employees, Eagle County locals and Vail locals who may choose to utilize other modes. Educating the public on any changes will require Town resources. May not be as effective as other pricing adjustments as it responds to mode shifts rather than encourages them. Simplify parking rates with flat fees on entry Less Town resources spent on administering and enforcing all the different parking durations and behaviors. Encourages people to weigh the benefits of traveling by modes other than private vehicles. Less benefit to the people who park for a shorter amount of time, but will still pay the same price as those who park for the full day. Utilize timed entry system for full-day parking(Reservations) Disperses demand and optimizes parking space utilization, especially on typical overflow days. Reduces congestion as people cruise while trying to find parking High administrative costs Difficult to enforce without intense Town resources Difficult to communicate to the public, especially those who may be traveling from out-of-state. Loss of flexibility for those who may change their visitation plans Summer paid parking Improves management of the growing demand for parking in the summer Incentivizes alternative modes all year long Increased Town resources on a year-round basis Revisit free parking window By either reducing or eliminating the free window, the public is encouraged to weigh the benefits of traveling by modes other than private vehicles. Shifts parking demand to areas with cheaper parking options. Can better align parking goals with other town-wide transportation, climate, and stewardship goals. May create frustration for those who rely on the free window for short-term parking. Encourage Carpooling During the winter 2022/2023 field observations, it was found that a high share of vehicles utilizing the Vail Village and Lionshead structures had two or more occupants, suggesting that carpooling is already occurring without a formal carpool program. To further encourage carpooling, the town can consider 386 183 designating convenient spaces for carpool vehicles, offering discounts on parking passes for carpool vehicles, facilitating carpooling by advertising opportunities to carpool. Since almost 50% of vehicles have three or more occupants, a high occupant load would be necessary to create a successful carpool program. This high occupant load may also require people from multiple households within one vehicle to be successful, which may be difficult to communicate, reward, and enforce. Conversely, the Ford Park parking lot had a high percentage of single occupant vehicles during the field observations, likely due to a high usage by employees, and could benefit from carpooling incentives of at least two or more vehicle occupants. Enforce Parking Fines The current parking fine structure has not been adjusted recently. It is recommended that the Town of Vail study the current fine structure to determine if updates are needed to set the fines at an appropriate level for discouraging illegal parking, such as parking on the Frontage Road when it is prohibited and occupying more than one parking space (not parking within the designated lines). Track Performance The town can consider implementing a parking survey, like what was deployed during the winter 2022/2023 season, on an annual basis to understand the experiences of guests using Vail parking facilities. This effort could be paired with an obtaining improved standardized statistic reports from the town’s parking vendor to pair the qualitative feedback from the survey with better empirical data on parking behavior. In addition, the town could explore a performance tracking system that measures metrics like the share of single occupant vehicles using Vail parking structures or the share of vehicles utilizing Vail parking structures that originate from within Vail/Eagle County vs. originating from Summit County and the Front Range. Incentivize Shared Travel With the upcoming Eagle Valley Transit Authority and planned service increases to Vail, there will be an opportunity to shift more driving trips that originate in jurisdictions like Avon, Eagle, Edwards, and outside of Eagle County (such as Lake County) onto transit. The town can advertise updates on EVTA service as additional transit opportunities become available. The origin-destination analysis conducted for understanding where vehicles parking in the Vail Village and Lionshead parking structures originate from (during the Winter 2022/2023 season) showed that a high share of vehicles parking in both structures originate either from within Vail or from communities west of Vail (Figure 80). This suggests there is a significant opportunity to reduce parking demand by shifting these local trips onto transit. The impact of having improved transit and other modes capture 10% of the trips originating from within Vail or communities west of Vail can result in the availability of 200 spaces, which would significantly reduce the number of overflow days without needing to expand parking supply. The town should make efforts to better understand how parking passes are being used, who uses them from where and/or how they are shared. This analysis may help the town to better incentize such users to 387 184 take transit, especially if those users are within a Fare-Free transit zone or future micro-transit zone (See Tansit Chapter). Are short term rentals, purchasing passes, and allowing renters to use a pass? And could there be an effort to targer short term renters to utilize transit/micro-trasnsit? Are employers sharing passes amongst employees? Can some of that useage transfer to transit? Advocate for Regional Transit Improvements In addition to the recommendations to regional transit in Chapter 7, the Town of Vail can promote Bustang and Pegasus service enhancements to address both travel from Summit County and the Front Range. Table 24: Summary of Parking Management Recommendations Strategy Recommendation Phasing Cost (Qualitative) Cost (Quantitative) Goals Addressed Managing Overflow Parking Improve Pedestrian Facilities (sidewalks, lighting, crosswalks) Short- Term $-$$$ $3.5M-$10M Multimodal Options, Climate/Quali ty of Life, Access, Safety Shift Overflow Parking East of VTC Short- Term $-$$$ $250K-$20M Access, Safety Consider Paid Parking on the Frontage Road (with or without pedestrian improvements) Short- Term $ $100K-$500K Multimodal Options, Innovation Phase Out Overflow Parking (in combination with other strategies) Long- Term $$ None Multimodal Options, Climate/Quali ty of Life Expanding Supply Explore Opportunities at Seven Identified Locations Mid/Lon g-Term $-$$$ If all is implemented (which is doubtful/unnecessa ry), $26M-$59M. Multimodal Options, Equity, Access Employing Parking Managemen t Strategies Implement Wayfinding and Information Sharing through a parking app (coordinated with private parking space locations). Short- Term $ $100K-$200K Multimodal Options, Equity, Access, Innovation Explore Pricing Adjustments Mid- Term $ $100K-$200K per year Climate/Quali ty of Life 388 185 Strategy Recommendation Phasing Cost (Qualitative) Cost (Quantitative) Goals Addressed Encourage Carpooling Short- Term $ $45K per year Multimodal Options, Climate/Quali ty of Life Enforce Parking Fines Short- Term $ $50K per year Access Track Performance Short- Term $ $25K-$50K per year Innovation Incentivize Shared Travel Short- Term $ $50K per year Multimodal Options, Climate/Quali ty of Life Advocate for Regional Transit Improvements Short- Term $ $10K per year Multimodal Options, Climate/Quali ty of Life 389 186 Chapter 9 – Technology The transportation sector is one of the planning sectors most affected by technological innovations. Since the last Transportation Master Plan Update in 2009, several emerging transportation trends have arisen in Vail, including electric vehicles and corresponding infrastructure, micromobility, shared mobility, and advanced transit enhancements. As transportation technology continues to rapidly develop, the Town of Vail is proactively looking to the future to prepare for and determine the type of technologies the Town should integrate into its transportation system. This chapter will discuss emerging technologies that have the potential to create the largest impact on the mobility sector and how the Town of Vail can assess which technologies are best suited for the Town’s unique conditions. While many of these technologies are in the infancy of development, others are being piloted across the globe. What remains true is that before these trends become widely adopted, there needs to be an understanding and support for these emerging trends. Technology Overarching Goals • Multimodal Options – Promote the use of alternative modes of transportation by developing and deploying innovative technologies that provide a seamless user experience and increase the number of transportation options available to residents and visitors of Vail. • Equity – Utilize technology to inform residents and visitors about the variety of transportation options available to reach a destination. • Climate/Quality of Life – Encourage residents and visitors to use active transportation, such as walking, biking, and public transit by providing incentives that can lead to reducing pollution, congestion, and ultimately create a more livable community. • Access – Prepare town infrastructure to accommodate emerging alternative fuel vehicles and technology that expands access. • Innovation – Gather data and use it to improve transportation planning and decision-making. • Safety – Deploy data collection technology (cameras, sensors, etc.) at key intersections and corridors. Assess data collected to inform decisions about safety improvements. Emerging Trends Autonomous Vehicles (AVs) Although the widespread adoption of Autonomous Vehicles (AVs) is yet to materialize in the consumer 390 187 market, experts predict that AVs could account for 60%-80% of all vehicles by 2050.1 The widespread use of AVs has the potential to transform travel patterns, land use patterns, and safety and reliability. The anticipated impact of AVs on city infrastructure includes a reduced need for designated parking areas, an increased demand for loading/unloading zones, and a requirement for more connected vehicle infrastructure to ensure seamless interaction between AVs and the surrounding built environment. Additionally, forecasts show that AVs can lead to substantial increases in vehicle travel and decreases in transit ridership as vehicle travel convenience increases and vehicle travel costs (both time and money) decline. These implications can affect the way a city decides to develop and invest in capital infrastructure. When more people have the freedom to access more places Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) also grows. More vehicles on roadways lead to increased traffic congestion which comes with additional challenges. Vail, an already sought-after destination, will now become easier to get to via an AV. To mitigate the expected increase in VMT, Vail can begin establishing technology driven TDM strategies to offset the VMT increases AVs will bring. Public agencies can reverse these VMT gains through regulatory action, increasing transit competitiveness by providing incentives for alternative modes of transportation and increasing the cost of vehicle travel. These actions are examples of ways that municipalities can intentionally mitigate these negative outcomes of AV travel. Vail must consider how AVs will impact local traffic conditions and parking demand and how to best manage more vehicles in its town and roadways. AV Pilots AV pilots have occurred in many cities across the world for various use cases to evaluate opportunities to integrate AVs positively. While the majority are happening in urban contexts that are not representative of Vail’s terrain and environmental conditions, there have been other representative projects. San Francisco was chosen because of the steep terrain and the many pilots occurring on actual streets. There are valuable lessons learned from this context. Yellowstone National Park recently piloted an autonomous shuttle system that is representative of a tourist destination with unpredictable weather. Finally, the Val Thorens Ski Resort in France piloted an autonomous shuttle service that has very similar weather patterns to Vail. AV Technology in Public Transit & Freight AV deployments are more likely to occur sooner in goods transportation and public transportation than in personal vehicles due to the technology's better suitability for shorter, pre-set routes. The ongoing transit driver shortage may accelerate investments in AV technologies for public transportation, while TNCs are already introducing autonomous rides in select cities. Autonomous semi-trucks are also being evaluated, 1 Fehr & Peers https://www.fehrandpeers.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Milam_Islam_Johnson_Fong_Donkor_Xu_AV- Modeling_TRB_2020.pdf 391 188 and Vail's existing last-mile freight delivery practices could facilitate integration of this technology by using autonomous vehicles for delivery once the technology matures. AV Policies Vail can begin to identify policies in the short term. It is a great opportunity to identify policies around AVs before their proliferation. Policies can help ensure that AVs move the Town towards meeting its safety and sustainability goals. Policies to consider include: • Pricing mechanisms – congestion charging, vehicle miles traveled (VMT) (or passenger miles traveled) fees to incentivize environmentally cleaner transportation modes. Drop-off/Pick-up fees that are charged when dropped off in certain areas of Vail or during certain times through a ride- share app. These are fees that riders pay, including tunnel and bridge tolls, local government taxes such as sales tax, and other fees a city or state requires riders to pay. • Roadway regulations – restrict AV use to certain areas/zones. Vail could restrict autonomous vehicles to designated park and ride facilities and users could take transit or a shuttle to destinations. • Transit supportive policies – upgrade transit maintenance facility to support AV technology and determine best routes for autonomous pilots. • Land use policies – Determine best locations to expand and/or modify current drop-off/pick-up locations to optimize expected increase in these types of trips. Alternative Fuel Vehicles (AFVs) Alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs) are powered by fuels other than traditional petroleum-based fuels. Vail is well-positioned to expand alternative fuel vehicle (AFV) infrastructure due to its location along Interstate 70, a designated Alternative Fuel Corridor (AFC). An AFC is a federally recognized corridor that supports the national network of alternatively fueled vehicles. With the nationwide push for electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure and the proximity to the AFC, Vail is a prime candidate for EV infrastructure expansion. Additionally, Vail's status as a destination town means many visitors with EVs will rely on charging while they spend time skiing, shopping, or exploring Vail amenities. To prepare for the growing demand for EV charging infrastructure, Vail should prioritize site planning for charging locations, increase signage on the interstate and around town regarding charger locations and availability, and work with utility companies to ensure the distribution network can manage the increased demand, as documented in the Electric Vehicle Readiness Plan (2023). Vail should also investigate the interoperability of EV chargers, which can be powered by solar and use battery storage to provide a more reliable source of electricity. Wireless charging technology, which uses electromagnetic fields to transfer energy without a physical connector, could further expand charging options by allowing existing parking spaces to be retrofitted. In the short term, Vail should prioritize transportation electrification as the primary alternative fuel and can apply for funding opportunities to transition its fleet vehicles to cleaner fuels. However, in the long 392 189 term, Vail should consider investing in hydrogen fuel infrastructure if Colorado signals a desire to make hydrogen a more prominent fuel source. If the Town of Vail foresees it would be advantageous to construct or partner to build a truck fueling station, then hydrogen could be an applicable alternative fueling source. Municipalities should also look to cities that have already started to invest in hydrogen fuel infrastructure for guidance, such as Salt Lake City, Utah where investments in hydrogen hubs have began and in Fort Collins, CO where CSU Fort Collins won a grant to plan and build a network of hydrogen fueling stations along the I-25 corridor. Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) apply a variety of technologies to monitor, evaluate, and manage transportation systems to enhance efficiency and safety. It is also a catchall term that many other trends fall under such as connected vehicles. The most found ITS devices being used today include 1) calling for emergency services when an accident occurs; 2) detecting extreme weather conditions and relaying the information through digital billboards or devices; 3) enforcing traffic laws using cameras; and 4) installing signs for speed limit changes on highways. Now, 5G networks and artificial intelligence (AI) can allow for more integrative and smarter devices. Connected Vehicles (CVs) Connected vehicle (CV) technologies enable safe, wireless communication between infrastructure (such as smart light poles), personal devices, and other vehicles. Recently, the Federal Communications Center (FCC) announced the permitting of C-V2X (Cellular vehicle to everything). This is a new differentiation in how CV technology can be adapted. Previously, Dedicated Short Range Communication (DSRC) was how communication would be transmitted before the optimization of cellular technology. Other advancements, such as 5G networks work in favor of cellular communication. The FCC has now clarified that car manufacturers can include cellular communication devices in new cars, and agencies now have the green light to add matching CV infrastructure at intersections. Smart Public Transportation Vail has made significant advances in this sector with the RideVail Transit intelligent system. This system allows residents and visitors to view the location and current capacity level of buses through the ride.vail.gov website. This enables users to better plan their trips and make seamless first/last mile connections. Cradlepoint wireless edge routers on each bus transmit location-based data and provide Wi-Fi access for passengers using an SD-WAN (software-defined wide area network) architecture. TECH DRIVEN TDM STRATEGY By relaying real-time traffic information, ITS can help people make informed decisions on how to travel to avoid congested roads. TECH DRIVEN TDM STRATEGY By improving travel times and making it easier for people to use transit, Smart Public Transportation can incentivize more people to take transit rather than relying on vehicles. 393 190 Telematics is a combination of telecommunications and informatics, which involves the use of electronic devices to collect and transmit data. In the context of smart public transportation, telematics plays a crucial role in enhancing efficiency, reliability, and safety. ViriCiti is Vail’s telematic system, which in addition to real-time tracking of busses helps monitor the performance of the electric busses. The next step for public transit in Vail can include Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) models. With MaaS, public transit systems can provide a singular application that allows riders to plan a trip across the city using multimodal transport options to find parking availability and pricing, bus routes and times, and shared bikes. Drone Delivery Services Unmanned automated drone delivery involves the use of drones to deliver goods and services to customers without the need for human intervention. Amazon and other companies have been trialing drone deliveries in cities in California and Texas since 2022. These delivery services are offered in flying or rolling drones. As delivery services such as Amazon and Door Dash have risen in popularity, more vehicles entered the roadways to make these deliveries. Automated drone technology can alleviate some of the congestion by making deliveries using vehicles that demand less space on roadways. However, considerations for Vail are the terrain and winter weather that could make this technology difficult to navigate. If there are peak delivery services in summer that contribute to congestion on roadways, then this could be a seasonal choice that focuses on key areas within Vail to make these types of deliveries. The Town of Vail should continue to research and stay up to date on the following: • Drone Policies (e.g. How, When, Where, If they can fly around Vail) • Permitting & Licensing • Local control of Commerce Laws An action plan was developed for the Town of Vail to evaluate how to tackle the emerging trends. TECH DRIVEN TDM STRATEGY Drone deliveries can help to reduce traffic congestion by removing the need for delivery vehicles to travel on roads. 394 191 Table 25: Emerging Technology Trends Action Plan Emerging Technology Trend Likelihood of Deployment in Vail by 2045 Address Monitor Study Trend 1: Autonomous Vehicles Medium Trend 2: Alternative Fuel Vehicles High2 Trend 3: ITS Devices Medium Trend 4: Connected Vehicles Medium/High Trend 5: Smart Public Transportation High Trend 6: Drone Delivery Services Medium 1. Study = This emerging technology is in early development, continue to study how it progresses 2. Monitor = Other jurisdictions that are piloting this technology, monitor the project’s implementation and follow up with the corresponding city. 3. Address = This technology is beginning to be implemented and jurisdictions can begin to prepare for implementation. Short-term action items can be initiated to prepare Vail for successful integration shown in Table 26. Data Collection Technology Data can provide valuable information for the Town of Vail to inform future investments. However, large amounts of data can be overwhelming, expensive, and tedious to collect. Emerging data collection technologies can streamline the collection of a multitude of data from diverse data sources. This data can be used to create new opportunities in dynamic traffic management, as well as other aspects of traffic simulation and prediction. AI is continually being used to make data processing faster and more reliable than ever before. The following data collection technologies include: • Big Data Analytics – Vail can leverage big data from various sources, including traffic cameras, cell phones, transportation apps, connected vehicles, and sensors, to improve its transportation system. By analyzing this data, Vail can utilize big data analytics to advance transportation by analyzing traffic patterns, optimizing public transit, managing parking, predicting maintenance needs, providing demand-responsive transportation, improving safety, promoting equity, planning and modeling future transportation systems. 2 “High” in reference to electric vehicles. Other alternative fueling technology is rated “Medium” 395 192 • Fleet Management Apps – Fleet management apps can optimize routes, manage curbside reservations, and locate parking spaces for Vail's fleet vehicles. These apps can enhance efficiency and safety for Vail's fleet operations. • Geolocation Services – Geolocation services can help Vail facilitate shared mobility services, such as scooters and bikes. By analyzing GPS data from travel time runs and historical average travel times, Vail can better understand demand patterns and prepare for future service needs in new fleet vehicles and snowplows. • Sensors – Sensor technology is crucial for data collection in Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) and Vehicle- to-Infrastructure (V2I) communications. Vail can utilize sensor data to dynamically adjust paid parking rates, signal timing, and other operational information in real-time. Sensor technology is essential for implementing several emerging technology trends in Vail. Many different companies can deliver these types of technologies, however, due to market forces in this emerging marketplace, there is a high rate of new entries and exits into the market. It is recommended that before choosing a company to partner with, the Town of Vail should consider evaluating pilot projects the companies have completed, talk to the pilot cities, and ensure the firms are reliable partners. Tech-Driven TDM Strategies Technology-driven TDM strategies are tools that can be used to enhance this progress and reach a larger demographic. The goal is to make alternative transportation modes more convenient with better access therefore municipalities can offer appropriate solutions based on real-time transportation demand. By using technology driven TDM strategies, municipalities can tailor to the specific needs of individuals and the community which can lead to improved alternative mode usage. Examples of TDM strategies that Vail can consider that are technology-driven are: • Advanced Travel Information Systems (ATIS) – Systems that provide real-time information to travelers about traffic conditions, transit schedules, and other transportation options. ATIS can be used to help travelers make more informed travel decisions and choose the most efficient and sustainable way to get around. This information could be placed at bus stops, on I-70, and at key locations where users are making decisions about their mode and route. • Advanced Parking Management Systems (AMPS) – Type of technology uses sensors, cameras, and other devices to track the availability of parking spaces in real-time. This information can more efficiently and safely direct drivers to available parking garages and spaces within that garage to reduce cruising for parking. • Advanced Technologies for Transit – Many new tools can be used by public transit agencies to address the real and perceived concerns about transit convenience, reliability, and safety. Passengers can access the provision of real-time wait time information at transit stops and stations. This information can be displayed on signs, apps, and other devices, which can help passengers plan their trips and track the arrival of vehicles. This information should be included at all planned mobility hubs and considered at bus stops as well. 396 193 • Dynamic Real-Time Shared-Mobility Systems – The type of technology uses sensors, cameras, and other devices to track the availability of shared mobility vehicles in real-time. This information can be used to direct users to available vehicles, optimize the use of vehicles, and improve traffic flow. Many of these concepts were discussed in the emerging trends section. How these concepts and trends come together is through Mobility as a Service (MaaS). MaaS is a major consideration in how to deliver technology driven TDM strategies in Vail. Since MaaS incorporates emerging trends that are TDM strategies the concept is evaluated. Mobility as a Service Mobility as a Service (MaaS) is a concept that integrates various transportation options into a single, comprehensive, and on-demand mobility service. It offers users the added value of accessing mobility through a single application and a single payment channel, eliminating the need for multiple ticketing and payment operations. MaaS providers typically host a diverse menu of transport options, including public transport, active modes such as walking and cycling, ride/car/bike-sharing, taxi, and car rental or lease. This integrated approach aims to reduce car ownership, enhance transportation accessibility, and promote sustainable mobility practices. The adoption of a MaaS platform would be a suitable TDM strategy for the Town of Vail. By integrating the available but fragmented transportation services into one platform, users can experience a seamless travel experience without having to drive a car. MaaS establishes a simplified link between users and transportation services, thus minimizing the inefficiencies and additional costs of users having to navigate between multiple providers. With the considerable amount of existing transportation services that have been implemented in Vail, the town has the advantage of establishing a MaaS system. This whole integration of MaaS would need to engage multiple stakeholders: • Transit service providers and transit operators • MaaS operators and integrators • IT system providers • Customers • Local and regional authorities E-Bike Share Advancements The Town of Vail currently operates an e-bikeshare program aimed at providing more convenient and eco-friendly transportation options in the community. The e-bike share system provides residents and visitors with a convenient and sustainable way to get around town for shorter trips. For visitors, renting a bike may be more convenient than transporting a personal bike and allows for mobility freedom when visiting. The program has been successful and has led to a reduction of 8.68 metric tons of greenhouse 397 194 gas emissions.3 Due to the success of the program, it is expanding to include a total of 81 e-bikes at 16 stations across Vail. Continuing to evaluate ridership data of the e-bikeshare system over the coming years will help inform if there is a need for additional micro-mobility options in the city in the form of adding more bike share stations where needed. In Vail, micromobility is primarily suitable during the summer, with winter exposing limitations. An emerging solution to overcome cold weather challenges is "mini-mobility," encompassing three or four- wheeled electric vehicles fitting one to two persons. Mini-mobility vehicles, offering greater convenience, comfort, and weather protection compared to e-scooters and bicycles, are well-suited for short-distance trips in urban or small-town settings. They provide extended storage and accommodate two passengers, resembling enclosed golf carts used in some communities for weather protection. 3 https://www.vaildaily.com/news/shift-e-bike-regional-program-off-to-a-good-start-in-inaugural-summer/ 398 195 Table 26: A Summary of Next Steps Topic Action/Next Steps Detail Phasing Project Type Opinion off Costs Preparing for Autonomous Vehicles (AVs) Adopt AV policies that outline how Vail intends to interact with AVs in the future This involves coordinating between organizations/agencies, developing policies, conducting research, and engaging communities Short-term Planning/Policy $5,000 – $50,000 Incorporate the identified TDM Strategies in the Technology and Multimodal Chapters Start implementing technology-driven transportation demand management (TDM) strategies now to offset the expected increase in vehicle miles traveled (VMT) AVs. Short- term- Long-term Planning/Policy $$-$$$$ Assess feasibility, planning, executing, and/or evaluating pilot projects In preparation for the potential adoption of AVs, the Town should conduct a comprehensive evaluation to assess their performance, safety implications, public perception, regulatory requirements, and potential economic benefits." Short-term Planning/Policy $50, $150,000 Determine data needs, establish data sharing standards for different stakeholders (i.e., agencies and technology providers), strengthen privacy protections Develop “AV ready” street design guidelines, incorporate “smart technologies,” implement curbside management strategies, and rethink parking Medium- term Planning/Policy and Capital $$$ Alternative Fuel Vehicles (AFVs) Refer to EV Readiness Plan for specific implementation steps To prepare for wider EV adoption, the Town needs to increase the amount of publicly available chargers and add increased awareness by adding signage. Short-term Capital Varies depending on if grant funding is awarded Apply for grant funding opportunities to expand EV charging network and town fleet conversion The I-70 is a designated alternative fuel corridor, which brings additional funding opportunities for the Town to take advantage of to expand the charging infrastructure network. Short-term Planning/Policy Varies depending on if grant funding is awarded Refer to EV Readiness Plan for specific implementation steps Convert town fleet to electric to support the State’s 2030 light-duty vehicle goals and enable travel statewide in EVs Medium- term Capital $$$ 39 9 196 Topic Action/Next Steps Detail Phasing Project Type Opinion off Costs Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Re-engage BOSCH or another company to determine if long- term implementation is cost- effective AI cameras can decipher between vehicles, pedestrians, and bicyclists to alert drivers with the outfitted technology if a crash is about to occur Short-term Planning/Policy $20,000 – $100,000 Evaluate the application of ITS technologies to streamline enforcement, as discussed in the Traffic Calming section of the TMP LiDar (Light Detection and Ranging) scanner, infrared sensor, weather probe, and sound detector can measure pedestrian and traffic counts, air quality, odd noises, and vehicles turning in the wrong direction Utilize AVIS when initial changes to posted speed limits are initially made. Short-term Planning/Policy $5,000- $20,000 per sensor Develop an AI video camera network The camera network should include major intersections, roadway segments, and locations of routine congestion. The network could also be expanded to monitor parking facilities and trails. An adopted Personally Identifiable Information (PII) and data management policy should be included to address privacy concerns. The integration of AI features to help manage the data is an aspect that should be incorporated in a new system or upgrades. Medium- term Capital $$$ Connected Vehicles Pilot Pedestrian in Signalized Crosswalk Warning (Transit) Application Pilot at Vail Road and S Frontage Road Roundabout Short-term Capital $350.000 Coordinate with CDOT on connected vehicle technology installed on I-70 to ensure seamless integration with C-V2X technology CDOT is deploying roadside infrastructure to leverage the benefits of connected vehicles throughout the state, with plans to deploy over 400 miles of Colorado's roadways with CV technology. Short-term Planning/Policy *Associated staff time 40 0 197 Topic Action/Next Steps Detail Phasing Project Type Opinion off Costs Develop a system to support the operations of connected vehicles and transit to connected infrastructure Identify compatible technology with Syncromatics (CV technology (V2I)) devices and explore opportunities to integrate connected infrastructure technologies that relay critical real-time information from our infrastructure to vehicles . This technology has the potential to prevent a significant number of crashes and enhance the safety of the transportation system. Long-term Capital $$$$ Smart Public Transportation Educate guests on use of RideVail and any future enhanced apps Education campaign to promote the benefits and ease of public transit Short-term Planning/Policy $10,000 – $50,000 Conduct a comparative analysis of other pilot programs for autonomous transit/shuttle programs. The potential route should be short, flat-terrain, and not have too many obstacles. Examples include: Medium- term Planning/Policy and Capital $$$ Drone Delivery Services Implement Findings from an evaluation of the Loading & Delivery Pilot Program Refer to the Loading & Delivery chapter for next steps specifics Short-term Planning/Policy *Associated staff time Develop policy if unmanned aerial drones will be permittable in Vail and if so, in what locations Vail can control the location of drone operating centers through land use regulations. In addition, Vail can also address delivery drone policy through noise and privacy regulation. Medium- term Planning/Policy $ Evaluate drone air delivery pilot programs as alternative or supplemental delivery service in Vail Village Limiting drone air delivery to Vail Village could be a first step as a pilot program to determine future policy Medium- term Planning/Policy $ Data Collection Technology Continue to hone and standardize data collection methodology and synthesis in areas such as bicycle/pedestrian counts, speed, and crashes. Emerging data collection technologies can streamline the collection of a multitude of data from diverse data sources. Evaluate pilot projects data technology vendor/company has completed, talk to the pilot cities, and ensure the firms are reliable partners. Short-term Planning/Policy *Associated staff time 40 1 198 Topic Action/Next Steps Detail Phasing Project Type Opinion off Costs Technology- Driven TDM Strategies Determine MaaS feasibility Determine internally if MaaS is a platform that Vail intends to implement. If so, begin to coordinate with stakeholders and ensure technology infrastructure to support its development. Short-term Planning/Policy *Associated staff time E-Bike Share Advancements Evaluate metrics of e-bikeshare and community desire for programs Evaluate the impact of the e-bikeshare program to determine if additional mobility services are required to meet summer demand and if other mobility options are required in the winter. Refer to Bike & Ped chapter for data collection technology Short-term Planning/Policy *Associated staff time $ = Thousands $$ = Tens of Thousands $$$ = Hundreds of Thousands $$$$ = Millions 40 2 199 Chapter 10 – Loading and Delivery The Town of Vail launched a E-Vail Courier delivery pilot program in November 2021, which ran until September 30, 2022. In July 2022, the Town’s Loading and Delivery Working Group recommended to Town Council the codification and long-term implementation of the pilot based on the success and sustainability of the pilot. Council adopted the long-term implementation of the delivery program, which has now been operating on a permanent basis from October 1, 2022 to today. The E-Vail Courier Program is a delivery system that addresses pedestrian safety issues of delivery vehicles conflicting with people walking within Vail Village by acting as a first and last mile connection for deliveries. The program provides for the coordinated and efficient delivery of commercial goods in Vail Village while reducing conflicts caused by larger delivery vehicles within the pedestrian-only areas in Vail Village. The program consists of an underground loading facility, where all deliveries to Vail Village drop off their goods. The program then uses electric carts to make deliveries from the Mountain Plaza loading dock to storefronts in Vail Village’s pedestrian area while strictly limiting access by other vehicles. Each participating vendor and merchant pays a fee to help offset the costs of the program, and the town subsidizes the remainder. Small couriers are still allowed to travel into the Village directly. Over the 2.5 year life of the program, it has been successful from both qualitatively and quantitatively. Qualitatively, the program has been noted as successful from both businesses, guests, owners, hotels, and delivery companies. Guests have been very pleased with the lack of vehicles in the Village, and even more support has been expressed for the closure of Bridge Street. The program has evolved since it launched in 2021 to expand based on the number of involved businesses and couriers. This includes a shift in priorities, such as timely delivery of perishable foods. 403 200 Quantitatively, as of May 2022, the program was operating with 1 dockmaster, 4 delivery drivers and 2 low speed electric vehicles (LSEV’s). The program is servicing 40 businesses which is a total of 18 trucks. The program has expanded to include deliveries to businesses on E. Meadow Dr.. Christmas week had the highest volume of goods when the program delivered 26,000 pounds of goods and 90 kegs in one day. Currently the program is averaging between 30,000 and 40,000 pounds a day with busy days topping 60,000. On Thursdays alone, the program delivers 20,000 pounds of kegs into the village. The pounds of goods translate into $30,000 to $50,000 worth of products with heavy days topping $70,000. The staffing and infrastructure have proven sufficient to handle the current volume. As of May 2022, the data collected indicates that on average, approximately 35,000 pounds of goods are coming into the Village each day. As indicated above, the program is servicing 18 trucks which is approximately 40% of the overall volume coming into the Village. In April 2023, 106 West reported a total of 47 trucks of various sizes for a total of 139 trips into vail village that use the village per week. 106 West reported that this data was consistent with the volumes in Spring 2024 as well. 9 Tractor trailers (32ft – 48ft) • one of these comes 6 days a week • 3 come 5 days a week. • 3 come 2 days a week. • 2 come various days, on average it is 3 days a week. 29 Box trucks (12ft – 30 ft) • 5 come 6 days a week • 5 come 3 days a week • 13 come 2 days a week • 6 come 1 day a week 9 Cargo vans • 1 comes 7 days a week • 1 comes 6 days a week • 1 comes 5 days a week • 5 come 2 days a week • 1 comes one day a week Next Steps Based on the success of the program, Town Council and stakeholders agree that it should continue operating, and evolve as needed to address any concerns that arise from users. The Town should consider how to expand the program in order to include trash and recycling services. 404 201 Chapter 11 – Special Events The Town of Vail, like most resort-oriented communities, hosts special events throughout the year. Special events are important features from an economic development perspective, which benefits the community from a revenue standpoint. Special events also provide entertainment or unique opportunities to locals and visitors alike. The special events in Town range from small, family-oriented events such as holiday Santa visits to the GoPro Mountain Games. Most of the special events in Vail are during the summer months. There is not as much “competition” for parking during summer months. There are few winter events in Town. According to the Town’s Special Event Coordinator, most events during the winter are on-mountain and are hosted by the ski company. The Town hosts a website that lists all special events throughout the year. There are many departments within the Town that work together to make special events successful. These include public safety, transit, parking, streets, and the special events coordinator. Years of experience hosting, along with well-versed internal communication, has led to smooth, successful events. One example of a strong internal communication tactic is that the various staff involved in special events have a meeting after the event to share lessons learned. Based on conversations with Town staff, these events can be quite burdensome at the staff level, including emergency response, public works conducting cleanup, to transit and parking. However, the events rarely engage with CDOT regarding heavy traffic and congestion on I70. Events are generally small enough to where there are not parking or congestion issues within Town. The few larger events along with the weekend farmer’s markets do create spillover parking along the frontage road. The events at the ski area, such as races, are held on the resort property and have a minimal impact on traffic and parking in Town. The largest annual special event is the GoPro Mountain Games. It is a four-day sports-oriented festival held in Town every June. There are up to 90,000 attendees over the event period. The event includes around a dozen sporting events, music at the Gerald Ford Amphitheater, and other activities. All the activities are spread out throughout Town. 405 202 There is also a Farmer’s Market & Art Show during summer months. There are over 100 vendors registered. It is held on 17 weekends per year. The event, while popular, does not require significant effort in large part because the vendors are there for all 17 weekends and have their routines for parking and access early in the season. Special event sponsors are responsible for permitting, set up, and tear-down. Town staff tend to provide support such as trash pickup, temporary fencing, and other ancillary items. Town staff prefer to keep this division of duties intact: sponsors have the best understanding of their own equipment and arrangements, while Town staff provide essential logistics. From a long-term planning perspective, there is a desire to develop a more permanent staging area for events that include loading/unloading. Currently, the special event providers often use the soccer field for staging. This plan recommends that the Town explore the programming needs, and location, of a more permanent staging locations, especially in light of the loss of the Vail Village Loading Facility and Lionshead Charter Bus Lot. Limited Use Options • Ford Park Soccer Field Lot – On a case-by-case basis and generally during non-ski season events. During ski season this is needed for parking. • Ford Park Lot – On a case-by-case basis and generally during non-ski season events. During ski season this is needed for parking and during summer this is used frequently for parking for events at Ford Park. • Public Works Shops on limited basis if availability of space is found as a part of the Civic Area Master Plan in conjunction with the Public Works Master Plan. Priority Use for Special Events • New surface parking lot between I-70 and Vail Resorts Maintenance yard. This would need CDOT approval, and has been designed and was budgeted at one time. This location provides close proximity and is on In-Town bus route, however it would be temporary if the Ever Vail development would occur. • Improve West Vail Parking west of the West Vail Fire Station. Interior Storage Areas • Interior basement storage as a part of the VTRC expansion project • Interior basement storage as a part of the Civic Area Master plan • Interior basement storage as a part of Ever Vail 406 203 Peer Community Park City, Utah is a peer community of the Town. Like Vail, Park City has many special events, but many are larger and require more space and staff. However, there are two major differences between Vail and Park City. The first is Park City is not so constrained. The second is the large population base of the greater and growing Wasatch Front is only 30 minutes away by interstate, so special events draw a significant number of “day-trippers” to the point where Park City has almost become a suburb to the greater Salt Lake metro area. Park City also hosts an internationally significant winter event: the Sundance Film Festival in January. It requires significant inter-agency coordination to manage parking, transit, and circulation. Park City also has a weekend market in the summer months, but it has recently almost become too large. Also, like Vail, there is a large number of special events throughout the year, including hosting World Cup ski events in the winter, but the majority of special events that require staff involvement are in summer months and include sporting tournaments, weekend markets, and music festivals. A recommendation is for the respective special event coordinators to establish a line of communication to share best practices learned by each community. 407 204 Chapter 12 – I‐70 Interstate 70 (I-70) runs east west through the Town of Vail, bisecting the Town. I-70 is the primary truck route for east/west traffic through Colorado. I-70 provides interstate access to Summit County and the Front Range to the east, as well as the western slope to the west. I-70 is used to access Vail for both local and regional trips. Previous studies have been conducted by the Town of Vail, Eagle County, and CDOT to document the impacts I-70 has on Vail and provide recommendations. Some of the impacts identified include traffic congestion, noise, air pollution, and safety issues including unsafe pedestrian crossings. The 2002 Vail Transportation Master Plan Update identified I-70 capping or tunneling as an alternative to improve noise quality within the Town of Vail. The 2005 Vail Tunnel Options report expanded on the capping or tunneling options with additional considerations and analysis. Additionally, the 2018 Eagle County Safe Passages for Wildlife identified locations on I-70 where wildlife mitigation strategies were recommended. The I-70 Mountain Corridor Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) was completed in March of 2011. A record of decision reassessment was issued in December 2020. The PEIS proposed a preferred alternative of a multimodal solution that combines non-infrastructure strategies, highway improvements, and an advanced guideway system (AGS). This chapter discusses the next steps and level of effort related to implementing elements of the Preferred Alternative. Additionally, the team explored challenges related to additional alternatives to consider I-70 capping or tunneling, and a recommendation on whether capping or tunneling I-70 should be studied further. As part of the capping or tunneling review, the 2005 Vail Tunnel Options Draft Report was also reviewed. Review and Recommendations Related to I‐70 PEIS This section summarizes and makes recommendations to the Town of Vail to consider as the I-70 PEIS preferred alternative is implemented. Along the entire corridor, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) has advanced initiatives of the I-70 PEIS in anticipation of population and traffic growth. Initiatives along I-70 include CDOT opening Bustang and Pegasus transit services, a major initiative to improve mobility on Floyd Hill by adding an express lane in each direction, and the addition of eastbound and westbound shoulder express lanes from Empire to the east. Bustang is a regional bus service that serves five trips per day to/from the Vail Transportation Center (VTC). Pegasus is a regional transit van that serves five weekday trips and ten weekend trips from the VTC. Other I-70 improvements and PEIS considerations are detailed further in the section below. 408 205 I‐70 PEIS Preferred Alternative Overview The Preferred Alternative meets the corridor’s Purpose and Need and addresses the goals that were created for the PEIS. Non-infrastructure strategies were included in the PEIS to assist in advancing major infrastructure improvements to immediately address issues in the Corridor. The strategies require actions by officials in the agencies, municipalities, and other stakeholders along the corridor. The general strategies listed in the PEIS are increased enforcement; bus, van, or shuttle service in mixed traffic; improving truck movements; driver education; expanded use of existing infrastructure in and adjacent to the Corridor; technology advancements; ITS systems; shifting passenger and freight travel demand; converting day trips to overnight trips; promoting high occupancy travel; converting single occupancy vehicle commuters to high occupancy; implementing transit promotion; and other travel demand management strategies. These components can assist in addressing the purpose, needs, and goals of the corridor without requiring a large financial contribution to infrastructure. Highway improvements are needed to address corridor conditions and future demands. Operation improvements, curve safety improvements and interchange improvements are recommended for the Vail area. Interchange improvements are suggested for mile post (MP) 173 (Vail West/Simba Run), MP 176 (Vail), and MP 180 (Vail East). On the west side of Vail Pass (MP 180-190) auxiliary lanes are recommended by the preferred alternative in the eastbound and westbound directions. The auxiliary lanes will be designed to improve safety and operations along West Vail Pass. There is also a recommendation to expand to a six-lane highway capacity from MP 168 through MP 172 with curve safety modifications between MP 170 and MP 173 through the Dowd Canyon. Through these same mileposts, the PEIS also recommends adding a 65 mile-per-hour (mph) tunnel to bypass Dowd Canyon as a curve safety modification alternative to the six-lane highway. The highway improvements identified in the Preferred Alternative are shown in Figure 86. 409 206 Figure 86: Highway Improvements The Preferred Alternative recommends the addition of an Advanced Guideway System (AGS) along I-70. Coordination with agencies along the corridor is needed to implement a vision for transit connectivity and access to local systems. Further information is needed for the service, potential station locations, alignment, land use considerations, etc. to fully implement the AGS. Environmental resources of greatest concern that should be considered and further studied while the recommendations are carried forward are air quality, wildlife, historic properties, water resources, fish and fishing streams, hazardous materials, noise, visual conditions, recreational resources, and social and economic considerations. I‐70 PEIS Preferred Alternative – Recommendations for Adaptation This section includes recommendations for the Town of Vail to adapt in preparation for implementation of elements of the I-70 PEIS Preferred Alternative. Included are subsections related to non-infrastructure related components, highway improvements, and the Advanced Guideway System found in the I-70 PEIS Preferred Alternative. Non-Infrastructure Related Strategy Recommendations It is recommended that the Town of Vail maintain awareness of the non-infrastructure strategies that CDOT may employ on the corridor. The Town can support the goals of the PEIS by supporting and 410 207 implementing local non-infrastructure strategies found in the PEIS. These strategies are discussed in other chapters of this plan. Chapters 4 through 9 discuss Vail specific improvements for Parking, Multimodal, Transit, and TDM. Those chapters align with the PEIS strategy by examining topics that align with the goal of reducing SOV trips, reducing congestion and providing an improved user experience. The topics examined in those chapters include the following: • Parking infrastructure (public and private) – management and expansion • Additional pedestrian and bicycle routes • Additional and modification of fixed transit routes and addition of On-Demand services • Identification of Travel Demand Management options coinciding with emerging technologies Highway Improvements The table below includes a listing of highway improvements from the PEIS that are in the Town of Vail limits and the status of implementation. Vail should maintain awareness of these upcoming efforts through routine communication with CDOT counterparts. Table 27: Highway Improvements Strategies Status of Implementation Truck operation improvements (pullouts, parking, and chain stations) Improvements have been made to the EB I-70 chain up station near MP 180, with expanded truck parking and lighting added. Safety and capacity improvements in Dowd Canyon Variable Speed Limits (VSL) will be constructed in the summer of 2024. A feasibility study for other improvements was completed in 2022. No further design or construction funds have been identified. Dowd Canyon Tunnel A tunnel was one of the alternatives included in the above referenced feasibility study that was completed in 2022 and is the community’s preferred alternative The 2022 study did not eliminate all other alternatives. No further design or construction funds have been identified. Interchange improvements at the following locations: Vail West/ Simba Run (MP 173) Vail (MP 176) Vail East (MP 180) Simba Run (Sandstone) underpass completed at MP 174.5 reducing traffic trips at MP 173 and MP 176 interchanges Lighting improvements are underway at MP 173 and MP 176 interchanges. Intersection improvements recommended as a part of the 2009 TMP and this TMP include; expansion of NB lanes at each interchange (173 & 176), along with pedestrian improvements, and roundabout improvements at MP 176. Pedestrian improvements are recommended at the MP180 Interchange Auxiliary lanes: West of Vail Pass (eastbound and westbound) (MP 180- 190) The recommendation to implement auxiliary lanes has been carried forward and is currently under construction with a 2026 completion date. Additional information can be found on CDOT’s website at: https://www.codot.gov/projects/i70westvailauxiliarylanes/construction 411 208 Advanced Guideway System (AGS) The below table summarizes the strategies related to implementing an Advanced Guideway System that will extend to Vail. A recommendation is included related to each relevant strategy. Table 28: AGS Implementation Strategies Strategies Recommendations to Vail Feasibility of high-speed rail passenger service Incorporate consideration of feasibility study recommendations for the AGS and implement them into local planning efforts. Potential station locations and local land use considerations The Vail Transportation Center (VTC) is the nexus of routes serving locations West Vail, East Vail, and all other local and regional routes, and is near the Vail Village area of town. A station located here would optimize use of existing transit infrastructure. Vail is planning on expanding the VTC using grant funding. Future expansion of the VTC would be designed to not preclude the AGS or center median mobility hub, as identified in the PEIS, and would plan on accommodating a connection to it. Transit governance authority N/A Alignment Coordinate with lead agency of AGS to determine most optimal location of alignment for users and town interests. The PEIS identifies the AGS alignment in the center median. Technology N/A Termini N/A Funding requirements and sources The Town of Vail, in cooperation with other CDOT and other local agencies, should seek grant opportunities to fund improvements that enhance existing transit systems as well as accommodate the future AGS. The town will utilize grant funding for the design of the expanded transit system. CDOT’s budgeted construction funding for these improvements can be leveraged to receive additional grants. Transit ridership During the AGS planning process, obtain ridership projections from lead agency of AGS and incorporate into the local planning process to accommodate additional visitors arriving in town that will rely on Vail Transit. Potential system owner/operator N/A Interface with existing and future transit systems For local connectivity, an I-70 center median AGS station located near the Vail Transportation Center would address first and final mile connections to the bus routes and micro transit in the area. Role of an Advanced Guideway System in freight delivery both in and through the Corridor Consideration should be given to freight delivery. 412 209 Big Picture Impacts Summary of I‐70 Capping or Tunneling I-70 has negative impacts to the town of Vail, and those include traffic congestion, noise, air pollution, and safety concerns. Per a Rocky Mountain News article (12/6/2006), even as early as the 1970’s in conjunction with the potential Colorado bid for the Winter Olympics, burying I-70 was on the minds of some. It arose again in the 1980’s, when noise became an issue, and in the 1990’s, when a developer approached Vail and CDOT to discuss the potential capping and development over top of the interstate. As a result, as noted in the introduction, the 2002 Vail Transportation Master Plan Update identified the alternative of capping or tunneling to reduce Noise impacts the town. Furthering that effort the “Vail Tunnel Options” study was performed in 2005 to expand upon possible tunnel alignments and cut and cover options, the impacts of each option, and construction costs. This chapter provides a summary of the 2005 study, cut and cover scenarios, impacts of each scenario, and updated cost information. The 2005 “Vail Tunnel Options” Study evaluated five options to remove the existing I-70 alignment. The five options included 4 tunnel options and 1 cut and cover option. The five options were as follows: • Option 1 – Tunnel from Timber Creek to West Vail, south side of I-70 • Option 2 – Two tunnels from East Vail campgrounds to West Vail, north side of I-70 • Option 3 – Two tunnels from Timber Creek to West vail, one tunnel south of I-70 and one tunnel north of I-70 • Option 4 – Cut and Cover from East Vail to Dowd Canyon • Option 5 – Tunnel from Timber Creek to Dowd Canyon, south side of I-70 The conclusions of the previous report indicated that Tunnel Options 1 and 5 should be further considered as well as Option 4. The report also recommends that if financing is a driving issue, a short section of Option 4, a partial cut and cover, should be studied further. Based on the previous report, the project team considered three options. These options are as follows: • Tunnel Option (includes Tunnel Option 1 and Tunnel Option 5) • Complete Cut and Cover • Partial Cut and Cover For this high-level evaluation, there are no significant “big picture” differences between Tunnel Option 1 and Tunnel Option 5, thus a generic “tunnel option” was evaluated. A partial cut and cover evaluation was also included as an alternative because it may allow the Town of Vail to meet their goals (when more clearly defined), while lowering costs as compared to the complete cut and cover option. In 2023 dollars, the range of costs between the cut and cover and the tunnel options is $1.9 to $7.6 billion. A more detailed cost discussion in presented later in this chapter. The 2002 Vail Transportation Master Plan Update evaluated cut and cover and tunnel alternatives to address: the minimal amount of developable land within Vail, the division of the community, and the safety issue of 413 210 pedestrians crossing I-70. The 2005 Tunnel Report identified numerous objectives in the introduction section, including congestion, noise, air pollution, safety, connectivity, and quality of life. Additional objectives were identified by our team. The following list of objectives should be considered when evaluating the tunnel, cut and cover, and partial cut and cover options. • Vehicle Congestion • Noise • Air Pollution • Safety • Connectivity • Quality of Life • Cost • Local Road • Transit • Funding Mechanism • Operation Cost • Freight/Hazardous Material • Resiliency • Public Infrastructure • Construction Impacts • Aesthetic Character of Vail The previous Tunnel Report was completed at a high level to meet those objectives and considered project costs; however, there are additional factors not covered in the report that should be considered when evaluating a tunnel or cap and cover option. These additional factors are detailed below. • Local Road along I-70 Alignment – In each Option, a road along the existing I-70 alignment will need to remain for all local traffic including emergency services (among other uses) and serve as an alternate route for hazardous materials or bypass in the event of a tunnel shutdown. There will be costs associated with long-term maintenance of the local road. It is anticipated that this local road will consist of a typical section of 150’ of right-of-way (ROW) (125’ minimum) to serve a four-lane arterial roadway (two lanes in each direction) with intersections connecting to local roads, each assumably a roundabout. • Transit – To align with the PEIS, a location of the potential AGS or regional transit system should be identified. The previous report suggested a third tunnel to accommodate future regional transit. However, the location should be coordinated with the local Vail Transit system and VTC. The PEIS AGS could be assumed to run along the current I-70 alignment, given the expected need to have a future transit station at or near the Vail Transportation Center. • Funding Mechanism Detail – The 2002 and 2005 Report assumes at least a portion of the funding for this project can be obtained from the future redevelopment along the I-70 corridor involving the transference of land from the vacated interstate ROW or “air rights above the interstate to development companies”. The process for transference of these rights from CDOT and FHWA to Vail or a developer are not defined but would have to be agreed upon by all parties in the future. The final ROW width, needed to account for the previously discussed local road, has not been studied, meaning the total acreage of potential developable land and ultimate funding mechanism remains undefined (though it was approximated at 280 acres). Other than the sale of developable land, other funding sources may include Federal and State grants, improvement districts, tax increases, bonds, traffic impact fees, Town’s capital budget, or private funding. 414 211 • Operation Cost – The installation of a tunnel or cut and cover option would change and likely increase CDOT’s maintenance and operation costs of the new facility. The potential cost increase, and whether or not CDOT/FHWA would want to take on these operation costs would need to be defined in a future evaluation. • Freight/Hazardous Material – It is expected that some freight and/or hazmat truck traffic will not be allowed to use the tunnel or the full cap and covered area. In those scenarios, it is assumed the truck traffic would use the local road through Vail or frontage roads on top of the cap and cover area. • Resiliency – CDOT defines resiliency related to transportation systems as “the ability to keep our roads open and functional in the face of unexpected events and challenges.” Resiliency factors were not previously considered but should be evaluated in further reports. Resiliency may be improved with the installation of a tunnel (main route) while having an auxiliary route through Vail. Further discussions are needed to understand the impact to Vail and Interstate traffic. • Public Infrastructure – Options with significant development in current I-70 ROW will require significant additional public infrastructure, such as power, energy, water, and transportation. The ability to serve a significant increase in density will need to be evaluated and constructed, if development occurs. • Construction Impacts on Vail – Construction impacts, including duration, noise and other environmental impacts, and impacts on tourism during construction would need to be evaluated and mitigated if a project of this size would move forward. The 2005 study indicated that a tunnel alternative would have less construction impacts over a short duration to the town of Vail • Changes to Land Use and the Aesthetic Character of Vail – For all options, land that is currently in CDOT/FHWA ROW for the I-70 alignment would potentially be available for development. It is assumed that this land will be transferred from CDOT/FHWA ROW to The Town through a similar mechanism that has been done in other cut and cover interstate projects. This transfer would occur after the tunnel and/or cut and cover completion. The resultant developable land would be the current CDOT/FHWA ROW minus the area required for the new local arterial road. It is anticipated the typical section would require 150’ of right-of-way (ROW) (125’ minimum). This results in a net acreage of approximately 280 acres of developable area. The 2002 Study identified 550 acres of land including I-70, Frontage Roads, and the land in-between resulting in 350 acres for development. After accounting for a developable land area of ~550 acres. The new developable land could become open space, low density, medium density, or high-density development, as determined by the Town of Vail through their planning process. The sale of developable land would be used to fund the tunnel, cut and cover, or partial cut and cover construction. Obtaining sufficient construction funds from the projected sale of developable land would be critical to move any construction option forward. Any construction costs over the funding provided by the development would likely need to be funded by the Town of Vail through other funding mechanisms. The Town of Vail must consider how the character of Vail would change with additional residential and commercial development as well as the corresponding public infrastructure that would be necessary to 415 212 support this development. Each development category offers pros and cons. Open space would have minimal impacts on public infrastructure and no new net units but would provide no funding source. High density development would have maximum impact on public infrastructure and maximum number of proposed units but provide the maximum funding for construction. For this study, three scenarios were evaluated for the tunnel and cut and cover options and one scenario was evaluated for partial cut and cover option. A comparison of land use and cost recovery scenarios along with Vail’s existing land use densities and unit counts is described below. Existing Land Uses The existing land use in Vail were acquired from town staff from the Town’s adopted Land Use Zoning map, along with a total number of existing units, residential and commercial combined, to paint a picture of what Vail looks like today from a density perspective. Table 29: Existing Land Uses Land Use Description Existing Acres Percent Units Open Space 1,009 45% 110 Low Density 478 21% 1,459 Medium Density 374 17% 2,925 High Density/Commercial 235 10% 3,701 Public/Misc 162 7% 124 Total Acres/Existing Units 2,259 8,319 Future Tunnel/Cut and Cover Build Out Scenarios The build-out scenarios are described below, all of which assume preserving enough width for a future local road. The purpose of this is to understand the magnitude of impact on density each scenario would have on Vail and the corresponding magnitude of potential cost recovery. Tunnel/Cut and Cover – Scenario 1 This scenario would consist of converting all the new developable land into open space. The scenario would add no new units to the town and thus would have minimal impacts to public infrastructure requirements. However, there would be no sale of developable land associated with this scenario and thus result in 0% of funding from a land developer.. 100% of the construction cost would need to be funded by the Town of Vail or other funding mechanisms. Scenario 1 is shown in Figure 87. 416 213 Figure 87: Scenario 1 Land Use Description Scenario 1 Acres Percent Open Space 282 100% Low Density 0 0% Medium Density 0 0% High Density/Commercial 0 0% Public/Misc. 0 0% Net Increase to Current Units 0% Construction Cost $7.6 Billion Potentially Recouped Cost $0 Remaining Cost $7.6 Billion This scenario would be extremely beneficial to the existing community, providing an abundance of open space, and limited to no growth in population. However, it is on the extreme low end for developer participation and is therefore highly unlikely but it is shown to set a lower limit scenario for future impacts and funding. 417 214 Tunnel/Cut and Cover – Scenario 2 This scenario is the high-density option. The developable land would entirely be converted into high density development. This scenario would have the maximum impact on public infrastructure due to the increase in units. This scenario would provide maximum development funding. Upon build out of this scenario, there would be approximately an 85% increase in residential/rental units as compared to the existing 2023 number of units. This scenario would provide approximately 30% of construction costs resulting in 70% of construction costs needed to be funded by the Town of Vail. Scenario 2 is shown in Figure 88. Figure 88: Scenario 2 Land Use Description Scenario 2 Acres Percent Open Space 0 0% Low Density 0 0% Medium Density 0 0% High Density/Commercial 282 100% Public/Misc. 0 0% Net Increase to Current Units 85% Construction Cost $7.6 Billion Potentially Recouped Cost $2.3 Billion Remaining Cost $5.3 Billion This scenario would have extremely negative impacts on the existing community, nearly doubling the density of Vail with no addition of new open space. It is on the extreme high end for developer participation and is therefore highly unlikely but is shown to set an upper limit scenario for future impacts and funding. 418 215 Tunnel/Cut and Cover – Scenario 3 This scenario is the medium density option. The developable land would be converted into a mix of open space, low density, medium density, and high-density development. As compared to the other scenarios this scenario would provide a medium level of impact on public infrastructure due to the increase in units. This scenario would provide some development funding. Upon build out of this scenario, there would be approximately a 45% increase in residential/rental units as compared to the existing 2023 number of units. This scenario would provide approximately 15% of construction costs resulting in 85% of construction costs needed to be funded by the Town of Vail. Scenario 3 is shown in Figure 89. Figure 89: Scenario 3 Land Use Description Scenario 3 Acres Percent Open Space 66 23% Low Density 83 29% Medium Density 70 25% High Density/Commercial 63 22% Public/Misc. 0 0% Net Increase to Current Units 45% Construction Cost $7.6 Billion Potentially Recouped Cost $1.1 Billion Remaining Cost $6.5 Billion This scenario finds the middle ground between scenario 1 and 2 and is thus the most likely out of the three. It is one example of endless scenarios that are between the lower and upper limit scenarios, providing both significant growth in density and also funding for the project. 419 216 Partial Cut and Cover – Scenario 4 This scenario reflects the development potential of a partial cut and cover option. The developable land in this scenario would be approximately 60 acres. This scenario evaluates converting all the available developmental areas into high density development to provide the maximum funding opportunity. Upon build out of this scenario, there would be approximately a 20% increase in residential/rental units as compared to the existing 2023 number of units. This scenario would provide approximately 27% of construction costs resulting in 73% of construction costs needed to be funded by the Town of Vail. Scenario 4 is shown in Figure 90. Figure 90: Scenario 4 Land Use Description Scenario 4 Acres Percent Open Space 0 0% Low Density 0 0% Medium Density 0 0% High Density/Commercial 63 100% Public/Misc. 0 0% Net Increase to Current Units 20% Construction Cost $1.9 Billion Potentially Recouped Cost $0.5 Billion Remaining Cost $1.4 Billion This scenario provides an option that has been discussed in the past to find the best return on investment. It caps only the most cost-effective areas which can realistically capture the highest land value and is consistent with adjacent High Density areas. This scenario increases density and provides the best percentage of cost recovery from land value; however, it may be limited in achieving the objectives. It 420 217 would only provide noise reduction to a limited amount of residential neighborhoods and would arguably not add to the character, aesthetics, and quality of life of Vail. Summary Cost Information The 2005 Tunnel report presented cost ranges for the four tunnel options and cut and cover options. These amounts were presented in 2005 dollars, shown in Table 30Error! Reference source not found.. Table 30: 2005 Tunnel Report Cost Information Option 2005 Dollars (billions) Low High Tunnel Option 1 $1.9 $2.3 Tunnel Option 5 $2.0 $2.5 Cut and Cover Option $2.2 $2.6 The tunnel report did not include other project costs that must be considered, including reconstruction of the entire local road system after I-70 is devolved (or converted to cut and cover), interchanges at each portal, and other local infrastructure due to development. The tunnel report included only a moderate amount for pre-construction activities consisting of planning and engineering and “quality control” during construction. The National Highway Construction Cost Index (NHCCI), developed by the United States Department of Transportation was 2.860 in Quarter 1 (Q1) of 2023 and 1.281 in Q1 of 2005, meaning construction costs have increased by a factor of 2.860/1.281, or 2.232 times, since 2005. Because the cost ranges for the Tunnel and Cut and Cover options given in the report are close, one cost ($2.5B, 2005 dollars) was used to develop a 2023 conceptual cost estimate both the Tunnel and Full Cut and Cover options, shown in Table 31Error! Reference source not found.. Table 31: 2023 Conceptual Cost Information Project Option Cost (Billions) 2005 Tunnel Report Cost (Billions) $2.5 NHCCI (Q1 2005 to Q1 2023) Multiplier : 2.232 +$3.1 2023 Tunnel Report Cost (Billions) $5.6 Local Road, interchange and Other Infrastructure (15% of 2023 costs) $0.8 Additional Planning, Engineering, Construction Management (15% of 2023 costs) $0.8 2023 Conceptual Costs (Tunnel or Full Cut and Cover) – Total (Billions) $7.2 2023 Conceptual Costs (Partial Cut and Cover) (25% of Full C&C) – (Billions) $1.8 421 218 Summary of Options Tunnel Summary Based on the analysis above, the tunnel option would provide the longest construction schedule to the Town, as construction and future development along I-70 could not begin until the tunnel is complete. However, the construction of the tunnel option would be the least disruptive to Vail during the construction under Vail Mountain. As the previous report indicated, the cost is expected to be slightly less than the full cut and cover. This option has the most potential for future economic development as I-70 would be relocated. However, this assumes that land rights to the existing I-70 right-of-way would be available to the Town or a developer, which is a key question to consider. Additionally, the public works infrastructure that would need to be constructed by Vail as part of this development is not included in the anticipated scale of cost. The Town would likely require additional power, energy, water, and transportation infrastructure to accommodate any future development due to the tunnel or full cut and cover option. However, some of these additional costs may be recoverable due to potential developers’ contributions. Cut and Cover Summary The full cut and cover option would provide a reduction of construction schedule compared to the tunnel. However, the day-to-day impacts will be larger due to proximity of construction to the town. This option will not reduce congestion in and around Vail. Based upon the previous report, the cost is expected to be more than a tunnel option. Commercial and residential development on top of cover sections could be limited and further conversations with CDOT and FHWA would be needed. Development is more likely to occur adjacent to cover sections. As mentioned in the tunnel option, the Town may require additional public infrastructure to accommodate future development, however, some of these additional costs may be recoverable due to potential developers’ contributions. Partial Cut and Cover Summary The partial cut and cover option would provide a reduction of the construction schedule compared to the full cut and cover option, as length of I-70 to be covered would be reduced. Like the full cut and cover, this option will not reduce congestion in and around Vail. This way is expected to cost far less than the full cut and cover option, as locations could be targeted to address a specific purpose and need defined by stakeholders (noise reduction, community connection, or targeted development). The potential economic development would be limited even more than the cut and cover option, as there would be a shorter covered section. However, this shorter covered section could still provide the connectivity that currently is not provided due to existing I-70. Recommendations for Further Study There are significant hurdles to constructing the tunnel option and the cut and cover option, including the high cost, uncertainty of the ability to transfer development rights to fund the project, and the long duration of construction. However, no “smoking guns” were identified that would lead to a 422 219 recommendation of halting further study of these options. Once the Town of Vail determines key objectives for the project, then additional study could be undertaken to more formally determine the potential to carry an option forward. Before proceeding with any further evaluation, it is recommended that the Town collaborate with other stakeholders to identify the vision and goals for the future of Vail. The previous reports listed many factors, but input from the Town and other stakeholders regarding the reason that changes or improvements are needed is important. Once this is better defined, a framework for more detailed analysis could be developed. That framework should include participation of a cross section of stakeholders that will allow a clear evaluation of alternatives. Additionally, public input should be sought particularly as it relates to the land use scenarios and the subsequent impacts to the character of Vail. An alternatives analysis that includes a no-build alternative, in addition to the three options identified in this memo, should be conducted with a fully transparent process. The additional factors identified in this memo, as well as those identified by stakeholders, should be used as a basis for selecting an alternative. Cut and cover projects have been completed throughout the country. Figure 91 displays a map of projects across the United States that completed (green) and proposed/on-going (orange) cut and cover projects. This map is from the Seattle Lid I-5 movement, which is an example of a grass roots effort that proved beneficial to keep the “dream” alive. This effort resulted in funding for a feasibility study that is now complete and more recently gained support from the Seattle City Council by Resolution. Projects of this scale can take decades to get off the ground, if at all. A local example is Vail’s Sandstone Underpass, or better known as the Simba Run Underpass. This was a think big pipe dream project, but an opportunity presented itself that enabled it to be constructed. It was considered a project for another generation, but it was realized within 30 years. 423 220 Figure 91: Completed and Proposed Cut and Cover Projects Legend: completed (green) proposed/on-going (orange) Source: Seattle Lid I-5 424 221 Chapter 13 – Noise Noise has been a concern in Vail ever since the Interstate was completed, however it was not until the 1990’s that it became a significant concern. The first noise level measurements were taken in 2000, and then between April 2004 and September 2008 a more concerted effort was taken to analyze the interstate noise, in which noise levels were measured at several specific locations along Interstate 70 (I-70). Over the course of this time period, traffic noise reduction measures were implemented including a speed reduction campaign and repaving segments of I- 70 with stone mastic asphalt. Both efforts provided some minimal temporary relief and have not been repeated or identified as effective noise reduction programs. This memo summarizes the noise measurement survey completed in 2022 intended to document current-day noise levels along I-70 in Vail and evaluates new options to mitigate noise. Noise Measurement Survey Results A noise monitoring survey was conducted by Illingworth & Rodkin, Inc. staff between Thursday, August 25, 2022, and Tuesday, August 30, 2022, to document ambient noise levels at six locations throughout Vail. The survey included six long-term measurements and 11 short-term measurements. Long-term measurement locations were chosen to be as close as reasonably possible to the locations of measurements in past surveys. Safety of the equipment required some locations to be moved slightly from the previous locations. Sound level meters were placed in trees or mounted on utility poles at heights of approximately 10 to 12 feet above ground. Short- term measurement locations were at the same locations as previous studies. The figures below show the noise measurement locations and site photographs. Past and short-term measurement locations are shown with red circles while the long-term measurements are shown with blue squares. Noise measurements were made with Larson Davis Model LxT1 and Model 820 Integrating Sound Level Meters (SLMs) set at “slow” response. The sound level meters were equipped with PCB Model 377B02 1/2" free-field, prepolarized condenser microphones fitted with windscreens. The SLMs were calibrated prior to the noise measurements using a Larson Davis Model CAL200 or Model CA250 acoustical calibrator. The response of the system was checked after each measurement session and was always found to be within 0.2 dBA. No calibration adjustments were made to the measured sound levels. At the completion of monitoring, the noise data were obtained from the SLM using the Larson Davis G4 software program. All instrumentation used during the noise survey met the requirements of the American National Standards Institute SI 4-1983 for Type I use. Between Friday, August 26, 2022, and Monday, August 29, 2022, eleven short term measurements were made at each of the original measurement locations, M1 through M6. The primary noise source at all measurement locations was vehicular traffic along I-70. Secondary noise sources were local roads including North Frontage Road, South Frontage Road, and Gore Creek Drive. A summary of short-term measurement data is shown in Table 32. 425 222 Long-term measurement M1 was made in West Vail near the Chamonix Chalets at approximately 210 feet from the centerline of westbound I-70. Hourly average noise levels at M1 varied from 63 to 71 dBA Leq during the day and from 59 to 67 dBA Leq at night. Long-term measurement M2 was made near Donovan Park along Matterhorn Circle at approximately 375 from the centerline of eastbound I-70. Hourly average noise levels at M2 varied from 61 to 68 dBA Leq during the day and from 55 to 64 dBA Leq at night. Long-term measurement M3 was made near Sandstone Park at approximately 280 feet from the centerline of westbound I-70. Hourly average noise levels at M3 varied from 61 to 67 dBA Leq during the day and from 57 to 65 dBA Leq at night. Long-term measurement M4 was made in East Vail near residence at 3850 Fall Line Drive at approximately 180 feet from the centerline of westbound I-70. Hourly average noise levels at M4 varied from 63 to 71 dBA Leq during the day and from 59 to 68 dBA Leq at night. Long-term measurement M5 was made near the Timber Ridge Apartments at approximately 165 feet from the centerline of westbound I-70. Hourly average noise levels at M5 varied from 66 to 73 dBA Leq during the day and from 60 to 69 dBA Leq during the night. Long-term measurement M6 was made near Red Sandstone Elementary School at approximately 130 feet from the centerline of westbound I-70. Hourly average noise levels at M6 varied from 69 to 75 dBA Leq during the day and from 62 to 72 dBA Leq at night. To relate the 2022 noise measurement survey to past surveys conducted between 2004 and 2008, offsets in noise levels between short-term measurements taken at the same locations as past surveys and concurrent long-term measurements mounted nearby in trees or on poles were calculated. These offsets are listed in Table 32 along with the short-term measurement data, the corresponding noise level at the nearby long-term measurement location, and the resulting measured hourly average noise levels at short- term locations. The daily trends in noise levels at long-term measurement locations and at short-term locations with the offsets applied are shown in the Appendix. 426 223 Table 32: Summary of Short-Term Noise Measurement Data and Calculated Offsets (dBA) Short-term Measurement Measured Noise Levels Average Difference Calculated Hourly Average Noise Level Range at Short- term Locations Short-term Location Corresponding Long- term Location Day Night M1 Friday, 08/26/2022 12:15 p.m. to 12:20 p.m. 69.3 71.5 -2.5 62.3 to 68.3 56.0 to 65.0 12:20 p.m. to 12:25 p.m. 68.4 70.9 12:25 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. 69.3 71.2 Monday, 08/29/2022 6:00 p.m. to 6:05 p.m. 64.8 67.7 6:05 p.m. to 6:10 p.m. 65.9 68.6 6:10 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. 65.8 68.7 M2 Saturday, 8/27/2022 1:05 p.m. to 1:10 p.m. 63.0 61.9 +2.4 63.1 to 70.2 57.0 to 66.6 1:10 p.m. to 1:15 p.m. 64.2 61.3 1:15 p.m. to 1:20 p.m. 63.5 60.4 M3 Friday, 08/26/2022 2:35 p.m. to 2:40 p.m. 63.7 66.8 -2.8 58.4 to 64.4 53.7 to 63.0 Sunday, 8/28/2022 4:45 p.m. to 4:50 p.m. 64.9 67.4 4:50 p.m. to 4:55 p.m. 64.7 67.3 5:00 p.m. to 5:05 p.m. 65.0 68.1 M4 Friday, 08/26/2022 6:45 p.m. to 6:50 p.m. 67.8 69.3 -1.5 61.3 to 69.8 57.5 to 66.1 6:50 p.m. to 6:55 p.m. 67.7 69.1 6:55 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. 66.9 68.4 Monday, 08/29/2022 3:45 p.m. to 3:50 p.m. 65.7 66.6 3:50 p.m. to 3:55 p.m. 65.1 66.9 3:55 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. 65.1 66.8 M5 Friday, 08/26/2022 1:45 p.m. to 1:50 p.m. 70.6 71.3 -0.8 65.7 to 71.8 59.5 to 68.1 1:50 p.m. to 1:55 p.m. 71.2 72.1 42 7 224 Short-term Measurement Measured Noise Levels Average Difference Calculated Hourly Average Noise Level Range at Short- term Locations Short-term Location Corresponding Long- term Location Day Night 1:55 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. 70.9 71.8 Monday, 08/29/2022 5:25 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. 70.1 70.9 5:30 p.m. to 5:35 p.m. 70.8 71.5 5:35 p.m. to 5:40 p.m. 70.0 70.7 M6 Sunday, 8/28/2022 4:00 p.m. to 4:05 p.m. 69.2 73.3 -2.9 65.8 to 72.3 59.3 to 68.0 4:05 p.m. to 4:10 p.m. 71.2 72.8 4:10 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. 70.5 72.9 Monday, 08/29/2022 4:35 p.m. to 4:40 p.m. 70.3 72.7 4:40 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. 69.6 72.8 4:45 p.m. to 4:50 p.m. 68.8 72.5 42 8 225 Location of Measurement M1 42 9 226 Location of Measurement M2: 43 0 227 Location of Measurement M3: 43 1 228 Location of Measurement M4: 43 2 229 Location of Measurement M5: 43 3 230 Location of Measurement M6: 43 4 231 Table 33 below lists the maximum recurring one-hour average noise levels measured at each location across the past surveys and during the 2022 survey. For the recent survey, single, loudest-hour outliers were omitted in favor of the loudest hour which was measured to repeat multiple times throughout the survey period. Table 33: Measured Maximum One-Hour Average Noise Levels (dBA Leq) Survey M1 M2 M3 M4 M5 M6 April 2004 69 63 63 66 - - August 2004 67 62 62 66 - - April 2007 68 63 63 67 - - September 2008 66 61 61 65 70 69 August 2022 68 69 64 69 72 72 In comparison with measured noise levels from September 2008, 2022, measured noise levels increased by 2 to 4 dBA at 5 of the 6 locations. These noise level increases roughly correspond to the increase in traffic volumes along I-70 since 2008, from approximately 18,000 to 21,000 ADT to between 27,000 to 39,000 ADT1. Noise levels measured at Location M2 increased by 8 dBA over measured September 2008 levels. The predominant source of increased noise levels is increased traffic along I-70. In addition, construction activities located across I-70 on the northern side of N. Frontage Road W. were perceptible above the noise of traffic at this location and could have skewed measured noise levels above those otherwise attributable to vehicular traffic alone. Future Noise levels Future noise levels were not calculated as part of this study. However, based on the increase in noise levels between 2008 and 2022 correlated to the increase in traffic volumes; if the traffic volumes on I- 70 increase, the noise levels could potentially increase. 435 232 Potential New Methods to Reduce Noise along the I‐70 Corridor The 2005 Evaluation of Highway Noise Mitigation Alternatives for Vail Colorado Report addressed several potential traffic noise mitigation options including quiet pavement, noise walls, speed reduction, acoustical insulation of structures, and construction of a tunnel. Of these, a speed reduction campaign and repaving of I-70 with quiet pavement have been implemented. Over time, the effectiveness of quiet pavement degrades as the pavement loses its porosity and sound absorbing qualities. Therefore, repaving the roadway with new quiet pavement could be considered to overcome the degradation that has likely occurred since 2008. Additionally, speed reduction campaigns may need to be reinstituted to slow traffic through the corridor. Each 5-mph reduction in speed typically equates to a 1 dBA reduction in noise Remaining options outside of noise walls would include acoustical insulation of structures and construction of a tunnel. As addressed in the 2005 Report, constructing a tunnel would be a highly effective means of almost completely mitigating traffic noise throughout Vail but is a costly measure with several additional engineering concerns. Acoustical isolation of structures could provide some additional noise reduction to building interiors and could be considered for highly affected residences nearest I-70 but would not address noise at outdoor use areas or structures with open windows. As vehicular traffic along I-70 will remain the predominant source of noise in Vail for the foreseeable future, there are no remaining new noise control measures outside of those identified in the 2005 Report. Finally, noise levels would not be expected to be substantially reduced along the corridor assuming a higher percentage of electric vehicles. Tire noise and aerodynamic noise are the main components of noise from most vehicles at highway speeds, so any reduction in vehicle engine noise will likely be offset by higher traffic volumes expected by 2045. 436 233 Chapter 14 – Implementation Plan and Funding Go Vail 2045 serves as a guide that will assist the Town in making decisions about the implementation of improvements to Vail’s mobility and transportation network and facilities over the course of the next 20 years. The implementation schedule for recommended projects will occur in phases with near-term projects taking place within 0-5 years, medium-term projects in 5-10 years, and long-term projects in 10+ years. Short term projects typically have a higher priority level rating and/or have the resources available to implement them sooner. Capital costs involve physical infrastructure enhancements like dedicated bicycle lanes, transit facility improvements, new vehicles, and station upgrades. These are one-time expenditures that directly contribute to the tangible infrastructure of the transit system. Programmatic Costs costs can include expenses not directly tied to physical infrastructure but crucial for the development and operation of capital projects' effectiveness. For details of progromatic or planning and policy recommendations, reference the mode chapter. The estimated programattic costs does not include existing programs accounted for in annual budgets. While many capital projects address specific transportation challenges for individual modes, each also presents a valuable opportunity to holistically enhance mobility across all modes. The recommendations for the cost of each mode are summarized in the table. Each topic area has phasing timing and if thespecific improvement is supported or not supported by the community. Project costs are high-level planning estimates, providing approximate 2024 Rough Order-of-Magnitude (ROM) values. Detailed cost analysis will need to be conducted for each investment as it progresses toward implementation. Table 34: Estimated Cost for Priority & All Projects Modal Category Priority Projects ROM 2024 (Priority rated projects 1) All Projects ROM 2024 Traffic Improvement $1,600,000 - $4,000,000 $13,600,000 - $34,500,000 Speed Limit & Traffic Calming N/A $600,000 - $3,000,000 Transit $400,000 – 1,500,000 per year $13,400,000 - $33,000,000 Multimodal $11,200,000 - $34,000,000 $125,200,000 - $399,000,000 Parking $1,600,000 - $4,000,000 $7,200,000 - $19.500,000 Technology $100,000 - $500,000 $700,000 - $2,500,000 I-70 $100,000,000 + TOTAL COST (Not including I-70) $14,800,000 - $44,000,000 $160,700,000 - $468,500,000 437 234 Project Prioritization The Town of Vail prioritizes transportation projects based on two key criteria: feasibility for swift implementation and demonstrated need. Projects are assigned a priority level ranging from 1 (highest) to 5 (lowest) as detailed in Table 35. This prioritization system considers the timeframe for implementation – some projects can be implemented immediately, while others require specific triggers before moving forward. These triggers generally involve corresponding development projects, securing funding sources, or other prerequisites. Importantly, a significant portion of projects fall under the highest priority level (1), indicating the Town's commitment to swift action where feasible. Table 35 Priority Level % of Projects within Priority Level 1 Implement 30% 2 Evaluate then Implement 20% 3 Evaluate Further 20% 4 Nice to have 6% 5 Needs a Trigger 24% Financial Summary The total 2024 ROM cost of the project plan ranges from $160M to $470M. Key highlights include: The total cost for Priority Projects ranges from $15M - $45M Multimodal recommendations are the most expensive category and include the following improvements: o Bicyclae Facilities (Bike Lanes and Separated Multi Use Paths) o Restriping Shoulders o Trail Safety Improvements o Road Diets o Pedestrian Safety Improvements 438 235 Table 36: Project Summary Table Projects Su p p o r t e d No t Su p p o r t e d Relative Cost Phasing Priority MULTIMODAL PROJECTS BICYCLE FACILITIES Bike Lanes Frontage Road 6' Bike Lanes $$ Long Term 5 West Lionshead Circle ‐ 5' Bike Lanes 79% 11% $ Short Term 2 East Lionshead Circle ‐ 5' Bike Lanes 78% 12% $ Short Term 2 Vail Road (GVT‐Meadow to Forest Rd) ‐ 5' Bike Lanes 82% 12% $ Short Term 1 Vail Valley Drive (S. Frtge to GP) ‐ 5' Bike Lanes 82% 12% $ Short Term 1 Separated Multi Use Paths GVT S. Frontage Rd ‐ Dowd to WV Rdabt 73% 9% $$$$ Long Term 4 S. Frontage Rd ‐ Donovan to Lionshead 78% 9% $$ Mid Term 2 GVT Lionshead Gondola Bypass 77% 13% $$$ Short Term 1 Library to Lionshead Pedestrian Nature Trail 77% 13% $$ Short Term 1 Middle Creek Connection ‐ S. Frontage Rd. to Dobson 66% 8% $ Mid Term 2 NRT – Extend to Spraddle Creek Trailhead $ Mid Term 2 S. Frontage Rd ‐ Along Ford Park Parking Lot 73% 9% $ Mid Term 3 S. Frontage Rd ‐ Along Gore Creek & Golf Course 73% 9% $$$$ Long Term 4 GVT along VVD ‐ Ford Park thru Nature Ctr to S. Frtge 67% 12% $$$$ Long Term 4 GVT Sunburst Dr ‐ VVD to Golf Clubhouse $$ Short Term 2 N. Frontage Rd ‐ Katsos to Bighorn Rd 66% 8% $$ Mid Term 3 GVT ‐ Bighorn Rd 67% 7% $$$ Short Term 1 Stephens Park Connection ‐ Across Creek to S. Frontage Rd. 65% 13% $$$ Long Term 5 Bald Mtn Connection ‐ S. Frontage Rd. under I‐70 59% 14% $$$$$ Long Term 5 Residential Striped Shoulders (4') Buffehr Creek Rd $ Short Term 1 439 236 Lions Ridge Loop $ Short Term 2 Forest Rd $$ Mid Term 2 Beaver Dam Rd $$ Mid Term 2 Sunburst ‐ East of Golf Clubhouse $ Short Term 1 Kinnickinnick Rd 54% 7% $ Short Term 1 Chamonix Ln 52% 7% $$ Short Term 1 Chamonix Rd 50% 7% $ Short Term 1 West Gore Creek Dr 57% 7% $$ Short Term 1 Matterhorn Circle ‐ Lower 52% 9% $ Mid Term 3 Westhaven Dr 52% 10% $$ Mid Term 3 Lupine Dr 53% 10% $$ Mid Term 3 Bridge Rd 54% 11% $ Mid Term 3 Columbine Dr 55% 10% $ Mid Term 3 Streamside Circle 54% 10% $ Mid Term 3 Meadow Dr 52% 10% $ Mid Term 3 Main Gore Dr 58% 9% $ Short Term 1 Residential Striped Shoulders (4') and/or Sidewalk $$ Long Term 5 Programatic & Safety Improvements Driveway Crossings $$ Mid Term 3 Sight Distance $ Short Term 1 User amenitites (Signage, Lighting, benches, etc…) $ Mid Term 3 Bike‐calming treatments $ Short Term 2 Wayfinding & signage update $$ Mid Term 2 Bicycle & pedestrian counting program $ Short Term 1 Active transportation coordinator position $/yearly Short Term 1 Road Diets N. Frontage Rd ‐ Adjacent to WV Commercial 56% 37% $$$ Mid Term 2 S. Frontage Rd ‐ Adjacent to Westhaven Drive $$ Mid Term 2 S. Frontage Rd ‐ Adjacent Glen Lyon Office Buildings 66% 22% $$ Mid Term 2 440 237 S. Frontage Rd ‐ Adjacent to VTC 64% 28% $$ Mid Term 3 Rapid Flashing Beacons at Pedestrian Crossings West Vail Roundabout $ Mid Term 3 N. Frontage Rd ‐ WV Commercial $$ Short Term 1 East Vail Interchange $ Mid Term 3 Bighorn Rd ‐ At Gore Valley Trail $ Short Term 1 West Lionshead Circle ‐ 4 Locations 78% 21% $ Short Term 2 East Lionshead Circle ‐ 5 Locations 78% 21% $ Short Term 1 Vail Road ‐ 3 Locations 78% 21% $ Short Term 1 Vail Valley Drive ‐ 6 Locations 78% 21% $ Short Term 2 TRANSIT PROJECTS Transit Facilities VTC Expansion $$$$$ Short Term 1 Transit Service WV Express ‐ All Day Year Round $ /year Short Term 1 EV Express ‐ All Day Year Round $ /year Short Term 2 Lions Ridge Loop ‐ Year Round $ /year Mid Term 3 Sandstone Loop ‐ Increased Frequency $ /year Mid Term 3 N. Frontage Rd Employee Express ‐ All Day Year Round $ /year Short Term 1 Add Bus Stop at Vail Run along S. Frontage Rd $ Short Term 1 Micro Transit (On‐Demand) Service $ /year Mid Term 4 Consider AV Transit $$$ Long Term 5 Mobility Pass Mid Term 3 Transit Safety Improvements In‐Town Signage & Safety Improvements $ Short Term 1 Bus Shelters at High Boarding Locations $ Short Term 1 Bus Pads and amenities $ Mid Term 2 Pedestrian Lighting at all Bus Stops $ Short Term 1 441 238 PARKING PROJECTS Parking Improvements Frontage Rd Paid Parking $ Long Term 4 Eliminate Frontage Rd Parking at VTC & LH $ Short Term 1 Improve Frontage Road Parking ‐ Lighting & Sidealks $$$$ Long Term 5 WV Parking Improvements ‐ +60 Spaces $$ Mid Term 2 CDOT/VR Mtnce Parking lot ‐ +100 Spaces $$$ Long Term 3 Ford Park Angled Parking ‐ +100‐200 Spaces $$$ Mid Term 3 Encourage Carpooling (Specifically at Ford Park Lot) $ Short Term 2 Review Parking Fines & Enforcement Short Term 2 TRAFFIC PROJECTS Traffic Improvements Permanent Traffic Counters at Roundabouts $ Short Term 1 2‐NB Lanes at Main Vail Roundabouts $$$$ Long Term 5 2‐NB Lanes at West Vail Roundabouts $$ Long Term 5 Left Turn Lanes at Frontage Rd Intersection $$ Long Term 5 West Vail Commercial Roundabout $$$ Long Term 5 Ever Vail Roundabout Long Term 5 East Lionshead Circle Roundabout $$$ Long Term 5 VTC/Vail Valley Drive Roundabout $$$ Short Term 2 Ford Park West Roundabout $$$ Long Term 5 Ford Park East Roundabout $$$ Long Term 3 SPEED LIMIT & TRAFFIC CALMING PROJECTS Residential Speed Limit to 20mph 77% 14% $ Short Term 1 Traffic Calming Policy $ Short Term 1 Lane Striping 79% 13% $ Short Term 1 Photo Enforced Radar 36% 56% $ Long Term 5 Neckdowns & CurbExtensions 47% 37% $ Long Term 5 Speed Humps 44% 52% $ Long Term 5 442 239 TECHNOLOGY IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS SMART City Technolgy $$ Long Term 4 MaaS (Mobiliy as a Service) $ Mid Term 3 Parking Mangement App $ Short Term 1 I‐70 IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS West Vail Interchange Underpass $$ Long Term 5 Buffehr Creek $$$$ Long Term 5 Red Sandstone Creek $$$$ Long Term 5 Middle Creek $$$$ Long Term 5 Main Vail Interchange Underpass $$ Long Term 5 Elkhorn Drive Underpass $$$$$ Long Term 5 Bald Mountain Road $$$$$ Long Term 5 Columbine Drive Underpass $$$$$ Long Term 5 East Vail Interchange Underpass $ Mid Term 3 LOADING & DELIVERY Expand E‐Courier to Trash & Recycling $ Long Term 5 SPECIAL EVENTS Add staging areas w/ identified new parking $$ Mid Term 2 Explore opportunites for new interior storage $$ Mid Term 5 443 240 Chapter 15 – Funding Strategies Implementing the recommended projects outlined in this plan presents a notable challenge due to constrained funding allocations. To address this challenge and facilitate the successful execution of these capital projects, we have identified a range of potential funding sources at the federal, state, and local levels that are aligned with the objectives of these key initiatives. Federal Grants Securing federal grants often requires a strategic approach. Careful evaluation of grant eligibility and meticulous preparation of the application are essential steps in the application process. Table 37: Federal Grant Sources Grant Name Grant Description Potential Project(s) Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grant Program Provides funding to states to strategically deploy electric vehicle (EV) charging stations and to establish an interconnected network to facilitate data collection, access, and reliability. Funding is available for up to 80% of eligible project costs, including: The acquisition, installation, and network connection of EV charging stations to facilitate data collection, access, and reliability. Proper operation and maintenance of EV charging stations; and, Long-term EV charging station data sharing. Technology – Expand Town EV charging network and town fleet conversion Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program (RCP) Provides funding to remove, retrofit, or mitigate transportation facilities such as highways and rail lines that create mobility, access, or economic barriers to community connectivity through capital construction, planning, and technical assistance. Further study of I-70 alternatives Rural Surface Transportation Grant Program (RURAL) Under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), the Rural Surface Transportation Grant Program (RURAL) supports projects that will improve and expand the surface transportation infrastructure in rural areas to increase connectivity, improve the safety and reliability of the movement of people and freight, generate regional economic growth, and improve quality of life. Eligible uses include highway, bridge, tunnel, or highway freight projects that improve access to certain essential facilities that support rural economies, as well as integrated mobility management systems, transportation demand management system, or on-demand mobility services. Technology Demonstrations and Deployment 444 241 Grant Name Grant Description Potential Project(s) Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) Grants Provides funding to eligible public sector agencies to conduct demonstration projects focused on advanced smart community technologies and systems to improve transportation efficiency and safety, among the other US DOT Innovation Principles. The program seeks to fund purpose-driven innovation and focuses on building data and technology capacity and experience ITS/Smart Cities Projects Bike/Pedestrian Climate – EV Transit Stations Transit – Bus Parking – Information Sharing Pilot Program for Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Planning The Pilot Program for Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Planning provides funding to communities to integrate land use and transportation planning in new fixed guideway and core capacity transit project corridors, examine ways to improve economic development and ridership potential, foster multimodal connectivity and accessibility, improve transit access for pedestrian and bicycle traffic, engage the private sector, identify infrastructure needs, and enable mixed-use development near transit stations. Climate – Emissions Climate – Resilience Equity Community Planning Transit – Rail Bike/Pedestrian Transit Stations Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) Grant Program The Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) Grant Program (formerly “Nationally Significant Freight & Highway Projects” under the FAST Act) provides funding for multimodal freight and highway projects of national or regional significance to improve the safety, efficiency, and reliability of the movement of freight and people in and across rural and urban areas, addressing critical issues facing our nation’s transportation networks. I-70 Safety and Operations projects (CDOT I70 Vail Pass has been a recipient in the past) National Infrastructure Project Assistance (Mega) program Supports large, complex projects that are difficult to fund by other means and likely to generate national or regional economic, mobility, or safety benefits. The funding opportunities are awarded on a competitive basis for surface transportation infrastructure projects—including highway and bridge, intercity passenger rail, railway-highway grade crossing or separation, wildlife crossing, public transportation, marine highway, and freight projects, or groups of such projects—with significant national or regional impact, or to improve and expand the surface transportation infrastructure in rural areas. Project relating to I-70 burial Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (or RAISE) program provides funding for capital investments in surface transportation that will have a significant local or regional impact Bike/Pedestrian Climate – Emissions Climate – Resilience Equity Freight Transit – Bus Transit Stations Parking – Expansion Opportunities 445 242 Grant Name Grant Description Potential Project(s) Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities Competitive Program The purpose of the Buses and Bus Facilities Competitive Program is to assist in the financing of buses and bus facilities capital projects, including replacing, rehabilitating, purchasing or leasing buses or related equipment, and rehabilitating, purchasing, constructing or leasing bus-related facilities. Climate – Emissions Transit – Bus Safety Equity Data Science Climate – Resilience High Priority- Commercial Motor Vehicle (HP-CMV) Program Provides financial assistance to enhance commercial vehicle safety and implement innovative national-level projects that will have a positive impact on CMV safety. The objective of the HP- CMV program is to support, enrich, and evaluate CMV safety programs and to target unsafe driving of CMVs and non–CMVs in areas identified as high-risk crash corridors, promote the safe and secure movement of hazardous materials, improve safety of transportation of goods and passengers in foreign commerce, demonstrate new technologies to improve CMV safety, support participation in the Performance Registration Information Systems Management (PRISM) program, support safety data improvement projects, increase public awareness and education on CMV safety, and otherwise improve CMV safety Safety Projects on I-70 Advanced Transportation Technologies and Innovative Mobility Deployment The Advanced Transportation Technologies and Innovative Mobility Deployment (ATTIMD), also known as Advanced Transportation Technology and Innovation (ATTAIN), provides funding to deploy, install, and operate advanced transportation technologies to improve safety, mobility, efficiency, system performance, intermodal connectivity, and infrastructure return on investment. Technology Smart Public Transportation Parking – Information Sharing Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grant Program The Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grant Program provides funding to strategically deploy publicly accessible electric vehicle charging infrastructure and other alternative fueling infrastructure. This grant program has two tracks: Corridor Charging (to deploy electric vehicle charging and hydrogen/propane/natural gas fueling infrastructure along designated alternative fuel corridors) and Community Charging (to install electric vehicle charging and alternative fuel in locations on public roads, schools, parks, and in publicly accessible parking facilities). Community Charging grants will prioritize rural areas as well as low-and moderate-income neighborhoods with low ratios of private parking, or high ratios of multiunit dwellings. Climate – EV Community Planning Community Engagement Climate – Emissions Equity Climate – Resilience Safety Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Grant Program Provides financial support for planning, infrastructure, behavioral, and operational initiatives to prevent death and serious injury on roads and streets involving all roadway users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, public transportation users and operators, personal conveyance, micromobility users, motorists, and commercial vehicle operators. The SS4A program provides funding for the development of comprehensive safety action plans, supplemental planning for activities identified in an eligible action plan, and for implementation of eligible action plans. Proposed Crossing Treatments along I-70 Safety Improvements in Multi-modal sections Traffic Improvements 446 243 State Grants Table 38: State Grant Sources Grant Name Grant Description Potential Project(s) Zero-Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Transition Planning Grant To fund the development of agency plans, studies, and analyses to prepare for and accelerate the deployment of zero-emission transit vehicles and support the infrastructure, facilities, training, and organizational investments necessary to make such deployments successful. Fleet Conversion Clean Fleet Vehicle & Technology Grant Program The Clean Fleet Enterprise’s (CFE) Clean Fleet Vehicle and Technology Grant Program is a statewide competitive application process for eligible light-, medium- and heavy- duty fleet vehicles. Fleets will provide background information on their current fleet make-up, indicate the level of planning that has occurred for fleet transition, and provide financial information on vehicles and/or technology the fleet plans to acquire. Transit – Convert Bus Fleet to Zero Emissions Clean Transit Enterprise This enterprise is created within the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) to support public transit electrification planning efforts, facility upgrades, fleet motor vehicle replacement, as well as construction and development of electric motor vehicle charging and fueling infrastructure. The bill allows the enterprise to impose a clean transit retail delivery fee to fund its operations and to issue grants, loans, or rebates to support the electrification of public transit. Transit – Convert Bus Fleet to Zero Emissions Electric charging stations for busses FASTER – Local Transit Grants FASTER transit funds are split between local transit grants ($5 million per year) and statewide projects ($10 million per year). The $5 million in local transit grants is awarded competitively by CDOT regional offices. Transit – Expanded Fixed-Route Transit Expand the Vail Transportation Center Bus Stop Improvements - New Mobility Hubs Bus Stop Improvements - Pedestrian Safety and Amenity Multimodal Transportation and Mitigation Options Fund (MMOF) – State State MMOF funds are to be used for transit, TDM programs, multimodal mobility projects enabled with new technology, studies, and bicycle/pedestrian projects. Parking 447 244 Local Revenue Seven revenue sources make up local taxes and generate 69% of the town’s annual revenues: general sales tax; housing sales tax, property and ownership tax; use tax; ski lift tax; real estate transfer tax; and franchise fees. Table 39: Local Tax Rates Vail Sales Tax Tax Rate State of Colorado 2.9% Eagle County 1.0% Eagle County Transportation 0.5% Regional Transportation Authority 0.5% Town of Vail 4.5% Total Sales Tax 9.4% Vail Local Marketing District Lodging Tax (in addition to above) 1.4% Town of Vail Sales Tax on Food for Home Consumption (in lieu of Town of Vail rate above) 4.0% Additional potential sources of funding available on the local level are provided in Table 40. Table 40: Potential Local Funding Sources Potential Local Sources Description Potential Project(s) Bonds General Obligation bonds offer municipalities a tool for financing large-scale infrastructure improvements. These bonds are issued after voter approval and backed by the full faith and credit of the issuing government, allowing for the upfront funding of critical transportation projects. Parking – Expansion Opportunities Impact Fees Impact fees are charges levied by local governments on new development projects to help fund the construction and maintenance of public transportation infrastructure. These fees aim to ensure that new development contributes its fair share to the increased demand it places on the transportation system. Transportation Improvements Parking – Expansion Opportunities Transit – New on-demand service Delivery Zone Surcharge Fee Implement designated delivery drop-off zones with complimentary parking for delivery drivers. Failure to utilize these designated areas will result in a service charge. Loading & Delivery 448 245 Potential Local Sources Description Potential Project(s) Special Event Surcharge Fee Many municipalities are implementing event ticket surcharges to address the transportation challenges associated with large-scale events. This can generate revenue specifically dedicated to mitigating the impact of increased traffic, pedestrian congestion, and demand for public transportation during peak periods. Parking – Pricing Adjustments TNC Charge Fee Municipalities and Sates have levied a TNC charge for the operation of these services. In Colorado, SB260 creates new fees for TNCs – $0.30 per ride, lowered to $0.15 for electric or shared rides – and uses the revenue to support fleet electrification. Multi-modal projects within charge zone such as , E- bikeshare Urban Renewal Authorities Developer Funded Improvements 449 1 GO VAIL 2045 Vail Mobility & Transportation Plan Prepared for: The Town of Vail May 2024 DN22-0736 450 8 Specific Measurable Goals • Pedestrian By 2045 the Town has implemented and maintained new and existing pedestrian and bicycle facilities, as identified in this Master Plan, along active transportation corridors (Recreation Trails, sidewalks, pedestrian crossings etc…) that facilitate and provide safe alternative modes of transportation for pedestrians throughout Vail, so that Vail is recognized as an equivalent Platinum Level Bicycle and Walk Friendly Community. • Transit By 2045, people who live, work, and recreate in Vail use the Eagle Valley Transportation Authority and Town of Vail Bus Systems as their preferred method of transportation as evidenced by reducing the percentage of vehicles parking in the Vail and Lionshead Parking structures that originate from Eagle County from ~72% to ~50%. More specifically reducing the percentage of parked vehicles which start their day in Vail from 32% to 20%; and reducing the percentage of parked vehicles which begin their day in Eagle County but outside of Vail from 40% to 30%. These measurements can be monitored by use of Big Data analytics. • Parking By 2045 the Town has eliminated overflow parking on the Frontage Roads for all but 10 days during any winter and 5 days summer season, 15 days all year. This has been accomplished by Transit services, Travel Demand Management, Capital projects, and developer improvements as identified in this Master Plan. • Traffic Through 2045 the Town of Vail has managed peak traffic congestion times in Vail to a Level of Service of D or better (less than one minute of average delay) at all intersections except for the 10 busiest days of the year; on which a maximum average delay of up to 5 minutes is acceptable at the Main Vail and West Vail roundabout intersections. This has been accomplished through Transit service, Travel Demand Management, and Capital projects as identified in this Master Plan and monitored at key intersections within Vail. • Safety Through 2045 the Town has continuously seen a trend of reducing accidents throughout the town in all modes of transportation and now shares the statewide Vision Zero mission, eliminating all serious injury and fatal accidents for all modes of transportation. The culture of Vail’s driving public is to obey and maintain safe speed limits, evidenced by reduced speed violations, reduced speed related complaints and concerns, and a reduction of the average 85th percentile speed on residential roads from 25 to 20 mph. • Climate Through 2045 the Town has continuously reduced the environmental impact of transportation by supporting efforts within Eagle County by decreasing single occupant vehicle (SOV) travel and 451 9 increasing transit useage thus helping to achieve the Eagle County Climate Action Goal of reducing carbon emissions (2014 baseline) by 50% by 2030 and 80% by 2050. 452 68 Chapter 5 –Traffic Calming The purpose of traffic calming is to reduce vehicle speeds on residential roads and through commercial areas to promote safety, liveability, and quality of life for motorists and non-motorists alike. The challenge is to provide that in a manner that is safe and efficient and does not impede mobility. Similar to most communities speeding is a common concern throughout the Town of Vail. This chapter provides tools that can be used for traffic calming to achieve the goal of reducing speeds. Despite the fact that over 75% of the town’s residential roads speed limits are 15 mph, the average speed on most of the town’s residential roads is 20 mph and the 85th percentile speed is 25 mph (See Figure 31). The 85th percentile speed is defined as the speed at which 85% of all motorists travel below on a given road, and therefore indicates that most drivers perceive it as a safe operating speed. The Town’s goal is to reduce that 85th percentile speed and safe operating speed perception to 20 mph. The remainder of this chapter identifies opportunities, that range from adjusting speed limits to physical and non-physical traffic calming measures, the town might persue to reduce vehicular speeds Speed Limits One element that could be considered is adjusting posted speed limits on residential roadways in Vail from 15 mph to 20 mph to provide consistency with the 85th percentile speed goal and not rely on unrealistic speed limits. This would improve comfort for all modes of travel and consistency for drivers. To successfully amend posted speed limits, a robust public outreach campaign should be initiated to further gauge acceptance and to notify residence of the change as well as inform them of recommended enforcement actions and traffic calming policy that the town may adopt. This chapter recommends appropriate traffic calming policies and measures for local streets to increase compliance with speed limits and complement bicycle/pedestrian recommendations in the multimodal chapter. Background on Speed Limit Setting In 2018, HB18-1191 was signed into law, increasing local government and county control on increasing or decreasing posted speed limits for residential neighborhoods within the authority's jurisdiction. Prior to HB18-1191, the process for changing the speed limit required the municipal authority to conduct a traffic investigation or survey justifying the change using the “85th percentile rule.” The rule stipulated that 85 percent of drivers must already be traveling at the speed desired for change before changing the limit. HB18-1191 lifts the requirement of only using the 85th percentile rule as the justification and instead allows communities to consider other factors, including: • Roadway class • Current and future development • Environmental factors 453 85 Non-Physical Treatments Non-physical devices include any measure that does not require physical changes to the roadway. They are intended to increase drivers’ awareness of surroundings and influence driver behavior without physical devices. Because these devices are not self-enforcing, they have limited effectiveness as stand-alone devices and should supplement physical devices. Signage It is important to consider that speed limit signs are the primary method used to notify the driver of the speed limit in the area. It is vital that speed limit signage is clear and, if necessary, repeats at appropriate intervals to ensure that drivers are aware of the speed limit and to aid compliance. The town implemented a sign declutter program on residential streets over 30 years ago and limited speed limit signs to one sign per entry to each neighborhood. The town should revisit this program and consider installing additional signage to remind drivers of speed limits where appropriate. This has been successful in the Vail parking structures where additional speed limit signs and dynamic signs where installed to provide awareness to drivers of their speed and of pedestrian crossing areas. Posted speed limits can also be unconventional to increase awareness of the posted speed limit. Beaver Creek recently modified their posted speed limit signs to 19 mph. In addition to signage with the posted speed limit, Town of Vail can add “share the road” signage, which will increase awareness of people walking and biking. This was identified and recommended in the West Vail Master Plan. Signage alone is likely to have a minimal impact on reducing speeds but is effective as a part of suite of other geometric devices, is relatively inexpensive, and can be implemented incrementally over time. Enforcement Compliance with speed limits has seen success when there is a heavy enforcement presence. This can be targeted to roads that have had the most complaints for speeding. However, heavy presence of law enforcement for speeding is unsustainable over long periods of time. Alternative enforcement tools that can supplement police presence over the long-term are education programs, traffic cameras, and neighborhood watch programs that report instances of speeding. The Town of Parker, Colorado has implemented “traffic enforcement saturation days” where around a dozen officers are solely dedicated to traffic enforcement. This new enforcement activity began in April 2023 in response to increased public feedback about chronic speeding. Officers patrol known problem roads and receive community tips from a website that allows residents to report where and when they see problems. The department plans to increase the amount of heavy enforcement days to discourage speeding. Additionally, Parker created a Neighborhood Traffic Calming Partnership, through 454 86 which Parker’s Police and Engineering/Public Works Departments receive many reports of speeding in residential neighborhoods and the associated concerns about safety. The presence of heavy enforcement can be costly, so another type of enforcement approach is Automated Vehicle Identification Systems (AVIS) including red light cameras and photo speed vans. Photo speed vans are usually deployed on residential roads, construction zones, and school zones; they take photos of vehicles exceeding the speed limit and mail tickets accordingly based on license plate information. Recent state law has ruled if a driver is detected driving less than 10 miles per hour over the speed limit, the governmental entity is required to issue a warning first. Additionally, the maximum penalty for a speed violation captured by a photo speed van is $40. There are restrictions on where speed vans can be placed and are only allowed in school zones, residential neighborhoods, within maintenance, construction, or repair zones, or along a street that borders a municipal park. As of 2022, 12 Colorado local governments use AVIS: Aurora, Boulder, Cherry Hills Village, Colorado Springs, Commerce City, Denver, Fort Collins, Greenwood Village, Lone Tree, Northglenn, Pueblo, and Sheridan. The Town of Vail could introduce AVIS, as well as “Photo Radar Enforced” signage to utilize staff time more efficiently and reduce speeding issues. For more information on AVIS, refer to the Issue Brief on AVIS by Legislative Council Staff. Locations for Traffic Calming Traffic calming measures identified are primarily geared towards local streets with current posted speed limits of 25 mph or less, where observed speeds are frequently 25-30 mph. A recent traffic speed study conducted by the Town of Vail found that 85th percentile operating speeds exceed posted speeds by 10 mph or more on the following streets: West Gore Creek Drive, Vail Valley Drive, Chamonix Lane, Buffehr Creek Road, Meadow Drive, Sunburst Drive, Streamside Circle East, and Red Sandstone Road. The study found 85th percentile operating speeds exceed posted speeds by 7 mph or more on the following streets: Alpine Drive, Arosa Drive, Aspen Lane, Bald Mountain Road, Booth Falls Road, Juniper Lane, Katsos Ranch Road, Lupine Drive, Main Gore Drive, and Spruce Way. If the speed limit on these streets was to change to 20 mph, streets with 85th percentile operating speeds 10 mph over posted speed limits would reduce to just two: portions of Buffehr Creek Road and Sunburst Drive. Streets with 85th percentile operating speeds 7 mph over posted speed limit would reduce to six: portions of Buffehr Creek Road, Chamonix Lane, Lions Ridge Loop, Potato Patch Drive, Red Sandstone Drive, and Streamside Circle East. Based on 2021 speed data, the roadways with the greatest difference between 85th percentile speeds and posted speed limit are roadways with 15 mph posted speed limits; these roadways are shown in Table 10. Even with a change in posted speed limit from 15 mph to 20 mph, many of these roadways will still have 455 88 Conclusion Prior to the installation of any traffic calming measure an education outreach campaign should be considered to bring awareness to the safety concern and the mitigating measures that may be installed. Pedestrain safety campaigns should be on-going and emphasized prior to any installation as well as during the National Pedestrian Safety Month (October), National Bicycle Safety Week (May), and Vail’s busiest summer months of July and August. Safety campaigns should include awareness for both Motorists, Pedestrians, and Bicyclists. Motorists Yield for pedestrians Be Alert and focused Obeying all posted signs and speed limits Pedestirans Follow the rules of the road and obey signs and signals Walk on sidewalks whenever they are available If there is no sidewalk, walk facing traffic and as far to the side of the road as possible Cross streets at crosswalks or intersections Wear High Visibility clothing Bicyclists Bicyclists must follow the same rules as motorists Ride single-file in the direction of traffic Remain alert Use hand signals when turning and use extra care at intersections Wear High Visibility clothing There is significant evidence on the benefit of speed tables or cushions to slow speeds, however the frequency of placement is high, and therefore can be costly and impactful. There may be strategic locations between curves or other natural traffic calming features where only a few speed tables are needed on a select segment of straightaway. A location like this would be ideal for an initial implementation speed tables or humps. Edge line striping has less of a proven impact on speed reduction, however, provides known benefits to bicycle and pedestrian comfort and safety. The Town of Vail should continue to pilot edge lane or shoulder striping on roadways with an edge-of-pavement to edge-of-pavement width of more than 22 feet where there is no sidewalk present. Before-and-after data should continue to be collected. For a roadway with one travel lane in either direction, striping can narrow the travel lane portion of the roadway to a minimum of 18 feet, leaving a minimum striped shoulder width of 2’ in each direction. For a more adequate striped shoulder of 4’ or more, the Town should consider widening roadways to 26’. Caution 456 104 floor. In these locations the Town will explore implementing on-demand transit, often referred to as microtransit, which can leverage the use of smaller vehicles which are more likely to be effective given the conditions and would add a transit option to those locations. Figure 48: What is Microtransit? Potential locations to consider piloting microtransit service include Buffehr Creek Road and Potato Patch Drive. Microtransit service should connect those areas of Vail with one of the existing or planned mobility hubs, such as Lionshead Welcome Center or Vail Transportation Center, so users can transfer to the larger high-frequency Vail transit network. Consolidate Private Shuttles on High Frequency Transit Routes Historically, the Town used to require shuttles as part of many large hotel and condo developments. This was done in part to not overload Vail Transit. Increasingly, hotels are operating more shuttle service as a customer amenity. Many of these shuttles operate overlapping service with partially full vehicles. In addition to the roadway congestion this adds, at peak times the shuttles can overload the shuttle drop- offs at Vail Transportation Center and Lionshead Welcome Center. The Town needs to balance the volume of shuttles with ridership on Vail Transit. To reduce vehicle miles traveled in town and address capacity limitations at the Vail Transportation Center and the Lionshead Welcome Center, and other smaller convenient drop-off locations, the Town will What is Microtransit? • On-demand public transit to match trip requests in real-time (like Uber or Lyft) • Typically operates in a smaller geographic area vs. regional fixed-route transit. • Smaller vehicles operating without a specific route, typically fulfilling trips in 30 minutes or less • Pick-up and drop-off within very short walking distance (1 block or less) • Trips requested via smartphone app or call-in option for those without a smartphone 457 105 explore reasonable strategies to reduce the use of private shuttles along high-frequency transit routes, which may include limiting the total number of shuttle permits issued for a given year. Many hotels in Vail operate guest shuttles on fixed schedules. Where these shuttle services overlap with high-frequency bus routes or other shuttle routes, the Town should work with the private entities to consolidate those services. Potential initial strategies to explore include: • Ending the historic requirement for developments to provide shuttle services. • Encouraging resorts to focus shuttle services on evening events (to dinner, etc.) and direct guests to public transit during day (to ski, etc.). • Communicate with shuttle operators (potentially when they annually renew their permit with the Town) about the inefficiencies in overlapping service and support a model of consolidated shuttle service in place of multiple shuttles (which could also be more cost effective for hotels). • Long-term strategies to explore (particularly if shuttles more regularly exceed capacity at Vail Transportation Center and other Drop-off locations): ◦ Increase fees to hotels that continue to operate shuttles when alternatives are available. ◦ Regulate access to drop off locations at the transit centers (shuttles per hour, etc.). Regional Transit Improvements The transit vision includes the following four actions the Town will take to improve regional transit service and increase mobility options for people traveling to/from the Town of Vail. Eagle Valley RTA The Town of Vail will support implementation of the Eagle Valley RTA. Key near-term elements planned as part of implementing the RTA include: • Increasing frequency on all five ECO Transit regional routes to Vail, including doubling service levels on the US 6 Route. • Adding a new express service along I-70 and US 6. • Expanding the span of service on the Beaver Creek-Vail Express route. • Proving fare-free service to the majority of Eagle County. In addition, the Town of Vail should work with the RTA to make the following improvements: • Improve coordination of regional and local service operations within the Town. This would include: ◦ Improving transfer opportunities between local and regional service in West Vail and at the Vail Transportation Center. 458 138 Figure 64: Elevated trail in Moab (Source: Kerry Cushman) Finally, before exiting the hotspot of activity and congestion in the Vail town core, the GVT traces Vail Valley Drive and Sunburst Drive toward the Vail Golf Course Clubhouse. Along these corridors, the project teams recommend that the Town provide enhanced facilities, as identified in Table 18. A new separated10’-12’ trail along the Ford Park Soccer field and Vail Valley Drive that then crosses Vail Valley Drive and goes along the Nature Center access road, across Gore Creek and traces between Gore Creek and the South Frontage Road. This new alignment would provide a new high-comfort east-west connection reducing conflicts on Vail Valley Drive and offer redundancy in the active transportation network. This section of trail could be a cantilevered or elevated trail along Gore Creek, as shown in the Moab, UT example in Figure 64. This particular section runs through and along environmentally sensitive areas, the Nature Center and Gore Creek. Environmental impacts assessments will need to be completed and reviewed for feasibility of this type of project. The following list summarizes the key short, mid, and long-term corridor recommendations identified in this section: Short-term 459 150 Roadway and Driveway Crossings Many roadway crossings and driveway crossings in Vail do not have the appropriate suite of pedestrian crossing treatments. Research shows that a bikeway is only as a strong as its weakest link; in other words, a high stress crossing on a low stress trail will dictate what users feel comfortable traveling on a facility. Therefore, it is important to implement low stress crossings, especially where trails cross roadways and driveways. These crossing points are conflict points between vehicles and people walking/biking and are the location of many crashes, nationally. Pedestrian crossings at roadway intersections and mid-block crossings should be evaluated for improvements to include cross-walks, signage, and lighting; and further consideration should be given to adding additional Rapid Flashing Beacons (RFB’s). Currently the Town has a general policy of adding RFB’s at crosswalks along arterials (Frontage Roads) and roundabouts. The Town should consider expanding this policy to add RFB’s at higher volume collector roads with high volumes of pedestrians. These locations would include Vail Road, Vail Valley Drive, East and West Lionshead Circle. However as RFB’s are added in more residential areas, the Town should consider light pollution impacts and investigate RFB’s that might have shields/cut-offs to minimize light impacts to adjacent neighborhoods. Based on the 2023 survey ~80% of the respondents supported this type of initiative. However, RFB’s are only beneficial if they are used. It is not uncommon for pedestrians to not use RFB’s, thus nullifying their impact. The Town should create an awareness and education campaign targeted toward pedestrians to “Push the Button”. This could be a localized campaign or coordination throughout Eagle County for a larger awareness impact. Most driveways in Vail (“Standard Driveway Crossings” in Figure 73) should include a stop bar, marked crosswalk, and ADA-accessible curb ramps. Legally, only roadway crossings require ADA accessible curb ramps, but it is recommended that all crossings in Vail, even driveways, are ADA compliant. At significant driveway crossings with higher traffic volumes, as recommended in the West Vail Master Plan, trail crossings should be recessed one vehicle length to allow turning vehicles to clear the trail while waiting to turn. The jog should begin as early as possible within right-of-way constraints; this gradual jog will increase the likelihood that users will not cut the curb. Low shrubbery and signage can also be used increase compliance. Due to the wide trail and existing set back, the jog will be slight. These trail crossings should be indicated with signage alerting drivers to the presence of people walking and biking, using painting or paving treatments, and/or a raised crossing. 460 179 Ever Vail Develop Ever Vail 400 (according to original, but currently expired, development entitlement) TBD Lions Ridge loop in West Vail East of Timber Ridge development Pave and stripe a parking lane Restrict to no overnight parking Target local/neighborhood traffic 50-80 $400K – $600K Town Hall Municipal Building Align with redevelopment of this site TBD TBD Large outlying park-n-ride lots outside the Town of Vail have not been identified as a part of this process and could be an option if an opportunity presented itself. However, as identified above, there are multiple opportunites within Vail to expand parking if necessary; and with the expansion of the RTA fare free zones, from Vail to Dotsero (See Transit Chapter), outlying lots may not be necessary and might be counterproductive to incentivizing transit from one’s local community. The parking recommendations that relate to specific geographic locations, including supply expansion opportunities, shifted Frontage Road overflow parking, and relevant Frontage Road multimodal improvements are displayed in Figure 84. Figure 84: Parking Recommendations As the Town of Vail explores these locations for supply expansion, it is recommended that parking requirements for private and public developments ultimately encourage and contribute to alleviating parking issues. In conjunction with other mobility, climate, and stewardship goals, the goal is to design policies that ease parking demand and challenges. The expansion of the RTA fare free zone alone may 461 183 designating convenient spaces for carpool vehicles, offering discounts on parking passes for carpool vehicles, facilitating carpooling by advertising opportunities to carpool. Since almost 50% of vehicles have three or more occupants, a high occupant load would be necessary to create a successful carpool program. This high occupant load may also require people from multiple households within one vehicle to be successful, which may be difficult to communicate, reward, and enforce. Conversely, the Ford Park parking lot had a high percentage of single occupant vehicles during the field observations, likely due to a high usage by employees, and could benefit from carpooling incentives of at least two or more vehicle occupants. Enforce Parking Fines The current parking fine structure has not been adjusted recently. It is recommended that the Town of Vail study the current fine structure to determine if updates are needed to set the fines at an appropriate level for discouraging illegal parking, such as parking on the Frontage Road when it is prohibited and occupying more than one parking space (not parking within the designated lines). Track Performance The town can consider implementing a parking survey, like what was deployed during the winter 2022/2023 season, on an annual basis to understand the experiences of guests using Vail parking facilities. This effort could be paired with an obtaining improved standardized statistic reports from the town’s parking vendor to pair the qualitative feedback from the survey with better empirical data on parking behavior. In addition, the town could explore a performance tracking system that measures metrics like the share of single occupant vehicles using Vail parking structures or the share of vehicles utilizing Vail parking structures that originate from within Vail/Eagle County vs. originating from Summit County and the Front Range. Incentivize Shared Travel With the upcoming Eagle Valley Transit Authority and planned service increases to Vail, there will be an opportunity to shift more driving trips that originate in jurisdictions like Avon, Eagle, Edwards, and outside of Eagle County (such as Lake County) onto transit. The town can advertise updates on EVTA service as additional transit opportunities become available. The origin-destination analysis conducted for understanding where vehicles parking in the Vail Village and Lionshead parking structures originate from (during the Winter 2022/2023 season) showed that a high share of vehicles parking in both structures originate either from within Vail or from communities west of Vail (Figure 80). This suggests there is a significant opportunity to reduce parking demand by shifting these local trips onto transit. The impact of having improved transit and other modes capture 10% of the trips originating from within Vail or communities west of Vail can result in the availability of 200 spaces, which would significantly reduce the number of overflow days without needing to expand parking supply. The town should make efforts to better understand how parking passes are being used, who uses them from where and/or how they are shared. This analysis may help the town to better incentize such users to 462 184 take transit, especially if those users are within a Fare-Free transit zone or future micro-transit zone (See Tansit Chapter). Are short term rentals, purchasing passes, and allowing renters to use a pass? And could there be an effort to targer short term renters to utilize transit/micro-trasnsit? Are employers sharing passes amongst employees? Can some of that useage transfer to transit? Advocate for Regional Transit Improvements In addition to the recommendations to regional transit in Chapter 7, the Town of Vail can promote Bustang and Pegasus service enhancements to address both travel from Summit County and the Front Range. Table 24: Summary of Parking Management Recommendations Strategy Recommendation Phasing Cost (Qualitative) Cost (Quantitative) Goals Addressed Managing Overflow Parking Improve Pedestrian Facilities (sidewalks, lighting, crosswalks) Short- Term $-$$$ $3.5M-$10M Multimodal Options, Climate/Quali ty of Life, Access, Safety Shift Overflow Parking East of VTC Short- Term $-$$$ $250K-$20M Access, Safety Consider Paid Parking on the Frontage Road (with or without pedestrian improvements) Short- Term $ $100K-$500K Multimodal Options, Innovation Phase Out Overflow Parking (in combination with other strategies) Long- Term $$ None Multimodal Options, Climate/Quali ty of Life Expanding Supply Explore Opportunities at Seven Identified Locations Mid/Lon g-Term $-$$$ If all is implemented (which is doubtful/unnecessa ry), $26M-$59M. Multimodal Options, Equity, Access Employing Parking Managemen t Strategies Implement Wayfinding and Information Sharing through a parking app (coordinated with private parking space locations). Short- Term $ $100K-$200K Multimodal Options, Equity, Access, Innovation Explore Pricing Adjustments Mid- Term $ $100K-$200K per year Climate/Quali ty of Life 463 AGENDA ITEM NO. 3.1 Item Cover Page DATE:May 21, 2024 TIME:25 min. SUBMITTED BY:Stephanie Bibbens, Town Manager ITEM TYPE:Worksession AGENDA SECTION:Interviews for Boards, Commissions and Authorities SUBJECT:Vail Local Housing Authority (VLHA) SUGGESTED ACTION:Interview applicants for vacancy on the Vail Local Housing Authority. PRESENTER(S):Stephanie Kauffman, Town Clerk VAIL TOWN COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM REPORT ATTACHMENTS: VLHA Applications 464 Submit Date: May 07, 2024 First Name Middle Initial Last Name Email Address Primary Phone Alternate Phone Home Address Suite or Apt City State Postal Code Employer Job Title Vail, CO Boards & Commissions Application Form Profile Preferred Name jack What is your work history from the last five (5) years? I have been active on the West Vail Master Plan citizen committee. I was a neighborhood advocate for the new West Vail Multi Family zone district. I am the sole proprietor of Ascential Properties L.L.C. And JB Construction and Design L.L.C. Ascential Properties provides management services for 7 long term rental units I own in Vail Co and an 11 unit apartment complex in Wheat Ridge Co. I also own JB Construction and Design LLC as sole proprietor. JB construction and design was incorporated in 9/21. Since this time, I have worked on various construction sites in the Vail Valley. Since I am in the design, planning and approval stages of my Chamonix ln project most of my work is unpaid. When (hopefully this year) construction begins I will be working at least 30 hours a week during construction. Along with my property management duties. Which Boards would you like to apply for? Vail Local Housing Authority: Submitted Why are you interested in serving on this board? I want to keep our town vibrant and sustainable. Many of the deed restricted homes and buildings in Vail are now reaching the end of their useful life and are becoming expensive to heat, maintain, do not have proper egress, and have many design deficiencies and are built with highly combustible materials. As time goes by this issue will only become more expensive to deed restricted homeowners Jack Bergey jackbergey@yahoo.com Mobile: (303) 378-0249 2039 Chamonix ln #2 Vail CO 81657 retired/Ascential Properties owner Jack Bergey 465 • What unique and particular qualifications do you bring to the position? Please provide specific examples. I would bring a new perspective to the Authority. As a landlord in Vail for 28 years I have a unique perspective of knowing and experiencing what the challenges are of being a landlord in Vail. I know what it would take to get property owners to rent to workforce housing. I understand the reasons why property owners want to rent short term renters. I have served on several HOA's that had multi million dollar construction defect lawsuits.The board had to oversee and manage years of litigation and then manage the years long repair process. I have owned various properties in West Vail since 1996. I was a member of the WVMP community advisory committee. The WVMP community advisory committee formulated the the master plan that was adopted by town council. I was a member of the 2006 Chamonix Parcel community advisory committee. This committee led by Scott Hunn The plan that this committee sent to and was approved by town council called for 58 units to be built on the Chamonix parcel. What is your experience serving on other Boards? I was a member of the WVMP community advisory committee. The WVMP community advisory committee formulated the the master plan that was adopted by town council. In 2006-2008 I was also member of the Chamonix Parcel community advisory committee. This committee led by Scott Hunn The plan that this committee sent to and was approved by town council called for 58 units to be built on the Chamonix parcel. What skills and experiences do you have to advance the mission of the Board? I have been a landlord for over 30 years. I have construction and construction design experience. I have experience working on many different boards The mark of leadership is the ability to handle differences in ways that build trust and create a civic culture of mutual respect that makes progress possible. We must rise above the fray and reach beyond comfort zones and be capable of working closely with those with whom we do not always agree. I have this experience from the many and various boards and committees that I have served on. What do you see as the primary role of this Board? To be a voice of moderation. Being on this board is an act of service to the public, not just to those who share your views but to all the residents of Vail. What do you believe is the largest obstacle facing this Board in 2024? Maintaining a realistic approach to enacting new rules and regulations regarding deed restriction rules and regulations. Working with the private sector to be able to get them the funding that will make workforce housing a win win proposition. Do you have any conflicts of interest that may arise due to your employment, personal and/or professional relationships, or financial interests in the Town of Vail? Yes No If you answered "Yes" to the question above, please explain your conflict: Interests & Experiences Jack Bergey 466 Question applies to Design Review Board,Vail Local Housing Authority How would your appointment to the Authority add value and bring about new solutions to the community’s housing challenges? I would bring a new perspective to the Authority. As a landlord in Vail for 28 years I have a unique perspective of knowing and experiencing what the challenges are of being a landlord in Vail. I know what it would take to get property owners to rent to workforce housing. I understand the reasons why property owners want to rent short term renters. Question applies to Vail Local Housing Authority What ideas would you suggest the VLHA consider to be more effective in acquiring deed restrictions? Reevaluate what owners can recoup when they sell their deed restricted home. The town of Vail needs to invest in building more deed restricted housing. Incentivise and work with business and landowners to build deed restricted housing. The town needs to accept the fact that there is no money to be made building deed restricted housing and that private enterprise will only invest in money making opportunities. The town has many avenues to collect funds for workforce housing. The town and VLHA should continue to explore new avenues for federal state and local funding opportunities for workforce housing. The quickest win would be to allow Vail resorts to build their proposed workforce housing development at Booth Heights! Question applies to Vail Local Housing Authority What ideas do you have for more effectively implementing these policies and strategies to increase the supply of deed restricted homes? Why was the already approved workforce housing building not built behind the Highline hotel (I know why) we need to address this issue. We need to actively be working with and talking to the stakeholders of the West Vail mall, other than vail Resorts they are the largest landowners in town. Ernie, the owner of Ace hardware wants to redevelop. This should be viewed as an extremely exciting opportunity to get the ball rolling for the much needed redevelopment of the West Vail Mall. Question applies to Vail Local Housing Authority The Vail Local Housing Authority meets the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 3:00PM. Please describe your ability to attend these board meetings and the support you have from your employer, if applicable, to do so. As I am retired I should have no trouble finding time to attend all of the meetings. Jack Bergey 467 Upload Letter of Interest Upload a Resume Question applies to Vail Local Housing Authority Do you have any conflicts of interest that may arise due to your employment, personal and/or professional relationships, or financial interests in the Town of Vail? No VLHA_Whom_It_May_Concern.docx Jack Bergey 468 VailBioTo Whom It May Concern: Hi my name is Jack Bergey. I live at 2039 Chamonix lane #2. In 1975 I moved to Colorado to go skiing. I was 19 years old and a friend of a friend who worked in Vail said we could crash at his place for one night. After skiing a foot and a half of powder on a sunny day we got to his place and the floor was already covered with sleeping bags I found a place in the kitchen on the concrete floor next to the door. At 2:00 AM the door opened hit me in the head and woke me up it was then and there that I decided I was going to have a place in Vail someday. It took a lot of time and effort. In 1996 my wife and I were lucky enough to be able to purchase an old townhome on Chamonix Ln built in 1969. The only way we could afford to make our payments was to live in the small 1 bedroom downstairs lock off and rent the upstairs two bedroom apartment to full time residents. After 3 years of cleaning up dog poop and being kept awake be outrageous parties we finally moved upstairs and rented out the 1 bedroom downstairs lock off. Over the years I was able to buy the adjoining 6 units and for the last 27 years I've been renting to vail locals. Some of my tenants have been with me for over 10 years. I have been emersed in the Vail community since I first purchased in 1996. First as renting to locals and then in 2008 I was one of the two citizen members on the committee with George Ruther for the development of the Chamonix affordable housing parcel. Starting in 1985 I was a licensed Colorado State mortgage broker I helped many of my tenants and many other Vail locals buy their first homes. I am now 68 retired and looking forward to building my dream home in Vail. In September 2020 I purchased a townhome at 2039 Chamonix ln #2 That also has a lock off that I rent to a Vail local. Since 2014 I have lived in Vail full time. I hope to build and occupy my new home at 2417 Chamonix ln. Thank you for your consideration. Jack Bergey 469 First Name Middle Initial Last Name Email Address Primary Phone Alternate Phone Home Address Suite or Apt City State Postal Code Employer Job Title Vail, CO Boards & Commissions Application Form Profile Preferred Name What is your work history from the last five (5) years? Gravity Haus 1/2023 - current New Jersey National Golf Club, 3/2010 - 11/2022 Which Boards would you like to apply for? Vail Local Housing Authority: Not Submitted Why are you interested in serving on this board? I want to contribute to the advocacy and development of housing programs and solutions in Vail. • What unique and particular qualifications do you bring to the position? Please provide specific examples. I am a renter in Vail who understands the habitual uncertainty of securing housing in our community. What is your experience serving on other Boards? I serve on the Board of Directors for the Aaron Redd Foundation. What skills and experiences do you have to advance the mission of the Board? My experience in securing housing as a local motivates me to contribute to lasting and impactful housing solutions. Emily A Gavagan emilygavagan@yahoo.com Mobile: (908) 938-0110 2444 Chamonix Ln.East Unit Vail CO 81657 Gravity Haus Retail Buyer Emily A Gavagan Page 1 of 3 470 What do you see as the primary role of this Board? To work in tandem with the Housing Department and Town Council to create and maintain the inventory of reasonable, affordable housing for year-round locals. What do you believe is the largest obstacle facing this Board in 2024? The obstacle for this board is constant, but I think there is an opportunity to calibrate a healthy balance of affordable rental units while continuing to acquire real estate for purchase Do you have any conflicts of interest that may arise due to your employment, personal and/or professional relationships, or financial interests in the Town of Vail? Yes No If you answered "Yes" to the question above, please explain your conflict: Interests & Experiences Question applies to Design Review Board,Vail Local Housing Authority How would your appointment to the Authority add value and bring about new solutions to the community’s housing challenges? My experience and dependence on housing opportunity here in Vail makes me an enthusiastic stakeholder in finding solutions. Question applies to Vail Local Housing Authority What ideas would you suggest the VLHA consider to be more effective in acquiring deed restrictions? Develop more financial incentives to encourage landlords to offer long term rentals and Question applies to Vail Local Housing Authority What ideas do you have for more effectively implementing these policies and strategies to increase the supply of deed restricted homes? Emily A Gavagan Page 2 of 3 471 Upload Letter of Interest Upload a Resume Question applies to Vail Local Housing Authority The Vail Local Housing Authority meets the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 3:00PM. Please describe your ability to attend these board meetings and the support you have from your employer, if applicable, to do so. I am able to make my schedule work around the meetings. Question applies to Vail Local Housing Authority Do you have any conflicts of interest that may arise due to your employment, personal and/or professional relationships, or financial interests in the Town of Vail? No Emily A Gavagan Page 3 of 3 472 May 20, 2024 Dear Members of Vail Town Council, I am writing to express my sincere interest in applying for a seat on the Vail Local Housing Authority Board. As a current renter in Vail, I am deeply invested in the housing challenges and opportunities that face our community, and I am eager to contribute my perspectives and skills to the Board. I have experienced firsthand the unique housing landscape of our town. As a renter, I understand the difficulties many residents face in securing affordable and stable housing. This personal experience has given me a deep appreciation for the work of the Housing Authority and a strong desire to be part of the solution. Professionally, I am employed as the Retail Buyer at Gravity Haus, where I apply the experience of identifying in efficiencies and establishing systems to mitigate them. These skills, combined with my direct experience as a renter, position me well to offer valuable insights and contributions to the Board. I believe my perspective can help shape policies that benefit the entire community. My commitment to Vail extends beyond my personal housing situation. I strive to support and uplift our community. Serving on the Housing Authority Board would be a natural extension of my dedication to Vail, allowing me to play a more active role in addressing our housing needs. I am confident that my background, combined with my passion for community service and housing advocacy, makes me a strong candidate for this position Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to the opportunity to contribute to the important work of the Vail Local Housing Authority Board. Sincerely, Emily A. Gavagan 473 Emily A. Gavagan Vail, CO 81657 Phone: (908)938-0110 email: emilygavagan@yahoo.com linkedin: linkedin.com/in/emily.gavagan-23B121a QUALIFICATIONS SUMMARY Experienced event coordinator and restaurant manager. Proven leader who creates a productive and positive environment that executes with precision and focus. •Certified event planner •Exceptional multitasking skills •Demonstrated ability to build strong and profitable customer relationships. •Proven track record of providing outstanding customer service. •Marketing and social media skills. •Experienced trainer and public speaker. •Organized, decisive and focused on producing results. •Team player with leadership experience. •Experience creating and balancing P&L and budgets PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE Gravity Haus Retail Buyer & Operations Manager January 2023 - present •Manage daily operations of Dryland Fitness & Spa and events •Select all retail soft goods for all nine Gravity Haus locations •Create brand strategic brand partnerships focusing on sustainability and scalability •Establish company-wide uniform standards and ordering for all locations Red Oak Grille, New Jersey National Golf Club - Basking Ridge, New Jersey Manager & Event Coordinator March, 2010 - December 2023 •Manage daily restaurant operations including expediting food and guest relations. •Oversee planning, set-up and execution of in-house banquet events, as well as special, golf-related events for club members. Exclusively responsible for staging events and acting as liaison between guest and facility. Worked in tandem with golf and administration departments for seamless event experience. •Lead new-hire training for guest services staff. Developed and delivered training curriculum for Front-of-the- House staff. •Created systems to streamline services for a better guest experience and more efficient staff. ADP (Automatic Data Processing) IRA Implementation Specialist November, 2014 – April, 2016 (worked part-time at Red Oak Grill while working full-time at ADP) •Streamlined customer on-boarding experience establishing SIMPLE IRA plans for small businesses •Increased employee participation and funding of retirement accounts on behalf of clients. •Educated clients on IRS compliance obligations and benefits of utilizing retirement vehicles. •Used Series 6 and 63 licenses to provide cross-functional support to Sales Support Team during peak volume periods. •Assisted the Client Services team in creating as seamless transition from implementation to payroll. 474 Emily Gavagan p. 2 EDUCATION Rutgers University, Douglass College Bachelor of Arts, Cum Laude English CERTIFICATIONS & AWARDS Series 6 and Series 63 Licenses Event Planning Certification - Cleveland Corporate College Excellence in Peer Leadership, Boston University, 2001 ADDITIONAL SKILLS Microsoft Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook) Docusign Board Member, Aaron Redd Foundation; Committee Chair, Aaron Redd Award 475 Submit Date: May 14, 2024 First Name Middle Initial Last Name Email Address Primary Phone Alternate Phone Home Address Suite or Apt City State Postal Code Employer Job Title Vail, CO Boards & Commissions Application Form Profile Preferred Name Niko What is your work history from the last five (5) years? 06/2018 - present Eagle River Water & Sanitation District 06/2015 - 06/2018 Gallegos Corporation Which Boards would you like to apply for? Vail Local Housing Authority: Submitted Why are you interested in serving on this board? The availability and affordability of housing is the most critical issue our community is facing. I follow motto - Don't complain, get involved. And hence I would appreciate opportunity to serve on this board. • What unique and particular qualifications do you bring to the position? Please provide specific examples. I have been living in various premier international mountain resort communities in Austria, and New Zealand. Housing solutions from those locations will be beneficial for this position. Civil engineer experience in construction, structural, water & sanitation and estimating experience, will be beneficial to think outside the box in finding solutions. What is your experience serving on other Boards? Various support, and presentations to the ERWSD board of directors. Nikola Nemcanin nikolanemcanin@yahoo.com Mobile: (970) 390-4699 Mobile: (970) 471-1084 PO Box 2321 Edwards CO 81632 Eagle River Water & Sanitation District Field Operations manager Nikola Nemcanin 476 What skills and experiences do you have to advance the mission of the Board? Persistence, people, and management skills to see through goal of 1,000 housing units by 2027. What do you see as the primary role of this Board? Provide source of funding, find method, and implement structure in achievable manner. What do you believe is the largest obstacle facing this Board in 2024? Real estate, and new construction cost of housing in Vail. Do you have any conflicts of interest that may arise due to your employment, personal and/or professional relationships, or financial interests in the Town of Vail? Yes No If you answered "Yes" to the question above, please explain your conflict: ERWSD housing program that may interact with VLHA. Interests & Experiences Question applies to Design Review Board,Vail Local Housing Authority How would your appointment to the Authority add value and bring about new solutions to the community’s housing challenges? Apply my knowledge from other communities. Be data driven, I ask a lots of questions, and with data acquired, unravel problem to find solution. Question applies to Vail Local Housing Authority What ideas would you suggest the VLHA consider to be more effective in acquiring deed restrictions? Match price increase in housing with deed contribution. Be more nimble in acquiring deed restrictions. Acquire fixer up properties and invest in their improvements. Nikola Nemcanin 477 Upload Letter of Interest Upload a Resume Question applies to Vail Local Housing Authority What ideas do you have for more effectively implementing these policies and strategies to increase the supply of deed restricted homes? Listen and follow hart beat of the community. Question applies to Vail Local Housing Authority The Vail Local Housing Authority meets the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 3:00PM. Please describe your ability to attend these board meetings and the support you have from your employer, if applicable, to do so. My working day ends at 3:30 pm, and may work schedule is flexible, hence I should not have issues to attend meetings. Question applies to Vail Local Housing Authority Do you have any conflicts of interest that may arise due to your employment, personal and/or professional relationships, or financial interests in the Town of Vail? ERWSD housing program that may interact with VLHA. Letter_Of_Interest_Nikola_Nemcanin_VLHA_20240514.pdf Resume_Nikola_Nemcanin_20240514.pdf Nikola Nemcanin 478 LETTER OF INTEREST – VAIL LOCAL HOUSING AUTHORITY NIKOLA NEMCANIN P.O. Box 2321, Edwards CO 81632 Phone: +1 970 390 4699 Email: nikolanemcanin@yahoo.com Dear Vail Local Housing Authority I am writing this Letter of Interest to express my strong interest in contributing in finding solutions to most critical issue of Vail community, the availability and affordability of housing. As a passionate individual who lived in various premier international mountain resort communities around the world, I believe that this position will provide me with opportunities to share my knowledge for the benefit of our community. I have a civil engineering degree, as well as years of experience in construction and government field. Since I moved to Vail valley, I made a strong connection with the community and challenges this community is facing. I consider this position an opportunity to look at those challenges and try to solve them in the most efficient way. My resume contains additional information on my experiences and skills. I would appreciate the opportunity to present myself to the Vail Town Council. Thank you for your time and consideration. Best regards Niko Nemcanin 479 NIKOLA NEMCANIN P.O. Box 2321, Edwards CO 81632 Phone: +1 970 390 4699 Email: nikolanemcanin@yahoo.com PERSONAL SUMMARY An ambitious and dedicated civil engineer with strong practical and technical skills and a range of experience within the civil engineering domain. Works well with others, has collaborative management style and contributes to the success of the organization. Uses a broad range of technical, personal and leadership skills, together with rigorous logic methods to find effective solutions to difficult problems. CAREER HISTORY EAGLE RIVER WATER & SANITATION DISTRICT – Vail, CO Field Operations Manager 06/2021 – present Responsible for maintenance and repairs of distribution and collection system within Vail valley. Lead department of 20 employees, member of construction review team.\ Construction Engineer 06/2018 – 06/2021 Responsible for management of project ‘s design, bidding, construction, and hand off of the Capital Investment Projects within ERWSD system. Interact with other District departments, contractors, government agencies, stakeholders and public during project lifespan and warranty. GALLEGOS CORPORATION – Wolcott, CO Estimator 06/2015 – 06/2018 Responsible for providing estimates for various projects. McCONNELL DOWELL CONSTRUCTION Ltd – Christchurch, New Zealand Site Engineer 05/2014 – 05/2015 Responsible for construction and quality control of Christchurch infrastructure rebuilt projects. McMILLAN DRILLING Ltd – Christchurch, New Zealand Project Manager 05/2013 – 05/2014 Responsible for construction and quality control of deep foundations (reinforced concrete piles, CFA piles, screw piles, jet grouting, stone columns, and anchors). VARIOUS SKI SCHOOLS – Zell Am See, Austria, Turoa, New Zealand Vail, USA Ski/Snowboard/Adaptive instructor. ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS University of Canterbury 02/2006 – 11/2009 Bachelor of Engineering with First Class Honors in Civil Engineering 480 AREAS OF EXPERTISE: Wastewater, water supply, cast in place concrete, infrastructure, deep foundations, quality control. PERSONAL SKILLS: Disciplined, self-motivated, persuasive, aware of ethical issues, practical, methodical, accurate and able to make good judgments. PROFESSIONAL SKILLS: Knowledge and understanding of construction management and codes. Delivering projects to the required quality, timeline, and budget. Ability to work in multi discipline team including non-engineers. VOLUNTEERING: Adaptive ski instructor for local charity Small Champions. CAREER STATEMENT: Job must be done. 481 Submit Date: May 14, 2024 First Name Middle Initial Last Name Email Address Primary Phone Alternate Phone Home Address Suite or Apt City State Postal Code Employer Job Title Vail, CO Boards & Commissions Application Form Profile Preferred Name What is your work history from the last five (5) years? Vail Resorts 2018 - 2024 Citigroup 1996 - 2018 Which Boards would you like to apply for? Vail Local Housing Authority: Submitted Why are you interested in serving on this board? I have 25 years of experience in Municipal finance including significant experience in Affordable Housing Finance. I served on the Design Review Board for the City of Denver for 5 years and a variety of other board positions. I believe we all have a civic responsibility to serve where we can to support our community. • What unique and particular qualifications do you bring to the position? Please provide specific examples. 25 years of Municipal Finance Experience extensive experience in Affordable Housing Finance What is your experience serving on other Boards? Lower Downtown Design Review Board (5) years Lower Downtown Neighborhood Association Board (11) years Palace Lofts Homeowners Association (5) years (including 2 years as President Co Founding Member and Board Chair of LoDo Women Christine Santucci palace9e@gmail.com Home: (970) 331-4431 1390 Buffehr Creek Rd Apt 1 Vail CO 81657 Vail Valley Foundation Volunteer & Operations Manager Christine Santucci 482 What skills and experiences do you have to advance the mission of the Board? I have a deep knowledge of municipal finance options and contacts within the industry that we could draw upon to solicit interest in supporting our initiatives. I also have knowledge of the most current methods of financing available to municipalities. What do you see as the primary role of this Board? I believe the primary role of this Board is to work with the Town Council to build a long term plan to address affordable housing in our community. I also believe that the board should have a voice in amenities in Vail that speak to the needs of our seasonal and long term residents. What do you believe is the largest obstacle facing this Board in 2024? The effect Short Term Rentals has on our ability to impact the housing crisis and the reluctance of the biggest employer in the community to commit to building affordable housing for their employees. Do you have any conflicts of interest that may arise due to your employment, personal and/or professional relationships, or financial interests in the Town of Vail? Yes No If you answered "Yes" to the question above, please explain your conflict: Interests & Experiences Question applies to Design Review Board,Vail Local Housing Authority How would your appointment to the Authority add value and bring about new solutions to the community’s housing challenges? I would network within the finance industry and the affordable housing authority industry to bring sound solutions to our community. Christine Santucci 483 Upload Letter of Interest Upload a Resume Question applies to Vail Local Housing Authority What ideas would you suggest the VLHA consider to be more effective in acquiring deed restrictions? I'm not fully aware of all of the methods currently being employed in the Indeed program. I believe I would need to understand what has already been applied to be able to formulate and bring a sound idea to the table. Question applies to Vail Local Housing Authority What ideas do you have for more effectively implementing these policies and strategies to increase the supply of deed restricted homes? Please see previous response. Question applies to Vail Local Housing Authority The Vail Local Housing Authority meets the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 3:00PM. Please describe your ability to attend these board meetings and the support you have from your employer, if applicable, to do so. I do have approval but during our busier time periods around our major events I may have to Zoom into the meeting or miss a meeting. Question applies to Vail Local Housing Authority Do you have any conflicts of interest that may arise due to your employment, personal and/or professional relationships, or financial interests in the Town of Vail? No VLHA.pdf Santucci_23.pdf Christine Santucci 484 Christine Santucci May 14, 2024 Vail Local Housing Authority I am very interested in your open board posi@on on the Vail Local Housing Authority. I believe my 25 years of experience in Municipal Finance, par@cularly my focus on Affordable Housing Finance, would be valuable to the board. I have previous board experience and a pool of deep connec@ons within the capital markets across the country that could be drawn upon as we move forward in building a plan for the future of our community in addressing the affordable housing crisis. Thank you in advance for your @me and considera@on. Sincerely, Christine Santucci 1390 Buffehr Creek Rd Vail, CO 81657 970 331-4431 Palace9e@gmail.com 485 Christine Santucci Experience September 2018 – Current Hiring Manager and Administra/on• Vail Ski School • Vail Resorts •Responsible for managing the ve<ng, hiring and onboarding of more than 1,200 employees including J1 and O Visa staff. •Perform in conjunc/on with various other leaders to streamline and enhance processes to improve efficiency and overall employee experience. April 1996 – August 2018 Director • Municipal Fixed Income Sales and Management • Ci/group •Highly effec/ve specialist with more than 20 years of experience in Affordable Housing financings. •Managed a team of seasoned professionals tasked with business expansion and collabora/on with key distribu/on areas of the organiza/on to op/mize financing needs of Housing Development Agencies. •Developed and maintained rela/onships with mutual funds, insurance companies and hedge funds in order to aid banking in providing best financing op/ons for issuers. •Presented at Na/onal Housing Conferences, Women’s Forums as well as senior manager off site events with Ci/group. Education 1390 Buffehr Creek Rd Vail, CO 81657 970 331-4431 Palace9e@gmail.com 486 Ci/group. Education Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY Bachelor of Arts Psychology Civic Roles Lower Downtown Design Review Board (Mayoral appointment) 2014-2019 Lower Downtown Neighborhood Associa/on 2005-2014 Co-Founder of Lo Do Women and Lo Do Angels Palace Lobs Homeowner’s Associa/on Language Na/ve English speaker Spanish Advanced Intermediate proficiency Computer Skills Microsob Office - Power Point - Publisher - Xcel - Bloomberg 487 Submit Date: Apr 24, 2024 First Name Middle Initial Last Name Email Address Primary Phone Alternate Phone Home Address Suite or Apt City State Postal Code Employer Job Title Vail, CO Boards & Commissions Application Form Profile Preferred Name James What is your work history from the last five (5) years? Bartend 20 - 30 hours per week at La Bottega. Work Full Time in sales and designwith Synergy Systems, a low voltage home technology provider based in Edwards but also licensed in Vail. Which Boards would you like to apply for? Vail Local Housing Authority: Submitted Why are you interested in serving on this board? I have served on this board for the past 12+ years, originally starting when I was employed as a senior lender with FirstBank in Vail. I have been involved in various facets of the local real estate market since moving here in 1999. As a lender I provided hundreds of mortgages for propertied in the valley, many of those to affordable and first time borrowers. I am keenly aware of the historical challenges faced by homebuyers in the area such as escalating costs, deferred maintenance, lack of "move up" options and competition from second home buyers and investors. I feel my experience and background, as well as my familiarity with the actions and strategies the VLHA has undertaken in the past 7 years, will continue to serve the Town of Vail. James O Wilkins jamesowilkins@gmail.com Mobile: (303) 875-2994 Mobile: (303) 875-2994 420 Imperial Drive Edwards CO 81632 La Bottega/Synergy Systems Bartender/Sales and Design James O Wilkins 488 • What unique and particular qualifications do you bring to the position? Please provide specific examples. I have worked extensively in the real estate market locally, with several years of my career with FirstBank focused on serving low-to-mod income first time homebuyers. I was also an owner in Vail for 12 years and faced the reality of having few options to "move up" to when I sold my home in 2019. I understand the many challenges to developing attainable housing for locals, including costs, labor shortages, permitting and zoning and the pushback faced by existing owners that don't want development near them. What is your experience serving on other Boards? I have served on numerous boards in Eagle County during my 25 years here, including as Treasurer and President for Mountain Youth, Treasurer for the Vail Religious Foundation, Treasurer for Eagle County Charter Academy, advisor on Habitat for Humanity's Finance Committee and as an advisor with the Eagle County Down Payment Assistance Fund. What skills and experiences do you have to advance the mission of the Board? I have 25 years of finance and development experience with a focus on real estate. I have raised two children here over the past 20 years, and I have owned multiple residences in the area. As a lender for almost 16 years I worked hand in hand with first time home buyers and witnessed the challenges they faced to get into local "starter" homes of $300K to $500K - and that was 10 years ago. I am constantly reading local, regional and national literature on the housing crisis we currently face and the variety of solutions that are being utilized to address it. What do you see as the primary role of this Board? Working with Town of Vail Council and community to identify potential solutions to creating and retaining more housing for locals. What do you believe is the largest obstacle facing this Board in 2024? The biggest current challenge for the VLHA is identifying opportunities to maintain and increase housing options for locals that represent an achievable price point for locals while not depending heavily on subsidies. Do you have any conflicts of interest that may arise due to your employment, personal and/or professional relationships, or financial interests in the Town of Vail? Yes No If you answered "Yes" to the question above, please explain your conflict: Interests & Experiences James O Wilkins 489 Upload Letter of Interest Upload a Resume Question applies to Design Review Board,Vail Local Housing Authority How would your appointment to the Authority add value and bring about new solutions to the community’s housing challenges? Having served on the VLHA for the past 12 years I am familiar with the evolution of the our approach to addressing housing challenges faced by locals. I will continue to offer my insight as both a long time local resident and real estate professional. Question applies to Vail Local Housing Authority What ideas would you suggest the VLHA consider to be more effective in acquiring deed restrictions? Continue collaborating with communities facing similar challenges and relay what's effective. Also, take advantage of down markets when they come around. Question applies to Vail Local Housing Authority What ideas do you have for more effectively implementing these policies and strategies to increase the supply of deed restricted homes? Work with P and Z and DRB to ensure no internal processes are delaying or defeating potential projects. Question applies to Vail Local Housing Authority The Vail Local Housing Authority meets the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 3:00PM. Please describe your ability to attend these board meetings and the support you have from your employer, if applicable, to do so. I will be able to attend 95%+ of all meetings (as I always have). Question applies to Vail Local Housing Authority Do you have any conflicts of interest that may arise due to your employment, personal and/or professional relationships, or financial interests in the Town of Vail? No VLHA_Letter_of_Interest_2024.pdf James_Wilkins_2023_Resume.pdf James O Wilkins 490 Dear Town of Vail: I am writing in response to the upcoming opening on the Vail Local Housing Authority resulting from the completion of my previous term. Having served on the VLHA for over twelve years I have seen the significant evolution of the Authority during the past several years. It has gone from an observer/caretaker role to one of the most proactive champions for creating and retaining attainable housing for locals in arguably all of the United States. Its work is frequently cited as the basis for similar efforts taking place throughout the country, especially in resort communities that have historically had to contend with both prohibitive costs and limited supply. As you will see from the resume I provided, I was the Director of Finance at Eagle River Water & Sanitation District (“ERWSD”) from March of 2015 till July of 2020, where among my many responsibilities I was Director of Employee Housing, overseeing 56 units of quality affordable workforce housing for the District’s staff. At FirstBank I was involved in many programs assisting locals in obtaining housing, including through the instruction of many first time homebuyer classes, the design and provision of several down payment assistance loans and programs, and as a lender on hundreds of mortgages for locals. Outside of my career I am committed to serving our community in a variety of organizations utilizing my financial and management expertise. As a 20-year board member of Mountain Youth (formerly Eagle River Youth Coalition) I have served as president and treasurer of a non-profit that has grown from a single employee to a staff of fifteen, helping the community to identify issues faced by our local youth and working collaboratively to find solutions. I also currently serve on the Vail Religious Foundation as a board member and treasurer. Given my background in housing and the many issues that surround it, in both private and government settings, and my dedication to the pursuit of leadership through service, I believe I will continue to make a valuable addition to the successful work the Town of Vail has already achieved in its collaborative work with VLHA. I look forward to the opportunity to discuss my continuedinterest in this position. Sincerely, James O. Wilkins 491 James O. Wilkins jamesowilkins@gmail.com P.O. Box 2529 Edwards, CO 81632 USA 303.875.2994 EXPERIENCE Executive Sales, Synergy Systems Edwards, CO 1/21 – Present • Develop relationships with general contractors and residential designers to assist their clients in implementing top tier home automation solutions • Research the constantly evolving home automation industry through product demonstration, customer reviews and industry associations to ensure the highest quality, most reliable products are delivered • Collaborate with management to further develop best practices processes in the areas of HR, workflows, inventory procurement, project management and accounts payable and accounts receivable management CFO/Director of Finance, Eagle River Water & Sanitation District 3/15 – 7/20 • Collaborated with executive team to develop an inclusive culture of engagement for the District’s 125 employees • Motivated a team of six financial professionals to achieve annual goals tied to operating objectives and professional development • Responsible for all strategic budget processes, including department level review and approval • Accountable for audit reporting, including State and Federal regulatory filing requirements • Developed and managed annual operating budget of $20mm and annual capital budget of $30mm • Issued $120mm in public revenue and general obligation bonds from 2016 to 2020 • Managed employee housing program that included 56 District owned properties • Completed development of 21 unit, $14mm employee housing project in 2019 as the District’s internal project manager • Provided strategic input and fiscal oversight to $36mm employee retirement fund as Pension Administrator • Supervised Contract Admin who coordinated with all staff on negotiations for 3rd party services Senior Vice President, FirstBank Vail, CO 7/99 – 3/15 • Developed financial models for branch and market level forecasting • Presented financial information for large loan relationships to the Board on a weekly basis • Sourced, underwrote and managed portfolio of consumer and commercial loans in excess of $175mm; credits included residential and commercial mortgages, construction and development loans, as well as commercial and industrial loans • Led personnel in bank branches with five to thirty employees Assistant Analyst, Hanifen, Imhoff Inc. Denver, CO 1/98 – 7/99 • Developed financial models for companies and market segments • Communicated with executives in publicly traded companies at all levels to facilitate research • Worked with corporate finance to develop presentations for potential clients EDUCATION BA Economics with Business Emphasis BA Spanish for the Professions University of Colorado, Boulder, CO University of Costa Rica, San Pedro, Costa Rica Graduate Degree Graduate School of Banking - University of Wisconsin, Madison VOLUNTEER INTERESTS • Mountain Youth – Executive Board Member/Treasurer • Vail Religious Foundation – Board Member • Vail Local Housing Authority – Board Member 492 AGENDA ITEM NO. 4.1 Item Cover Page DATE:May 21, 2024 SUBMITTED BY:Jamie Leaman-Miller, Community Development ITEM TYPE:DRB/PEC Update AGENDA SECTION:DRB/PEC (5 min.) SUBJECT:DRB/PEC Update SUGGESTED ACTION: VAIL TOWN COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM REPORT ATTACHMENTS: DRB Results 5-15-24 PEC Results 5-13-24 493 Design Review Board Minutes Wednesday, May 15, 2024 2:00 PM Vail Town Council Chambers Present: Kit Austin Roland J Kjesbo Rys Olsen Herbert Roth Absent: Mary Egan 1. Virtual Meeting Link Register to attend Design Review Board Meetings. Once registered, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining this webinar. 2. Call to Order 3. Main Agenda 3.1 DRB24-0063 - Netzorg/Rana Residences Final review of new construction (duplex) Address/ Legal Description: 4256 Columbine Drive/Lot 20-4, Bighorn Subdivision Planner: Jamie Leaman-Miller Applicant Name: Gordon & Jane Netzorg & Judi Mae Rana, represented by Burns-Gies Architects DRB24-0063 Documents.pdf DRB24-0063 Plans.pdf DRB24-0063 Renderings.pdf (Kjesbo recused) Herbert Roth made a motion to Approve with the findings it meets 14-10-5 and the condition that the applicant shall provide all utility forms prior to building permit approval; Rys Olsen seconded the motion Passed (3 - 0). 3.2 DRB24-0116 - Birtwhistle Residence Final review of an exterior alteration (deck/entry/windows) Address/ Legal Description: 1480 Aspen Grove Lane A/Ridge at Vail Subdivision Planner: Jonathan Spence Applicant Name: Roger D Maurer Living Trust, represented by Martin Manley Architects DRB24-0116 Narrative, rendering and neighbor approval.pdf DRB24-0116 Plan Set.pdf Herbert Roth made a motion to Approve with the findings it meets 14-10 -2 & 14-10 -4, and the condition that the applicant shall revise the plans prior to building permit submittal to remove the steel garage door header; Rys Olsen seconded the motion Passed (3 - 1). Voting For: Kit Austin, Herbert Roth, Rys Olsen Voting Against: Roland J Kjesbo Design Review Board Meeting Minutes of May 15, 2024 1 494 3.3 DRB24-0122 - 1150 Ptarmigan Rd LLC Final review of new construction (single family residence) Address/ Legal Description: 1150 Ptarmigan Road/Lot 2, Block 7, Vail Village Filing 7 Planner: Jonathan Spence Applicant Name: 1150 Ptarmigan Rd, represented by KH Webb Architects DRB24-0122 Plan Set.pdf Herbert Roth made a motion to Approve with the findings it meets 14-10-2, 14-10-3, 14-10-4; Rys Olsen seconded the motion Passed (4 - 0). 3.4 DRB24-0085 - Vail Resorts Final review of new construction (pump building) Address/ Legal Description: 550 Forest Road/Tract A, Vail Village Filing 6 Planner: Greg Roy Applicant Name: Vail Resorts, represented by SGM, Inc DRB24-0085 Plans 5-15.pdf Herbert Roth made a motion to Approve with the findings it meets 14-10-2 & 14-10-3 and the condition that the applicant amend the exterior materials as discussed in the meeting; Rys Olsen seconded the motion Passed (4 - 0). 3.5 DRB24-0135 - Vail Ptarmigan LLC 2024 Final review of an exterior alteration (landscape - fence) Address/ Legal Description: 1067 Ptarmigan Road/Lot 3, Block 5, Vail Village Filing 7 / Vail Village Filing 10 Planner: Greg Roy Applicant Name: Vail Ptarmigan, represented by Sipes Architects DRB24-0135 Plans.pdf Herbert Roth made a motion to Table to a date uncertain; Rys Olsen seconded the motion Passed (4 - 0). 3.6 DRB24 -0059 - Highpoint Capital Investments LLC Final review of new construction of a single family residence Address/ Legal Description: 1885 West Gore Creek Drive/Lot 25, Vail Village West Filing 2 Planner: Heather Knight Applicant Name: Highpoint Capital Investments, represented by Vail Custom Homes DRB24-0059_Final Presentation.pdf Herbert Roth made a motion to Approve with the findings it meet 14-10-3, 14-10-4, 14-10-5; Roland J Kjesbo seconded the motion Passed (4 - 0). 4. Staff Approvals 4.1 DRB24-0113 - Christiania Lodge Final review of an exterior alteration (paint) Address/ Legal Description: 356 Hanson Ranch Road/Lot D, Block 2, Vail Village Filing 1 Planner: Heather Knight Design Review Board Meeting Minutes of May 15, 2024 2 495 Applicant Name: Christiania Lodge, represented by John Johnston 4.2 DRB24-0140 - Dimmig Residence Final review of an tree removal (removal/replant) Address/ Legal Description: 3797 Lupine Drive/Lot 4 & 5,Bighorn Subdivision 2nd Addition Planner: Jonathan Spence Applicant Name: Thomas A & Jane C Dimmig, represented by Fieldscape 4.3 DRB24-0129 - Final review of an exterior alteration (roof) Address/ Legal Description: 174 Gore Creek Drive/Lot 1, Lodge Subdivision Planner: Jonathan Spence Applicant Name: Lodge at Vail, represented by Empire Roofing and Sheet Metal 4.4 DRB24-0137 - Scheetz Residence Final review of an exterior alteration (window) Address/ Legal Description: 4570 Vail Racquet Club Drive 2-5/Vail Racquet Club Condominiums Planner: Jamie Leaman-Miller Applicant Name: Douglas & Christine Scheetz, represented by Beth Levine Architect 4.5 DRB24-0125 - Lockton Companies Final review of an exterior alteration (roof) Address/ Legal Description: 174 Gore Creek Drive 360/Lot 1, Lodge Subdivision Planner: Heather Knight Applicant Name: Lockton Companies represented by SRE Building Associates 4.6 DRB24-0126 - ORR Residence Final review of an exterior alteration (roof) Address/ Legal Description: 174 Gore Creek Drive 521/Lot 1, Lodge Subdivision Planner: Heather Knight Applicant Name: ORR Residence represented by SRE Building Associates 4.7 DRB24-0127 - Pollan Residence Final Review of an exterior alteration (roof) Address/ Legal Description: 174 Gore Creek Drive 354/Lot 1, Lodge Subdivision Planner: Heather Knight Applicant Name: Marcy Pollan represented by SRE Building Associates 4.8 DRB24 -0144 - Hotel Gasthof Gramshammer Final review of a tree removal Address/ Legal Description: 231 Gore Creek Drive/Lot A, Block 5B, Vail Village Filing 1 Planner: Jonathan Spence Applicant Name: Gasthof Gramshammer Inc., represented by Vail Valley Tree Service 4.9 DRB24-0078.001 Shaughnessy Residence Final review to a change to approved plans (demo/exterior alteration) Address/ Legal Description: 1546 Matterhorn Circle 4/Hobbit Hill Phase I Design Review Board Meeting Minutes of May 15, 2024 3 496 Planner: Jonathan Spence Applicant Name: Sadie Shaughnessy represented by Shepard Resources 4.10 DRB24-0141 - AIM Gallery Final review of a sign application Address/ Legal Description: 141 East Meadow Drive/Lot P, Block 5D, Vail Village Filing 1 Planner: Jonathan Spence Applicant Name: AIM Gallery, represented by First Chair Designs 4.11 DRB24-0090 - Pinos Del Norte Final review of an exterior alteration (patio/roof/gas meter) Address/ Legal Description: 600 Vail Valley Drive/Tract B, Vail Village Filing 7 Planner: Jamie Leaman-Miller Applicant Name: Pinos Del Norte, represented by Mac Designs 4.12 DRB24-0146 - Karja LLC Final review of an exterior alteration (deck) Address/ Legal Description: 265 Forest Road/Lot 21, Block 7, Vail Village Filing 1 Planner: Jonathan Spence Applicant Name: Karja LLC, represented by KC Company 4.13 DRB24-0074 - Bartlit Residence Final review of an exterior alteration (deck/planters) Address/ Legal Description: 778 Potato Patch Drive 1 & 2/Lot 18, Block 1, Vail Potato Patch Filing 1 Planner: Greg Roy Applicant Name: Fred Bartlit, represented by Pierce Austin Architects 4.14 DRB24-0009.001 - Robins Residence Final review of a change to approved plans (exterior) Address/ Legal Description: 154 Beaver Dam Road/Lot 27, Block 7, Vail Village Filing 1 Planner: Greg Roy Applicant Name: Kenneth & Judy Robins, represented by Berglund Architects 4.15 DRB24-0097 - Connelly Residence Final review of an exterior alteration (window) Address/ Legal Description: 1819 Meadow Ridge Road H/Lot 13 & 14, Buffehr Creek Subdivision Planner: Jamie Leaman-Miller Applicant Name: Lily & Erin Connelly, represented by Blu Sky Restoration Contractors 4.16 DRB24-0149 - Corness Residence Final review of an exterior alteration (tree removal) Address/ Legal Description: 4435 Glen Falls Lane/Lot 3, Forest Glen Subdivision Planner: Jamie Leaman-Miller Applicant Name: John & Barbara Corness, represented by Vail Valley Tree Services 4.17 DRB24-0091 - Pinos Del Norte Final review of sign application Design Review Board Meeting Minutes of May 15, 2024 4 497 Address/ Legal Description: 600 Vail Valley Drive/Tract B, Vail Village Filing 7 Planner: Jamie Leaman-Miller Applicant Name: Pinos Del Norte represented by Mac Design 4.18 DRB24-0150 - Lanes Residence (Windows) Final review of an exterior alteration (windows/door) Address/ Legal Description: 2397 Garmisch Drive/Lot 16, Block H, Vail Das Schone Filing 2 Planner: Heather Knight Applicant Name: Andrew & Carol Lanes, represented by Lifetime Windows and Siding 4.19 DRB24-0105 - Nelson Residence Final review of an addition (deck enclosure) Address/ Legal Description: 710 West Lionshead Circle 501/Lot 1, Block 2, Vail Lionshead Filing 3 Planner: Jamie Leaman-Miller Applicant Name: Barry Nelson, represented by KH Webb 5. Staff Denials 6. Information Update 6.1 Future meeting location 7. Adjournment Roland J Kjesbo made a motion to Adjourn ; Rys Olsen seconded the motion Passed (4 - 0). Design Review Board Meeting Minutes of May 15, 2024 5 498 Planning and Environmental Commission Minutes Monday, May 13, 2024 1:00 PM Vail Town Council Chambers Present: David N Tucker Robert N Lipnick Scott P McBride Brad Hagedorn Robyn Smith Absent: William A Jensen John Rediker 1. Virtual Link Register to attend the Planning and Environmental Commission meeting. Once registered, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining this webinar. 2. Call to Order 3. Worksession 3.1 A work session of the Planning and Environmental Commission to review the West Vail Master Plan – Chapter 2: West Vail Center for the future prescribed regulations amendment application. Planner: Greg Roy Work session Memo - WV Comm 5-13-24.pdf Timestamp: 1:00 Planner Roy gives an introduction. He talks about the initial considerations for the new zoning. He gives a presentation touching on key features from the West Vail Master Plan, contemplated housing types, and the west vail plaza. Hagedorn mentions childcare is an important consideration, there is a shortage in the valley. Roy and PEC discuss design considerations and parking. Smith talks about parking management and vertical or rooftop gardens. PEC discusses appropriate management and regulations for deed restrictions in the study area. Discussion on lower densities on north of site along Chamonix and how those transition to the south. Roy and PEC talk about potential subdivisions in the area and the minimum lot size. Smith brings up the idea of deed-restricted commercial spaces for consideration. Discussion of some examples in peer communities. Smith brings up marijuana businesses as a use. Smith wants to make sure lighting is appropriate. Planning and Environmental Commission Meeting Minutes of May 13, 2024 1 499 McBride agrees on lighting. Discusses parking and how it compares to existing. Hagedorn asks for public comment. There is none. Hagedorn asks about the process moving forward, Roy gives a rundown of the anticipated schedule. Hagedorn says to be mindful of how much commercial is needed there, it is a balancing act. There is quite a bit of vacant commercial existing. How do we guide the private development here? Roy says uses will be important. Smith mentions that the Town-owned property can help be the catalyst in the area. She says phasing is also important. 3.2 A work session of the Planning and Environmental Commission to review possible code amendments to the landscaping requirements to reduce water use. Presenter: Greg Roy Planner: Greg Roy Applicant Name: Town of Vail Work session Memo - Landscaping 5-13-24 (Final).pdf Timestamp: 46:24 Planner Roy gives a presentation. He runs through the potential action items. PEC discusses buy-back programs. Smith says the first step should be language to the design guidelines that the use of potable water should be judicious. Gregg Barrie talks about these programs and contemplated plans around town. Hagedorn and Barrie discuss landscaping practices in Town. Smith says we can start with lighter measures and in the future we can always do more if it’s worthwhile. Hagedorn says there could be a maximum square footage for irrigated land for residential zoned district. Smith talks about cap and trade. Smith would also support the explicit ban of water features, to have regulatory consistency with the water district. Hagedorn asks for public comment. There is none. McBride supports limiting turf grass, banning water features, and required upgrades in irrigation efficiency. Lipnick supports limiting turf grass, getting away from water features, upgrading irrigation, and the proper spacing of trees. Smith supports adding water conversation language to 14 -10-8, banning water features, limiting turf grass, if irrigated area exceeds a certain amount you need a landscape architect. Let’s start reasonable and can increase if necessary. Tucker supports limiting turf grass, and banning water features. Hagedorn supports limiting turf grass, ban on water features, and a maximum square footage for irrigated area. Planning and Environmental Commission Meeting Minutes of May 13, 2024 2 500 4. Main Agenda 4.1 A request for recommendation to the Vail Town Council, for a prescribed regulation amendment pursuant to Section 12-3-7, Amendment, Vail Town Code, to amend Title 12 and Title 14 to rename the current Housing-1 and Housing-2 zone districts and establish a new Community Housing zone district. (PEC24-0014) Planner: Greg Roy Applicant Name: Town of Vail and Vail Local Housing Authority, represented by Dominic Mauriello of Mauriello Planning Group PEC24-0014 Memo 5-13-24.pdf Attachment A. Draft Ordinance.pdf Timestamp: 1:23:00 Planner Roy gives an introduction to the application. The applicant is represented by Allison Kent with Mauriello Planning Group and Steve Lindstrom with the VLHA. Kent gives a presentation. She walks through the changes made with this application. Smith asks about EHUs in the zone district. Kent talks about the different types of EHUs, specific to different zone districts. Roy and Kent talk about fulfilling linkage or inclusionary requirements. Lindstrom adds that we are doing this from the inside out. It sounds more complex than it is, the goal is to simplify as much as we can. There are also old deed-restrictions to consider, this is a move to simplify and standardize. Lipnick clarifies that the three Community Housing districts will have the same standards – Kent says it’s the same except height and allowance for conditional use for commercial. McBride asks about the history. Roy says that was the original vote for putting standards on Housing, the second iteration went through. Lindstrom adds that a lot of the initial discussion was about heights. Hagedorn asks for public comment. There is none. Lipnick says the review criteria is met. This gives set standards to developers, he is in support. Smith agrees the findings have been met. There was a substantial conversation on this in September, this extra district was recommended at that time, this is following up on the action item that was agreed to then. Robert N Lipnick made a motion to Recommend for approval with the condition and findings on page 15 of the staff memo; Robyn Smith seconded the motion Passed (5 - 0). 4.2 A request for recommendation to the Vail Town Council, pursuant to Section 12-3- 7, Amendment, Vail Town Code, for the adoption of the Vail Mobility and Transportation Master Plan. (PEC24-0013) Planning and Environmental Commission Meeting Minutes of May 13, 2024 3 501 Planner: Heather Knight Applicant Name: Town of Vail, represented by Tom Kassmel PEC24-0013 Staff Memo 051324.pdf Attachment A. PEC Memo 5-13-24.pdf Attachment B. Vail TMP Report_Draft_042524 - TOV PEC Edits.pdf Attachment C. PEC MP Comments.pdf Attachment D. Public Comment - EngageVail Summary.pdf Attachment E. PEC Presentation 4-8-24.pdf Timestamp: 1:41:00 Tom Kassmel, Town Engineer, gives a presentation. Hagedorn mentions there are also comments from commissioners that are not present today. Kassmel walks through some of the comments on the document itself. Smith says there is a lot of language that talks about safety, how is that improved when there is no incident history in that area – distinction between safety and comfort both being important. Lipnick says the vision emphasizes pededestrians and bikers but why not cars? Kassmel says it is mentioned in later paragraphs, there are traffic specific goals. Kassmel talks about the updates to the traffic section. Smith says that while the county population grew, it doesn’t fully capture the change and the type of parking and traffic we have. We really need to emphasize the need for traffic counters and data informed decision making. Kassmel talks about the updates to the traffic calming and speed limits section. Instead of recommending a change to speed limits, we have it as an option to consider for traffic calming. The goal is to get the vast majority of drivers to go less than 20 mph on residential streets. Discussion on evolution of this chapter, speed limit change is a consideration and tool not a recommendation. Lipnick asks if Council is the body that sets the speed limit, Kassmel confirms. Kassmel talks about the section on measurable goals. Smith likes this section, our climate action goals could be added to this section. McBride appreciates the goals, thinks the parking one is overly ambitious when it comes to the winter season. Lipnick adds that the transit authority is providing inexpensive or free transportation to Vail, and those goals are probably reasonable with that in mind. Kassmel says if we achieve the transit goal, that alone will free up a lot of those parking spaces. Tucker agrees on being aggressive with the goal, given the transit considerations. Kassmel talks about overflow days in past years. Smith talks about equity considerations for speed bumps, bus riders also have to deal with this. Kassmel says the plan may not get into the specifics of this, it is more general. Kassmel talks about the updates to the transit section. Smith suggests capping the number to incentivize shuttles to consolidate. Kassmel talks about the updates to the multi-modal section. Smith and Kassmel discuss curb considerations. Planning and Environmental Commission Meeting Minutes of May 13, 2024 4 502 Smith says adding flashing beacons at all intersections at roundabouts may be excessive, also concerned about light pollution. Kassmel says the plan also identifies several locations where overpasses could make sense. Hagedorn understands the concern, but data shows that it is an effective way to reduce pedestrian conflicts. He asks if they make those that are cutoff that can help reduce light pollution? Kassmel says he doesn’t know of any at the moment but it’s not a bad idea. Discussion of the Main Vail North roundabout. Smith recommends pedestrian access to trailhead in that area. Lipnick says he grew up in DC, where rapid-flashing beacons make a difference. Kassmel talks about the updates to the parking section. Discussion of oversized vehicle parking. Hagedorn says enforcement is important on that stretch of the frontage road where there is parking, it can intrude into the travel lane. Kassmel talks about the updates to the I-70 section. Smith and Kassmel talk about entry lanes from roundabouts to highway. Hagedorn asks for public comment. There is none. Robyn Smith made a motion to Table to the June 10th, 2024 PEC meeting; Scott P McBride seconded the motion Passed (5 - 0). 5. Approval of Minutes 5.1 PEC Results 4-22-24 PEC Results 4-22-24.pdf Robyn Smith made a motion to Approve ; Robert N Lipnick seconded the motion Passed (5 - 0). 6. Information Update 6.1 Future Meeting Location Roy talks about the change in meeting location for the summer. The meetings will temporarily be moved to the Grandview room due to HVAC work at the municipal building. 7. Adjournment Robyn Smith made a motion to Adjourn ; Scott P McBride seconded the motion Passed (5 - 0). Planning and Environmental Commission Meeting Minutes of May 13, 2024 5 503 AGENDA ITEM NO. 5.1 Item Cover Page DATE:May 21, 2024 SUBMITTED BY:Missy Johnson, Housing ITEM TYPE:Information Update AGENDA SECTION:Information Update SUBJECT:April 9, 2024 VLHA Meeting Minutes SUGGESTED ACTION: VAIL TOWN COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM REPORT ATTACHMENTS: 2024-04-09 VLHA Minutes 504 Vail Local Housing Authority Minutes Tuesday, April 9, 2024 3:00 PM Council Chambers and Virtually on Zoom PRESENT ABSENT Steve Lindstrom Dan Godec Kristin Williams James Wilkins Craig Denton STAFF George Ruther, Housing Director Martha Anderson, Senior Housing Director Missy Johnson, Housing Coordinator 1. Call to Order 1. 1 Call to Order at 3:00 p.m. 1.2 Zoom Meeting 1 2. Citizen Participation 2.1 Citizen Participation No comment. 3. Approval of Minutes 3.1 VLHA March 26, 2024 Minutes Presenter(s): Missy Johnson, Housing Coordinator MOTION: Williams SECOND: Denton PASSED: (4 - 0) 4. Main Agenda 4.1 House Bill 24-1239 Single-Exit Stairway Multifamily Structure. Presenter(s): Mark Novak, Town of Vail Fire Chief Novak reviewed the stance of Vail Fire Department related to House Bill 24-1239 and highlighted the challenges that are presented in way of safety concerns when considering the Fire Department’s resources. He described why egress is important and why the single-stairway does not meet the necessity based on a variety of life safety scenarios in addition to fire. Using the attached HB 1239 Fire Opposition Fact Sheet, HB24-1239 FMAC Opposition Letter and additional handouts, Novak educated the Authority about what the Single-Exit Stairway Multifamily Structure entails and examples of safety concerns. Conversation ensued with the Authority with questions about the proposal and what is required by the code within the Town of Vail as answered by the Fire Chief. The topic of local control was also mentioned as directed to the Fire Chief which lean into Fire Department capability as it relates importantly to rural communities. 505 4.2 Resolution No. 3, Series of 2024, A Resolution Adopting a Budget and Making Appropriations to Pay the Costs, Expenses and Liabilities of the Vail Local Housing Authority, for its Fiscal Year January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024 Presenter(s): Martha Anderson, Senior Housing Coordinator Resolution No. 3, Series of 2024 was approved. MOTION: Williams SECOND: Wilkins PASSED: (4 - 0) 4.3 Timber Ridge Deed Restriction Work Session Presenter(s): George Ruther, Housing Director Ruther provided and referred to drafts of the Employee and Employer versions of the drafted Timber Ridge 2.0 deed restrictions based on comments and feedback from the Authority at the previous meeting. Discussion and suggested edits were discussed as the Authority prepared to present recommendations to the Town Council. The authority agreed suggesting efforts to simplify the deed restriction in effort to best manage the deed restriction for the future. The authority agreed that suggesting a deed restriction much like that of the standard Vail InDEED deed restriction created more opportunity to house working locals in perpetuity. This deed restriction is based on qualified occupancy. The Authority came to agreement for next steps for recommendations to the Town Council. 4.4 Update on Rural Resort Petition to Waive Income Limits in the Town of Vail Presenter(s): George Ruther, Housing Director Collaborative efforts continue with Social Impact Advisors and Ruther updated the Authority regarding and in reference to the Rural Resort Petition to Waive Income Limits. Ruther presented the most recent updates as the grant application process continues. 4.5 Habitat for Humanity Findings on Family Selection Presenter(s): Kristin Williams, VLHA Board Member Williams, on behalf of Habitat for Humanity Eagle County, provided insights from a recent selection process and excitement around assigning new families to homes to be built by Habitat for Humanity. Williams described the process from application to selection, including statistics for the candidates and qualifying factors. 4.6 Update on Council Strategic Plan Regarding Housing Presenter(s): Steve Lindstrom, VLHA Chair Lindstrom reviewed suggested updates to the proposed Strategic Plan on behalf of the Authority to present to the Town Council as of April 2, 2024. 506 5. Matters from the Chairman and Authority Members 5.1 Matters from the Chairman and Authority Members Presenter(s): Steve Lindstrom, VLHA Chairman 6. Adjournment 6.1 Adjournment PM (5:07 p.m. Estimate) 7. Future Agenda Items 7.1 Vail Housing 2027 7.2 Land Banking 7.3 Bond Financing 8. Next Meeting Date Next Meeting Date May 14, 2024 507 AGENDA ITEM NO. 5.2 Item Cover Page DATE:May 21, 2024 SUBMITTED BY:Missy Johnson, Housing ITEM TYPE:Information Update AGENDA SECTION:Information Update SUBJECT:EHU Compliance Status Update SUGGESTED ACTION: VAIL TOWN COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM REPORT ATTACHMENTS: EHU Compliance Status Update Memo 2024-05-21 508 75 South Frontage Road West Housing Department Vail, Colorado 81657 housing@vail.gov vail.gov MEMORANDUM To: Vail Town Council From: George Ruther, Housing Director Martha Anderson, Senior Housing Coordinator Missy Johnson, Housing Coordinator Date: May 21, 2024 Re: EHU Non-Compliance Status and Prior Year Enforcement I. BACKGROUND The purpose of this memorandum is to inform the Vail Town Council of the EHU compliance status and to provide a summary from the prior two years of EHU compliance enforcement. II. 2023 EHU COMPLIANCE UPDATE Town of Vail PD asked that the Town of Vail housing staff provide all complete evidentiary files at once and as of Friday, May 16 the housing staff foresees submitting all files during the week of Monday, May 20. The following list provides an update for 2023 EHU compliance review: • 32 of the 47 previously presented residences have been found to be non-compliant. • Reasons for removal from the list that was previously submitted: o Properties were sold in 2023. o Housing Staff was re-directed to base the compliance review starting from the settlement date of November 10, 2023 to December 31, 2023 for the EHU residences that are owned by Altus Vail Unit Owner LLC. o The EHU files for the residence was completed. • For 2023, a total of 32 properties, or (3%) of the total 1,034 deed-restricted properties were found to be non-compliant with the terms of the recorded deed restrictions. • The Town’s prosecutor and Vail Police Department met with housing staff to confirm the upcoming process for code enforcement based on the terms of the deed restrictions. 509 Town of Vail Page 2 • Penalties will be assessed based on the Town of Vail Municipal Code Title 1, Chapter 4. • The next step in the process is for the owners to receive an official letter via USPS, including a stated reasoning for non-compliance from the housing staff. All deed restricted property owners on the following list for 2023 will receive a letter via certified mail with a notation of the reasons for non-compliance and will also be contacted by code enforcement. *Of the non-compliant properties, 5 owners have received a summons in the past. 2023 EHU PROPERTY ADDRESS EHU PROPERTY OWNER * 1819 Meadow Ridge Road Unit E Matthew & Kimberly Tracy * 2388 Garmisch Drive Unit 3-B2 Aspen Financial Group LLC c/o Alan Surdis * 363 Beaver Dam Road OR 383 Beaver Dam Rd. A2Z Holdings, LLC * 430 South Frontage Road East Unit RU-D Altus Vail Unit Owner LLC c/o Brue Baukol Capital * 430 South Frontage Road East Unit RU-K Altus Vail Unit Owner LLC c/o Brue Baukol Capital * 5024 Main Gore Drive South Unit B2 Molly Moffet 1040 Vail View Drive Unit 104 Danica Pesic 1063 Vail View Drive Unit 4 Jenya Berino 1100 North Frontage Road W Unit 2207 Rene Blanchette 1480 Buffehr Creek Road Unit 1B Lance Hering, Joseph Hering & Roberta Hering 1524 Buffehr Creek Road Unit A26 Hugh Patrick & Kristin O'Donnell 1835 West Gore Creek Drive Norma Jean Boackle Ajlouny & Pamela Hughes 2084 Zermatt Lane Unit C Thomas & Holiday Cole 2085 Zermatt Lane Unit A David & Diana Rawlings 2085 Zermatt Lane Unit D Adam and Susan Price 2094 Zermatt Lane Unit B Todd Hatami 2099 Chamonix Lane Unit 3B Lloyd Brown 2101 Zermatt Lane Unit F Dillon Real Estate Co 2333 Upper Traverse Way Unit A Rachel & Mark Obernesser 2347 Upper Traverse Way Unit B Ramona Ryden 2401 Upper Traverse Way Unit A Diane Nicol & Denis DeSouza 2401 Upper Traverse Way Unit C Doug & Leigh Hoerner 2418 Garmisch Drive Unit W Mark H. White & Angela Jo Sumrell 2448 Garmisch Drive Unit 1 Thomas Julius Smith 2456 Chamonix Lane Unit B3 Craig Birk, Kristina Warner, Thomas Panyako 2490 Bald Mountain Road Unit 2 Edward Krasnov 2823 Kinnikinnick Road Unit 8B Kevin Bentley 2850 Basingdale Blvd. Unit A Donald D. & Ellen C. Gury 2860 Basingdale Blvd. Unit B Donald D. & Ellen C. Gury 5024 Main Gore Drive South Unit B3 DDG Ventures LLC c/o Dana Gumber 931 Red Sandstone Road Unit 1 Todd Milner 980 Vail View Drive Unit C115 John C. Church 510 Town of Vail Page 3 III. SUMMARY OF EHU COMPLIANCE ENFORCEMENT IN 2021 & 2022 Over the prior two compliance years, the following lists the actions taken against owners (or resolutions) of the following non-compliant employee housing units: 2022 EHU PROPERTY ADDRESS EHU NON-COMPLIANCE ENFORCEMENT 1819 Meadow Ridge Road Unit E 2022: Owner paid $80 non-compliant with a 1-year probationary period; suspended $450. 2388 Garmisch Drive Unit 3-B2 2022: Plead guilty pursuant to a 1-year deferred judgment and sentence; no similar violations for one year. Term runs through July 18, 2024. 1220 Westhaven Lane A 2020/2021/2022: EHU Exchange, purchased a property 2x existing square footage with placement of an EHU 1229 Spraddle Creek 2022: Paid $185 fine with a 1-year probationary period. $400 suspended. 2361 Lower Traverse Way Unit B 2022: Plead guilty, became compliant $75 paid; suspended $150. 2783 Kinnikinnick Road Unit 7 2022: Plead guilty, suspended $125. 430 South Frontage Road East Unit RU-A 2022/2021: Settlement date of November 10, 2023 for $1,000,000 total to cover the non-compliant residences. 2023 EHU Compliance shall be reviewed from the settlement date moving forward. 430 South Frontage Road East Unit RU-B 430 South Frontage Road East Unit RU-C 430 South Frontage Road East Unit RU-D 430 South Frontage Road East Unit RU-E 430 South Frontage Road East Unit RU-F 430 South Frontage Road East Unit RU-G 430 South Frontage Road East Unit RU-H 430 South Frontage Road East Unit RU-J 430 South Frontage Road East Unit RU-K 430 South Frontage Road East Unit RU-L 430 South Frontage Road East Unit RU-M 430 South Frontage Road East Unit RU-N 430 South Frontage Road East Unit RU-O 430 South Frontage Road East Unit RU-P 5024 Main Gore Drive South Unit B2 2021/2022: No affidavit submitted. Plead guilty pursuant to a 1-year deferred judgment and sentence; no similar violations for one year. Term runs through July 18, 2024. Paid $155 suspended $375 511 AGENDA ITEM NO. 5.3 Item Cover Page DATE:May 21, 2024 SUBMITTED BY:Steph Johnson, Housing ITEM TYPE:Information Update AGENDA SECTION:Information Update SUBJECT:Review of Community Housing Lottery Application Requirements SUGGESTED ACTION: VAIL TOWN COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM REPORT ATTACHMENTS: Review of Community Housing Lottery Application Requirements Memo 512 75 South Frontage Road West Housing Department Vail, Colorado 81657 housing@vail.gov Vail.gov MEMORANDUM To: Vail Town Council From: George Ruther, Housing Director, Missy Johnson, Housing Coordinator, Martha Anderson, Senior Housing Coordinator Date: May 21, 2024 Re: Review of Community Housing Lottery Application Requirements I. Purpose The purpose of this memorandum is to present the lottery application improvements that came from Town Council discussion and decision making in September 2022. The application improvements were authorized in support of Housing Policy Statement No. 7 which states, “People Promote Community – We ensure opportunity and access to the Town’s housing programs and initiatives through a clear, equitable, and easy to administer process for housing selection.” In 2022, the pandemic pushed Vail home prices to record highs further increasing the number of Vail local residents seeking deed-restricted homeownership opportunities in our community. As a result, Town of Vail Housing Department started experiencing unprecedented numbers of qualified applicants for Town of Vail community housing lotteries. To keep up with the increased number of qualified lottery applicants, comply with housing lottery guidelines, remove ambiguity and uncertainty from the process, and maintain the quality of customer service levels it was determined that a new application process was needed. The new lottery application process was subsequently approved subject to revisions to 513 2 | Page Town of Vail the Town of Vail Employee Housing Guidelines as of October 4, 2022. In sum, rather than pre- qualify hundreds of applicants prior to the drawing, minimum requirements for participation were established, and the burden of proof of qualification was made an obligation of only the top lottery participants selected. II. Background The Town of Vail Housing department held two community housing lotteries for a Chamonix Vail townhome (48 Total applications) and a Pitkin Creek Park condominium (8 Total applications) in the fall of 2022. More recently, 255 applications were received for the North Trail Townhome. Essentially, the Town staff and local lending institutions were committing more than 99% of their time pre-qualifying and reviewing applications which were not going to be selected for home purchase and less than 1% of their time on the one application that was selected. This was not a wise use of limited staff time and resources. The lottery process was challenging for both applicants and town staff due to a number of factors including: Increased staff time needed to review hundreds of applications. Increased staff time needed to answer applicant questions. Challenges with lenders not wanting to include our pre-qualification requirements due to the demand for increased resources. Verification of eligibility was ambiguous and subject to interpretations. At the time, additional tickets were awarded for longevity of employment and for longevity upon renting within the Town of Vail. Ambiguity and uncertainty regarding interpretations created a lack of credibility and integrity of the lottery process. Changes to the lottery administration were based on feedback received from applicants and key learnings from the latest community lotteries at the time. The decisions were made to eliminate the discretionary nature that affected the credibility and integrity of the lottery process, and the Housing Staff was charged with creating less ambiguity and creating opportunity for more applications to be approved. III. Current Community Housing Lottery Application Requirements The following are the current requirements for a complete lottery application: 1. A complete lottery application. 2. A valid and legible copy of driver’s license or government issued ID card. 3. Affidavit for real estate ownership. This is completed only by applicants that don’t own real estate in the Town of Vail. 514 3 | Page Town of Vail Within 48 hours of the lottery drawing, the top three winners are required to provide the following additional documentation: 1. A valid and current signed mortgage prequalification letter including property address, listing price and approved loan amount included. 2. A copy of homebuyer class certificate, completed within the last five years. 3. Complete set of most recent two years of tax returns (plus business tax returns if applicable for business owners). 4. Most recent sets of paystubs for qualified Eagle County employment to show that applicant meet the required employment qualifications. IV. Time Efficiencies of the Current Lottery Application Process With the new lottery application process, Housing staff has been able to reduce the application review time by more than 42%. Using the most recent housing lottery as an example with 255 applications received, this is over 26 hours of staff time savings just in the application review phase. With an easy and clear lottery application process, Housing staff has also had more time efficiencies with the customer service provided after the application phase, fielding fewer questions regarding assignment of tickets. V. Benefits of the Current Lottery Application Process The changes made to the lottery application process helped: • Streamline and clarify the lottery application process for both lottery applicants and Town staff. • Provide housing opportunities for an increased number of applicants and allow time to provide enhanced customer service. • Meet the requirements of the employee housing guidelines, requiring the lottery drawing be conducted within sixteen (16) business days of the lottery home being advertised for sale. • Reduce undue burden put on local lenders due to the pre-qualification letter being required only to the top three winners. • Comply with housing policy statement #7 adopted by Resolution No. 30, Series 2018 that states: 515 4 | Page Town of Vail “#7 People Promote Community – We ensure opportunity and access to the Town’s housing programs and initiatives through a clear, equitable, and easy to administer process for housing selection.” 516 AGENDA ITEM NO. 5.4 Item Cover Page DATE:May 21, 2024 SUBMITTED BY:Stephanie Bibbens, Finance ITEM TYPE:Information Update AGENDA SECTION:Information Update SUBJECT:Residences at Main Vail 2023 and 2024 Income Statement SUGGESTED ACTION: VAIL TOWN COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM REPORT ATTACHMENTS: RMV 2023 FS Info Update 2024-05-21 RMV 2024 YTD FS Info Update 2024-05-21 517 Account Name Jun 2023 Jul 2023 Aug 2023 Sep 2023 Oct 2023 Nov 2023 Dec 2023 Total Annual Budget Budget Variance Operating Income & Expense Income RENTS Rent Income 0.00 0.00 0.00 110,950.00 84,230.49 133,269.37 135,495.50 463,945.36 428,931.00 Total RENTS 0.00 0.00 0.00 110,950.00 84,230.49 133,269.37 135,495.50 463,945.36 428,931.00 35,014.36 FEES Pet Fee-Non Refundable 0.00 0.00 0.00 325.00 316.67 446.77 446.67 1,535.11 5,400.00 Application Fee Income 0.00 1,400.00 320.00 160.00 40.00 0.00 0.00 1,920.00 2,000.00 Utility Reimbursement Fee Electricity 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 2,178.59 1,302.10 9,418.72 12,899.41 0.00 Water 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 4,579.62 5,541.52 14,847.14 24,968.28 0.00 Garbage and Recycling 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1,936.29 1,936.38 3,872.44 7,745.11 0.00 Total Utility Reimbursement Fee 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 8,694.50 8,780.00 28,138.30 45,612.80 0.00 45,612.80 Xfinity Reimbursement Charges 0.00 0.00 0.00 1,960.00 2,275.00 2,415.00 2,415.00 9,065.00 0.00 Parking Fees 0.00 0.00 0.00 4,400.00 3,238.32 5,093.56 4,904.16 17,636.04 21,600.00 Total FEES 0.00 1,400.00 320.00 6,845.00 14,564.49 16,735.33 35,904.13 75,768.95 29,000.00 46,768.95 Investment Earnings 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Project Reimbursement 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 3,312.00 3,312.00 0.00 TOV Transfer for Debt Service Payment 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1,217,504.00 1,217,504.00 1,218,388.00 Total MISC 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1,220,816.00 1,220,816.00 1,218,388.00 2,428.00 Total Operating Income 0.00 1,400.00 320.00 117,795.00 98,794.98 150,004.70 1,392,215.63 1,760,530.31 1,676,319.00 84,211.31 Expense REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE GROUNDS MAINTENANCE Snow Removal 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 3,162.00 3,162.00 6,324.00 Grounds Maintenance Supplies 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 815.66 815.66 Total GROUNDS MAINTENANCE 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 3,162.00 3,977.66 7,139.66 49,000.00 41,860.34 GENERAL REPAIRS & MAINTENCE Maintenance Supplies 0.00 0.00 0.00 52.99 1,226.64 270.09 439.60 1,989.32 Key/Lock Replacement 0.00 0.00 0.00 1,308.68 0.00 0.00 0.00 1,308.68 Total GENERAL REPAIRS & MAINTENCE 0.00 0.00 0.00 1,361.67 1,226.64 270.09 439.60 3,298.00 17,000.00 13,702.00 CLEANING Janitorial Expense 0.00 0.00 0.00 7,600.00 7,600.00 6,650.00 2,585.00 24,435.00 Total CLEANING 0.00 0.00 0.00 7,600.00 7,600.00 6,650.00 2,585.00 24,435.00 23,000.00 -1,435.00 Total REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE 0.00 0.00 0.00 8,961.67 8,826.64 10,082.09 7,002.26 34,872.66 89,000.00 54,127.34 OPERATING EXPENSES ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES Advertising 0.00 715.03 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 715.03 Common Area Supplies 0.00 0.00 341.57 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 341.57 Credit Check Fees 0.00 1,336.00 1,091.95 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 2,427.95 Management Fees 0.00 12,580.65 5,000.00 5,000.00 5,000.00 5,552.39 5,710.85 38,843.89 Office Expense 0.00 0.00 9.78 605.37 17.50 0.00 0.00 632.65 Software Expense 0.00 840.00 379.00 1,175.70 280.00 452.25 555.60 3,682.55 Telephone Expense 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 148.90 0.00 57.28 206.18 Triumph Management West LLC Properties: Residences at Main Vail - 129 N Frontage Road Vail, CO 81657 Period Range: Jun 2023 to Dec 2023 2023 Income Statement 51 8 Bank Fees 12.45 10.00 20.00 10.00 10.00 10.00 10.00 82.45 Answering Service 0.00 0.00 0.00 51.38 63.90 53.47 51.98 220.73 Property Insurance 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 11,314.01 11,314.01 Subcontract Labor 0.00 0.00 1,255.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1,255.00 Storage 0.00 340.00 0.00 265.00 265.00 265.00 265.00 1,400.00 Total ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES 12.45 15,821.68 8,097.30 7,107.45 5,785.30 6,333.11 17,964.72 61,122.01 60,854.00 -268.01 PAYROLL Wages - Admin Staff 0.00 16,380.00 8,970.00 7,800.00 7,150.00 6,240.00 4,566.00 51,106.00 Benefits - Admin Staff 0.00 3,276.00 1,794.00 1,560.00 1,430.00 1,248.00 913.25 10,221.25 Wages - Maintenance Staff 0.00 15,000.00 7,500.00 7,500.00 7,500.00 7,500.00 7,500.00 52,500.00 Benefits - Maintenance Staff 0.00 3,000.00 1,500.00 1,500.00 1,500.00 1,500.00 1,500.00 10,500.00 Total PAYROLL 0.00 37,656.00 19,764.00 18,360.00 17,580.00 16,488.00 14,479.25 124,327.25 127,740.00 3,412.75 UTILITIES Electricity - Common 0.00 0.00 0.00 10.00 1,122.35 1,974.09 5,887.72 8,994.16 Electricity - Occupied 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 2,178.69 3,832.07 11,244.94 17,255.70 Water & Sewer - Occupied 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 4,579.34 5,541.04 15,048.07 25,168.45 Water - Common 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 3,991.26 3,991.26 Garbage and Recycling - Occupied 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1,936.00 1,936.00 3,954.94 7,826.94 Cable & Internet - Occupied 0.00 0.00 0.00 3,191.60 1,848.40 2,520.00 2,520.00 10,080.00 Cable & Internet - Common 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 671.60 251.51 258.34 1,181.45 Total UTILITIES 0.00 0.00 0.00 3,201.60 12,336.38 16,054.71 42,905.27 74,497.96 47,900.00 -26,597.96 Total OPERATING EXPENSES 12.45 53,477.68 27,861.30 37,630.72 44,528.32 48,957.91 82,351.50 294,819.88 325,494.00 30,674.12 DEBT SERVICE Principal Repayment 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 415,000.00 415,000.00 Note Interest 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 699,713.00 799,004.00 800,388.00 Fiscal Agent Fees 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 3,500.00 3,500.00 3,000.00 Total DEBT SERVICE 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 703,213.00 1,217,504.00 1,218,388.00 884.00 Total Expenditures 12.45 53,477.68 27,861.30 37,630.72 44,528.32 48,957.91 785,564.50 1,512,323.88 1,543,882.00 31,558.12 Change in Net Position -12.45 -52,077.68 -27,541.30 80,164.28 54,266.66 101,046.79 606,651.13 248,206.43 132,437.00 115,769.43 51 9 Account Name Jan 2024 Feb 2024 Mar 2024 Total YTD Budget YTD Budget Variance Annual Budget Operating Income & Expense Income RENTS Rent Income 140,332.26 140,630.65 141,850.00 422,812.91 424,875.00 -2,062.09 1,721,300.00 Total RENTS 140,332.26 140,630.65 141,850.00 422,812.91 424,875.00 -2,062.09 1,721,300.00 FEES Pet Fee-Non Refundable 500.00 475.00 400.00 1,375.00 1,500.00 -125.00 6,000.00 Application Fee Income 240.00 40.00 120.00 400.00 0.00 400.00 180.00 Utility Reimbursement Fee Electricity 6,234.56 5,784.70 4,700.88 16,720.14 4,000.00 12,720.14 15,150.00 Water 7,837.93 7,967.50 7,900.80 23,706.23 6,000.00 17,706.23 28,000.00 Garbage and Recycling 1,936.53 1,936.14 1,936.00 5,808.67 2,000.00 3,808.67 7,100.00 Total Utility Reimbursement Fee 16,009.02 15,688.34 14,537.68 46,235.04 12,000.00 34,235.04 53,250.00 Xfinity Reimbursement Charges 2,520.00 2,496.29 2,520.00 7,536.29 0.00 7,536.29 0.00 Parking Fees 5,400.00 5,400.00 5,400.00 16,200.00 16,200.00 0.00 64,800.00 Total FEES 24,669.02 24,099.63 22,977.68 71,746.33 29,700.00 42,046.33 124,230.00 Miscellaneous Income 50.00 100.00 150.00 300.00 125.01 174.99 500.00 Total Operating Income 165,051.28 164,830.28 164,977.68 494,859.24 454,700.01 40,159.23 1,846,030.00 Expense REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE HVAC & PLUMBING HVAC Supplies 0.00 0.00 605.19 605.19 600.00 -5.19 2,400.00 Plumbing/Mechanical/HVAC Repairs 0.00 0.00 2,046.00 2,046.00 0.00 -2,046.00 10,000.00 Plumbing Supplies 0.00 10.04 0.00 10.04 750.00 739.96 3,000.00 Total HVAC & PLUMBING 0.00 10.04 2,651.19 2,661.23 1,350.00 -1,311.23 15,400.00 GROUNDS MAINTENANCE Snow Removal 3,162.00 3,162.00 6,949.00 13,273.00 14,700.00 1,427.00 24,500.00 Pest Control 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1,500.00 1,500.00 6,000.00 Grounds Maintenance Supplies 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 600.00 600.00 2,400.00 Total GROUNDS MAINTENANCE 3,162.00 3,162.00 6,949.00 13,273.00 16,800.00 3,527.00 32,900.00 GENERAL REPAIRS & MAINTENCE Electrical Repairs 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 5,000.00 Electrical Supplies 0.00 45.46 44.82 90.28 750.00 659.72 3,000.00 Maintenance Supplies 84.68 106.18 271.72 462.58 600.00 137.42 2,400.00 Drywall R&M 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 600.00 600.00 2,400.00 Painting 0.00 177.33 52.46 229.79 600.00 370.21 2,400.00 Key/Lock Replacement 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 500.00 500.00 2,000.00 Total GENERAL REPAIRS & MAINTENCE 84.68 328.97 369.00 782.65 3,050.00 2,267.35 17,200.00 CLEANING Carpet Cleaning 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 10,000.00 2024 Income Statement January -March Triumph Management West LLC Properties: Residences at Main Vail - 129 N Frontage Road Vail, CO 81657 Period Range: Jan 2024 to Mar 2024 52 0 Janitorial Expense 1,880.00 2,350.00 3,760.00 7,990.00 13,500.00 5,510.00 54,000.00 Total CLEANING 1,880.00 2,350.00 3,760.00 7,990.00 13,500.00 5,510.00 64,000.00 Total REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE 5,126.68 5,851.01 13,729.19 24,706.88 34,700.00 9,993.12 129,500.00 ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES Resident Retention 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1,000.00 1,000.00 4,000.00 Mileage 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 491.25 491.25 1,965.00 Credit Check Fees 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 140.00 Management Fees 5,860.89 5,865.83 5,912.80 17,639.52 17,703.00 63.48 71,691.03 Office Expense 40.73 27.61 48.24 116.58 150.00 33.42 600.00 IT Support 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 450.00 450.00 1,800.00 Software Expense 280.00 348.90 417.80 1,046.70 840.00 -206.70 3,360.00 Telephone Expense 57.28 57.09 57.17 171.54 1,050.00 878.46 4,200.00 Dues & Subscriptions 205.27 0.00 0.00 205.27 750.00 544.73 3,000.00 Bank Fees 10.00 10.00 10.00 30.00 75.00 45.00 300.00 Answering Service 50.49 49.00 56.45 155.94 147.00 -8.94 588.00 Property Insurance 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 25,000.00 Storage 265.00 265.00 265.00 795.00 0.00 -795.00 0.00 Total ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES 6,769.66 6,623.43 6,767.46 20,160.55 22,656.25 2,495.70 116,644.03 PAYROLL Wages - Admin Staff 5,005.00 6,695.00 6,337.50 18,037.50 24,500.00 6,462.50 91,000.00 Benefits - Admin Staff 750.75 1,004.25 950.63 2,705.63 3,675.00 969.37 13,650.00 Wages - Maintenance Staff 8,000.00 12,000.00 8,000.00 28,000.00 28,000.00 0.00 104,000.00 Benefits - Maintenance Staff 1,200.00 1,800.00 1,200.00 4,200.00 4,200.00 0.00 15,600.00 Total PAYROLL 14,955.75 21,499.25 16,488.13 52,943.13 60,375.00 7,431.87 224,250.00 UTILITIES Electricity - Common 3,329.56 3,022.15 2,420.83 8,772.54 9,000.00 227.46 36,000.00 Electricity - Occupied 6,234.56 5,784.70 4,700.88 16,720.14 4,000.00 -12,720.14 18,150.00 Water & Sewer - Occupied 7,837.80 7,967.30 7,900.70 23,705.80 6,000.00 -17,705.80 25,000.00 Garbage and Recycling - Occupied 1,936.00 1,936.00 1,936.00 5,808.00 0.00 -5,808.00 2,500.00 Cable & Internet - Occupied 2,520.00 2,520.00 2,520.00 7,560.00 2,000.00 -5,560.00 15,950.00 Cable & Internet - Common 358.29 161.38 386.49 906.16 0.00 -906.16 0.00 Total UTILITIES 22,216.21 21,391.53 19,864.90 63,472.64 21,000.00 -42,472.64 97,600.00 Total OPERATING EXPENSES 49,068.30 55,365.22 56,849.68 161,283.20 138,731.25 -22,551.95 567,994.00 DEBT SERVICE Principal Repayment 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 435,000.00 Other interest expense 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 783,788.00 Fiscal Agent Fees 0.00 0.00 1,750.00 1,750.00 750.00 -1,000.00 3,000.00 Total DEBT SERVICE 0.00 0.00 1,750.00 1,750.00 750.00 -1,000.00 1,221,788.00 Total Expenditures 49,068.30 55,365.22 58,599.68 163,033.20 139,481.25 (23,551.95)1,789,782.00 Change in Net Position 115,982.98 109,465.06 106,378.00 331,826.04 315,218.76 16,607.28 56,248.00 52 1 AGENDA ITEM NO. 6.1 Item Cover Page DATE:May 21, 2024 SUBMITTED BY:Stephanie Bibbens, Town Manager ITEM TYPE:Town Manager Report AGENDA SECTION:Matters from Mayor, Council, Town Manager and Committee Reports (20 min.) SUBJECT:Town Manager Report SUGGESTED ACTION: VAIL TOWN COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM REPORT ATTACHMENTS: TM Update 2024-05-21 CDOT Thank You Letter 522 Town Managers Update May 21, 2024 1. West Vail Pass CDOT Project We have received an invitation for the mayor or I to meet with the CDOT Executive Director. This meeting is being scheduled. Also, we have received a response to our letter to CDOT which is attached. 2. Town Hall Repairs As planned, an HVAC system repair and other improvements are occurring at Town Hall. The administration office (Town Manager, Deputy Manager, Finance Director) are in the lower level of the Lionshead parking structure. Human resources, the finance offices in the lower floor of Town Hall, and PD services will not be displaced. The front desk/reception for the Town is located at the PD front counter in Town Hall. Public meetings for Town Council and boards will be occurring in the Grand View room until the improvements have been completed in Town Hall. 3. Other There may be other topics the Town Manager needs to share with the Town Council. 523 524 525 AGENDA ITEM NO. 6.2 Item Cover Page DATE:May 21, 2024 SUBMITTED BY:Stephanie Bibbens, Town Manager ITEM TYPE:Town Manager Report AGENDA SECTION:Matters from Mayor, Council, Town Manager and Committee Reports (20 min.) SUBJECT:Council Matters and Status Update SUGGESTED ACTION: VAIL TOWN COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM REPORT ATTACHMENTS: 2024-05-21 Matters 526 COUNCIL MATTERS Status Report Report for May 21, 2024 Town Council thanked the town, especially Environmental, Communications and Public Works departments for a successful Community Clean Up Day! Collectively we collected an estimated 360 pounds of dog poo and ~200 bags/5,000 pounds of trash! Impressive!! Big thanks for the fantastic End of Season party! Council directed staff to work with VR to bring back pond skimming event. Town Council thanked on-mountain VR employees and TOV staff (PW, Parking, etc) for a successful winter season! Council requested a financial report on Residences at Main Vail. This report will be included in Council packets. Social Media Listening https://share.sproutsocial.com/view/7112d779-935a-4cfa-92d7-79935afcfa49 Here is the Sprout Link for 5/1 –5/16. As a reminder, Sprout Listening has certain limitations and restrictions based on both how I’ve built the query as well as privacy policies of each social media platform. For this reason, this link isn’t a full rendering of social media conversations but offers a sampling. In the News______________________________________________________ May 2 Hard to Recycle https://www.realvail.com/vail-hard-to-recycle-event-scheduled-for-may-10/a19000/ May 3 Community Clean Up Day https://www.vaildaily.com/news/vail-community-collects-around-5000-pounds-of-trash-at- annual-cleanup/ Bear Aware 527 https://www.vaildaily.com/news/time-again-to-be-bear-aware-in-the-vail-valley/ Hard to Recycle https://www.vaildaily.com/news/eagle-county-communities-host-opportunities-to-recycle-more- challenging-items/ May 6 Town Reserves https://www.vaildaily.com/news/can-vail-maintain-financial-security-while-tackling-a-list-of-big- costly-projects/ Widening at the Narrows https://www.vaildaily.com/news/vail-pass-i-70-eastbound-lanes-through-the-narrows-probably- wont-be-finished-anytime-soon/ May 8 Prom Night Tips https://www.realvail.com/vail-police-offer-tips-for-a-safe-and-enjoyable-prom-night/a19051/ May 9 Wildfire Prep https://www.vaildaily.com/news/how-prepared-is-vail-for-a-significant-wildfire-event/ Mountain Safe Program https://www.realvail.com/criminal-justice-agencies-community-organizations-partner-to-reduce- violence/a19066/ Artist in Residency https://www.vaildaily.com/news/vail-cancels-artist-in-residency-summer-program-over- scheduled-artists-political-messages/ https://www.realvail.com/vail-cancels-artist-in-residency-program-with-seewalker-due-to-gaza- artwork/a19076/ https://www.9news.com/article/news/community/race-and-culture/artist-dropped-vail-artist-in- residency-program/73-ea004634-73a9-4bca-b480-20c53900b29a May 10 Artist in Residency https://coloradosun.com/2024/05/10/danielle-seewalker-artist-residency-gaza-vail/ https://www.rmpbs.org/blogs/news/danielle-seewalker-vail/ https://www.cpr.org/2024/05/10/vail-cancels-residency-for-native-american-artist-danielle- seewalker-over-painting-commenting-on-the-war-in-gaza/ https://www.yahoo.com/news/vail-colorado-pulls-native-american-215446142.html May 11 Ride in Remembrance 528 https://www.realvail.com/ride-in-remembrance-for-local-first-responders-scheduled-for-may- 15/a19089/ May 13 Artist in Residency https://www.westword.com/arts/vail-removes-danielle-seewalker-from-residency-for-palestine- stance-20698858 https://www.redlakenationnews.com/story/2024/05/13/news/vail-colorado-pulls-native-american- artist-and-residency-artist-shocked/122348.html May 14 Artist in Residency https://www.vaildaily.com/news/vail-native-american-artist-residency/ Artist in Residency - letter https://www.vaildaily.com/opinion/letter-my-condolences-to-vails-art-in-public-places/ May 15 Artist in Residency https://www.realvail.com/town-provides-update-statement-on-vails-artist-in-residency- cancellation/a19103/ Artist in Residency - letter https://www.vaildaily.com/opinion/letter-art-should-never-promote-discrimination/ Artist in Residency - editorial https://www.denverpost.com/2024/05/15/vail-cancel-artist-residency-danielle-seewalker-lakota/ May 16 Town Council Strategic Plan https://www.vaildaily.com/news/vail-sets-priorities-to-build-a-stronger-community-over-next-5- years/ Artist in Residency https://www.aspenpublicradio.org/2024-05-16/town-of-vail-drops-art-program-over-political- concerns-artist-danielle-seewalker-gives-her-perspective Artist in Residency - letter https://www.vaildaily.com/opinion/letter-lets-stop-the-hatred/ Upcoming Dates July 9 Community Picnic: Bighorn Park 529 August 13 Community Picnic: Donovan September 10 Vail Social 530