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Home My WebLink AboutLH Tranps Plan Update 2006 LIONSHEAD VILLAGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN UPDATE Prepared for: Town of Vail 75 South Frontage Road Vail, Colorado 81657 Prepared by: Felsburg Holt & Ullevig 6300 South Syracuse Way, Suite 600 Centennial, CO 80111 303/721-1440 Project Manager: Christopher J. Fasching, PE, Principal FHU Reference No. 05-168 November 2006 Lionshead Village T�^a�zspor�tcztio�z Plan Update TABLE OF CONTENTS Paqe I. INTRODUCTION -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1 II. EXISTING TRANSPORTATION CONDITIONS____________________________________________________2 I11. P ROJ E CT E D C O N D I TI O N S ----------------------------------------------------------------------------4 A. Land Uses------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------4 B. Traffic Projections --------------------------------------------------------------------------------4 C. Traffic Operations---------------------------------------------------------------------------------8 IV. TRANSIT--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10 V. PARKING -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 13 VI FINAL LIONSHEAD TRANSPORTATION PLAN ----------------------------------------------- 14 a FELSBURG C, fIOLT & ULI_EV CG Lionslzead i�illage Transportc�tio�z Plan Update LIST OF FIGURES Paqe Figure 1. South Frontage Road Traffic Volumes, Peak Season 2006----------------------------3 Figure 2. Lionshead PM Peak Hour Traffic Projections----------------------------------------------5 LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Master Plan Study Comparison---------------------------------------------------------------7 � FELSBURG C� HQLT & ULLEVIG Lio�zshead Village Transpo��tatio�z Plan Update I. INTRODUCTION This report serves as an update to the 1998 Lionshead Village Transportation Plan. Development and redevelopment planning within the Lionshead planning area has changed since the 1998 plan, and this report attempts to present these changes, impacts to the transportation system, and provides guidance for future transportation planning activity within Lionshead. Several major changes since 1998 include: • The advent to redevelop the West Lionshead area including the possibility of a new ski lift and additional public parking in this area, • The potential to redevelop the Lionshead parking structure to include a mix of uses and possibly additional public parking supply, and • Changes in the ski industry's pass structure program (which can affect parking demands) The October 1998 Lionshead Master Transportation Plan included a significant data collection effort in terms of traffic, pedestrian activity, shuttle activity, and transit activity. This level of data collection has not been repeated here. However, this transportation planning effort does leverage the planning that is taking place as part of the Town's Frontage Road plan which did include an extensive peak hour traffic data collection effort. The Frontage Road planning effort is being conducted to determine the traffic impacts of potential development throughout the Town including: • Development that is under construction • Development that is already approved • Development that was recently submitted to the Town for consideration, and • Potential development that might more efficiently utilize a given parcel of land. The Lionshead Master Transportation Plan Update makes use of data/projections developed as part of the Frontage Road Plan with refinements being applied specific to the Lionshead area. < FELSP�URG C, I i O L'1- & ULLEVIG Page 1 Lionshead T�illage Ti°anspoNtation Plan Update II. EXISTING TRANSPORTATION CONDITIONS As part of Frontage Road planning study, a series of intersection turning movement counts were collected throughout the Town during peak winter time periods. These included the key cross- street intersections within the Lionshead area, and the AM and PM peak hour turning movements representative of the 2006 timeframe are shown in Figure 1. The Frontage Road study focused on the PM peak hour time frame since the PM traffic flows were higher than the AM. However, one area of concern in the AM peak hour is the access intersection to the Lionshead Parking Structure. There is a relatively heavy inbound left turn that takes place during the AM peak hour, and this movement routinely creates queues along the Frontage Road. The creation of the queues is due to a combination of factors including: • The lack of a left turn lane which then causes some of the through traffic to be caught in the queue, and • The location of the parking entry booths offers limited stacking distance on-site, so excess queuing takes place along the Frontage Road As compared to the 1997 Presidents Day weekend PM peak hour traffic, the 2006 PM peak hour data are similar. Patterns for the Frontage Road and the cross-streets are also similar between the two time-frames. Magnitudes of the 2006 PM peak hour data are slightly higher than the raw 1997 data in some locations, but generally the two sets of traffic data are alike. Transit service is currently provided to the Lionshead area via several Town bus routes and the Eagle County regional service (ECO). Vail's In-town bus service terminates at Lionshead near the planned West Lionshead area. In-town bus stops are provided at several locations within Lionshead, but the busiest stop area is at the Lionshead Mall entrance located at the southwest corner of the Lionshead Parking Structure. This area is busiest primarily due to this location being closest to the Lionshead Gondola, but it also serves as the primary stop for the parking structure itself. Two West Vail bus routes both have scheduled stops at Lionshead Plaza located on the west side of the Lionshead Mall area. The ECO system also has programmed stop at Lionshead. One of Vail's two major parking structures also resides in Lionshead. Approximately 1200 spaces are provided at the Lionshead parking structure. During winter season, this structure may fill between 30 and 40 times depending on season snow conditions. Typically, drivers are directed to this structure once the Village parking structure fills. When both structures fill, the Town parks excess vehicles along the Frontage Road. Peak days can see over 1,000 vehicies parked along the Frontage Road. • FELSP�URG C� HOLT � ULtEVIG Page2 \ T � � \\� � �� Q� � �\ \ � �0 6�`'� � � � �� JJ � 5151 51 � � �i � s�f � g612 I,L p � f � � o � U � �� s � �� 5151 l J J� � \[ � \� � �ol °s'S' \ � �� N � � \�� O \�� \\ � � \ � \�\\\� oszsJo9� '`�(szjs S�z � \�� \\ � � � �r LL �� \�� N � � \\ \� � ° o �� .o� \\ � \ �° � u d \\ � �O� �� \\ �\\ N "'GO �� \ � O j�o Jj �� \ \ �p � � \ � �� hea � �� Iv v0 � I ' \\ \ JA �� 35165) � b � �� 100(16��` °�,N °' °�� m � rob �� \ N � "¢ � \� �� ;� 1� �1 > 1� �1 I� �I I � o d I� I� I �' � � ° � I� r� �' �� i " = OQ I� � I I� 55(100)� � � � � �w � � �� 65(95)� �� E � � � � ov o � °° P: I �`n°o > i a o I I I c+7 c� U .� � � � 0. � I I I I � � I � � � _ � � I � � � � � W o � � � i � � � d � I �� rM m a g O o � �I � � I � Q Ag � � � � � i � o'"� d X Q �I � � 30(165)� � I � � � x � � � 50(355)� �n o U � Z X I �� C'3 X O I �� O ii �H� � X > �� c�M � � �oa o � ' � � p � '� -o � �. � � � � > wZ� � �Y �� / �� . D� _ Lionshead Village TranspoNtation Plan Zlpclate III. PROJECTED CONDITIONS A. Land Uses The 1998 Lionshead Transportation Plan had evaluated a certain set of land uses in determining future travel demands. Some of these have come to fruition, but others have changed entirely. The following land uses have been assumed either as part of the travel demand model or as a refinement to this specific transportation plan: • Forest Road/VA Service Yard Area — 355 new units, 115,000 square feet of commercial development, and potentially 400 additional public parking spaces. • West Lionshead Circle East — 370 net new units, 220 replaced units, and 36,000 net new square feet of commercial space. • East Lionshead Circle — 102 new units, 221 replaced units and 29,000 square feet of commercial development. This road may also serve a portion of the Lionshead Parking Structure redevelopment. • Parking Structure —One possible redevelopment scenario includes 240 new hotel units, 125 condo units, and 65,000 square feet of commercial uses. Additional parking spaces are possible as well. A table comparing these uses and their associated trip generation estimates against those assumed in the 1998 study is shown in the following subsection. B. Traffic Projections Year 2025 traffic projections were developed from those used in the Frontage Road planning effort with land use embellishments as mentioned. The same trip generation rates that were used in the 1998 plan were used again in this analysis, including for the West Lionshead area. Figure 2 shows the traffic projections in the Lionshead area for the PM peak hour. In developing revised traffic forecasts in support of this effort, the following are major considerations that have impacted the peak hour traffic forecasts: 1. Traffic projections from the Frontage Road Plan. These were developed through the use of a "model" that accounted for new development and potential redevelopment as estimated by Vail staff. The development levels were converted into trips which were, in turn, assigned to the Town's roadways. 2. Trip estimates associated with the proposed Lionshead Parking Structure redevelopment. Trip estimates were taken directly from one of the Lionshead Parking Structure proposal's traffic study and incorporated with the projections developed as part of Frontage Road planning project. This redevelopment is estimated to add up to 350 trips per hour to the roadway system. • FELSP�URG CIHOLT & ULLEVIG Page4 � N C/) \�� \\� \ � � O \�i\� oso�� N \�� \ \� � �g5 �y o$ \\� � 195 °�' � U � � \�� C� \ � N ~ \� � � 'C \\ � � \\ � O \�� ,�gb -J �� \ �s9 � S�� 0�� r �� \\ � \ � \\ � \ `� �� \ ° o � �� \ `� � yv cs �� \ �y °'� \\ \ � � �o \\ � � �.�o �; ,� � � � \� �� yhea �� oc � � �� \ q v � � \� 80� �1 O � � \\\�� 230� �rn � �� \ \� � �� "a"" � 1�1 �1 ;° � � �1 > 1� �1 �� I I � � � I�I I�II r M o � � � rn � �� I � � � � "= OQ I� � II I� 160� � I �w I I I I 125� °�a`�'o I � I I r� � �� I � I I m a' � � II � � � � � � � t � ° I I I � o � LLI � I I I I � p �+ � � a O � � � I � � I � N o �� = o � I � � °' � � o�� I � a � � � � � I � zo5� w o a � � � � 520� �� ¢ � C��C� 0 n �O I vo U � N(O (n � �H > W x ' '� � o � �� w x ° � ' II o �° ,�0,� a � 1 �� z � wx � a � °' ' � � I � �/ �� /� z° Lio�zsliead i�illage Transportation Plan Update 3. West Lionshead redevelopment including the attraction associated with a new lift. An assumption of 400 parking spaces, specifically to serve the public parking needs, is also incorporated into this analysis. Other adjustments have been made to the traffic projections to reflect the likelihood of relocating the Frontage Road up against I-70. This has been discussed as part of the Frontage Road planning with preliminary acceptance from CDOT. Figure 2 reflects this alignment change. From Figure 2, projected traffic cross-streets projections characteristics are described in the following subsections. • Lionshead Parking Structure Access - This was identified in the 1998 study as being heavily traveled as well. The addition of development incorporated into a new structure would add trips into and out of its primary access. The traffic numbers shown in Figure 2 represent an access scheme in which the redevelopment would partially be served by East Lionshead Circle and partially served by the main access onto the South Frontage Road. The turning movements into and out of this access would be greater than any other Frontage Road cross-street in this area. As mentioned, the AM peak hour is not a focus in this analysis, but it does at least need to be mentioned relative to this access. lJnder a no-improvement scenario, this access may be prone to even longer left turn queues during the AM peak hour. • East Lionshead Circle—Turning movements into and out of this cross-street are projected to increase and are greater than those estimated in the 1998 Plan. The traffic projections reflect the potential for the parking structure redevelopment accessing this roadway. • West Lionshead Circle, East—The primary movements to/from this roadway are oriented to/from the east. Aside from the parking structure access, PM peak hour projections at this intersection to/from the east are the greatest in the Lionshead study area. Movements to/from the west are not as significant at this intersection as the other Lionshead intersections. • West Lionshead Circle, West—The primary traffic patterns at this intersection include movements to/from the west, which is reversed from the West Lionshead Circle, East intersection. However, this intersection is planned to serve the lowest amount of traffic of the five Frontage Road intersections in the Lionshead area. • Forest Road —Traffic projection estimates at this intersection reflect the potential of serving all of the West Vail redevelopment including the new public parking. Depending on the precise lay out of the West Lionshead area, some of this demand may be served by an additional access onto the Frontage Road. • FELSPURG C� I-iOLT & li L L F V I C� Page 6 Lionsliead i�illage Tra�zsportation Plan Update Table 1 was created to allow a quick comparison of the land uses used in the 1998 Plan as compared to those being used in this 2006 update. Table 1. Master Plan Study Comparison � �� .�-,�- m ��,°� �t i� �� " � �F� � 5 F u � .�-.._....-_ ' i �� ' ',�� 355 Units Forest Road and VA 113 Units 115 KSF Commercial 75 528 Service Yard Area 14 KSF Commercial 400 Public Parking Spaces 370 Net New Units West LH Circle 421 Units 220 Replaced Units 244 239 25 KSF Commercial 36 KSF Net New Commercial 102 New Units East LH Circle 37 Units 221 Replaced Units 19 105 29 KSF Commercial 15 Units 365 New Units Parking Structure 54 KSF Commercial 65 KSF Commercial 200 350 100 KSF Community 50 KSF Community 586 Units 1,192 New Units 441 Replaced Units Totals 93 KSF Commercial 245 KSF Commercial 538 1,222 100 KSF Community 50 KSF Community Reflects net new development. It should be noted that these numbers reflect additional units and commercial square feet being planned. A small amount of the 1998 land use numbers have already come to fruition, so these would not be included in the 2006 data. Because of this phenomenon, the data are not directl comparable, but they do allow a comparison of these two time frames in terms of the envisioned additional development and associated trips. As shown, the total Lionshead land use in the 2006 study is greater than that used in the 1998 study. Bigger differences include the level of development in West Lionshead (VA Service Yard) that is now being contemplated. This area may accommodate an additional ski lift and as much as 400 new parking spaces. Plans are still being developed. In comparing the trip generation estimates between the land use schemes, the 2006 land use would generate more than double the PM peak hour traffic than the new land uses envisioned in 1998. The 2006 study was conducted with similar distribution percentages as the 1998 study. Background traffic between the two studies was calculated in a different manner. Because the Frontage Road study effort included new development potential through the entire town, a much lower background traffic growth factor was used in developing long-term traffic forecasts since it only needs to capture regional growth impacts (outside of Vail). The 1998 study included estimated trips from only new development in Lionshead and then increased existing traffic by • FELSPURG �� HOLT & LLLEV IG Page 7 Lionsliead Village Transportation Plan Update two percent per year. The 2006 study is estimating new trips from all new development within town, so the background traffic factor does not need to be as aggressive since it is not trying to "capture" as many impacts; the 2006 study used a 0.5% annual growth factor for that study's "background" traffic, but then trips from all other new development in Town were added in as part of the model. As compared to the 1998 PM peak hour traffic forecasts, the long-term forecasts along the South Frontage Road in the 2006 study are comparable. Turning movement projections to/from the side streets are now much greater, but through traffic along the Frontage Road is slightly lower than the 1998 projections. The predominant reason for the differences in through traffic along the Frontage Road is in the calculation of the background traffic; the two percent annual increase used in the 1997 study may have been slightly aggressive in light of more recent traffic counts. C. Traffic Operations Given the 2025 traffic projections, intersection levels of service were calculated to gauge traffic operations at each of the intersections. The analysis indicates that making a left turn from a cross-street onto the Frontage Road will be a challenging maneuver at these intersections. Those locations where the challenge will be greatest includes the Lionshead Parking Structure and East Lionshead Circle. However, the intersections of Forest Road and West Lionshead Circle, West will also experience some delay for drivers attempting to turn left onto the Frontage Road. The Lionshead parking structure access left-in would also be problematic during the AM peak hour. The Frontage Road planning effort has identified several improvements for the Lionshead area, and the results of this analysis suggest that those improvements should be pursued. The following describes the nature of improvements for the Frontage Road within Lionshead. • The Frontage Road will still need to be widened as the 1998 study identified. This includes a center turn and refuge lane (for left turn out onto the Frontage Road), a continuous eastbound right-turn accel/decel lane, and a westbound bicycle lane that would also serve parking overflow. • In the West Lionshead area, specific plans are still being developed, but there is the hope that the Frontage Road would be realigned to up against I-70 (CDOT has given initial acceptance of this concept). Direction has been provided to the development team to explore incorporating a roundabout into the design such that is would serve the development, Forest Road, and West Lionshead Circle at a single point. • At the Lionshead Structure, the access is expected to operate poorly during the AM and PM peak hour. The Frontage Road Plan calls for either police control of traffic movements or the placement of traffic signal at the access. Public reaction has not been supportive of a traffic signal. A roundabout was considered, but will not properly fit between the structure and I-70. Should the Lionshead Structure redevelop, the potential exists to combine its primary access with the E. Lionshead Circle intersection and serve both with a roundabout intersection. This concept should be pursued as part of the redevelopment effort. • FELSP�URG C� HOLT & U L L E V[G p�ge g Lionshead Village Tra�zsportation Plczn Update Outside the immediate Lionshead area, the Frontage Road plan has identified the need for other improvements as well, improvements which were not at all considered as part of 1998 study. The need for these additional improvements revolves around the operation of the Town's roundabout intersections at the interchanges. The level of development that the Town is anticipated to experience will generate additional trips through the roundabouts since these areas tend to be the point of traffic concentration within Vail. This is due to the fact that they provide access to/from I-70 and that they are the only means of crossing I-70. The advent of developing/redeveloping Lionshead will add an increment of traffic through both the Main Vail interchange roundabouts and the West Vail interchange roundabouts. A key component to alleviating these traffic pressures at the roundabout interchanges is the construction of a new grade-separated crossing of I-70, commonly referred to as the Simba Run underpass. The Simba Run crossing improvement is located approximately one-third mile west of Forest Road. With Lionshead being relatively close to the new underpass location, most trips between Lionshead and the north side of I-70 are likely to make use of the new underpass. Even Lionshead trips to/from I-70 will benefit from the underpass in that it will attract traffic away from the roundabouts, thereby reducing the congestion that I-70-oriented traffic would face. The 1998 Lionshead Transportation Plan had recognized the potential for new ramps onto and off of i-70 nearby. From the Frontage Road plan effort, the Town has learned that the approval for those ramps has expired. From discussions with CDOT staff, new access onto I-70 is not a likely proposition for the Town at this time. FELSPURG C� I�iOLT & U I_L E v I G Page 9 Lionshead Village Tra�zspoNtation Plan Update IV. TRANSIT One of the primary issues that the Town faces is determining the preferred location for a transit center planned to serve the Lionshead area. The Town has identified the need for an additional multi-modal transportation center. The current Village Transportation Center provides numerous functions including: • Passenger connection between routes (ECO, Vail Routes, Greyhound, private carriers, charters), • Providing bus staging for timed- transfers, • Switching out buses, and • Providing a place for drivers to take breaks among other uses. The facility is operating beyond it capacity. Ridership amongst the providers has increased in recent years, and the level of growth anticipated for the region suggests that ridership will continue to increase into the future, and the existing facility will only see heavier demands placed upon it. Provision of a Lionshead transit facility will alleviate the pressures placed on the Village facility. This facility would provide some needed duplicate services available at the Village, but this facility would also be able to serve as Lionshead transit hub. The type of facility is needed given the significant growth anticipated within the Lionshead area and with Lionshead serving one of the major portals to the mountain. Given the level of growth planned for the Lionshead area, there will be an increase of ridership between the Village and Lionshead, and this type of facility will be able to also facilitate this increase. Ideally, this new facility would provide for the following: • Route interconnectivity • Integration with public parking • Accommodation of all public and private carriers • Bicycle and pedestrian accommodation/integration • User information on routes, weather, and roads • Refreshments • Restrooms • "Harbor" areas for people given extended closures of Vail Pass � FELSP�URG C� HOLT & LLLEVIG Przgel0 Lionslzead Vidlage Ti^anspoNtation Plan Update Relative to the Lionshead area, the ideal transit center would also have all of the following characteristics: • It would be within a reasonable walking distance of the Lionshead core area, i.e. the gondola. • It would be easily accessible from the Frontage Road for outlying Vail bus routes, Vail's In-Town shuttle route, ECO buses, and hotel shuttles. • Its location would not create significant impact to nearby residential uses. • The configuration of the facility could accommodate approximately one-half dozen buses, four hotel shuttles, and at least five passenger cars per the 1998 Lionshead Transportation Pian. The 1998 Lionshead Transportation Plan had identified the North Day Lot as the preferred location, located on the southeast corner of the South Frontage Road and the eastern Lionshead Circle intersection. This location provided good access off of the frontage road, and a reasonable walking distance to the gondola, although the grade difference between the North Day Lot and the Gondola would require an escalator-type of facility. The biggest challenges that this site faces is the potential impact to nearby residential development and that the Town does not control this property. If developed for a transit center, this site could most likely be fully enclosed to minimize the impact on the nearby residential uses. From a transit function viewpoint, this site has potential. Because of some of the various issues, other site candidates have been raised for consideration. The site locations and the considerations are shown as follows: • West Lionshead Area —A transit center here would offer reasonable access from the Frontage Road, and it would serve a minor activity node given the planned parking, lift, and development in West Lionshead. However, it is far removed from the Gondola; approximately 1700 feet away. This area is probably not the appropriate location for the Lionshead Transit Center, but it is appropriate to provide for bus stops to serve buses traveling in both directions along the Frontage Road and perhaps other transit amenities. If the other site candidates did not develop, this site could serve as Vail's second transit center. • Lionshead Structure —A transit center has been considered at the Lionshead parking facility in the past. A variety of lay outs were developed for the top deck of the existing structure. Issues that surfaced with this type of layout included: — Numerous access points onto the Frontage Road which would be in relative close proximity. — Limited space for bus/shuttle operations; not all of the desired number of buses and shuttles could be accommodated. — Loss of public parking � FELSIiUFG �� I-fOLT & I:LLEVIV Pagell Laonshead Village T�ansportation Plan Update In 2006, the prospect of redeveloping the Lionshead structure is being considered. This would entail a totai demolition of the existing structure only to be reconstructed with residential and some commercial development. This entire "re-do" could be designed to also accommodate a Lionshead Transit Center as previously described. Potentially, this location could meet each of the characteristics associated with the ideal situation stated above. The walking distance between it and the Gondola would be approximately 1000 feet, approximately the same distance between the Village Parking Structure and the Vista Bahn Lift in Vail Village. • Lionshead Mall —This location is along East Lionshead Circle located at the southwest corner of the parking structure. Today it serves as a stop for hotel shuttles and the In- town shuttle bus route. Establishing it as the transit center has some merit in terms of its close proximity to the Gondola. There are drawbacks to this location as well including: — The need for Outlying Vail bus routes and the ECO bus routes to divert off-system to serve the center. — The significant amount of residential uses in the immediate area. Mitigating this impact at the Mall may be more challenging than minimizing the impact at the North Day Lot site. — The challenge for buses to turn left onto the Frontage Road from East Lionshead Circle. None-the-less, this site could be made into a functional facility if needed. In summary, the alternative that provides the best balance in achieving the above characteristics is a new facility incorporated into the Lionshead Parking Structure redevelopment, provided that the appropriate facility can be built as part of the overall development. Assuming that this redevelopment effort moves forward, the Town should continue to work with that developer to integrate the necessary transit center components. In the event that the Lionshead Structure redevelopment does not move ahead, the next preferred location from a functionality stand-point would be the North Day Lot. Its location relative to the Frontage Road and to the gondola gives this site some appeal. If pursued, its design would need to attempt to minimize impact to nearby residential uses, and appropriate pedestrian facilities would be needed to serve demands between this facility and the gondola. As a third option, the Lionshead Mall would be a site that the Town could pursue. Mitigation would be required to address the items mentioned above. The West Lionshead area should not be considered as the Lionshead transit center facility due to it being removed from the Lionshead core, but transit facilities should be accommodated in the design as the new lift and the formal public parking will generate some transit demand. � FELSPURG C, I-1 O L T � ULLEVIG Pl[ge12 Lionsliead Village Transportation Plan Update V. PARKING The Town of Vail has continued to explore a means of adding public parking to the supply within the central areas of Lionshead and Vail Village. A current need of at least 400 additional spaces has been identified by the Town in attempt to reduce the number of days that the Frontage Road is pressed into service to accommodate overflow parking. The 400 spaces are needed to maintain a supply accommodating 90 percent of the demand days, a Town parking objective. However, 1,000 additional spaces now would accommodate 99 percent of the current demand days. Over the long-term (20 years), the 1,000 spaces are estimated to accommodate 90 percent of the demand days. Candidate locations would include: • West Lionshead Redevelopment. A range of 200 to 500 public spaces have been identified for this area. The analysis presented herein assumes 400 public spaces. To the extent possible, the Town should pursue as much as is reasonably possible, realizing that access to/from the Frontage Road (roundabout intersection desired as previously described) and bus stop facilities will also be necessary. • Lionshead Structure. If this is redeveloped, the Town should explore the possibilities of increasing the number of spaces at this facility if it is to be rebuilt. This too, along with a possible transit center, will drive the need for a major intersection onto the Frontage Road, perhaps being served via a roundabout as previously described. • Ford Park. Potentially, 800 spaces could be provided in a structure at Ford Park. Transit service connecting it to the Village would be necessary during winter, but the parking could also be used for various events at the park. Between these three areas, the potential exists for the Town to add far more than the minimum 400 spaces in a manner that allows them to be spread around the central Vail area. • FELSPURG C1 }-I O L T & liLLEVIC Page l3 Lio�2sheacl Village Traizsportcction Plan Update VI FINAL LIONSHEAD TRANSPORTATIORI PLAN Based on the documented analysis and findings, this chapter summarizes the recommendations for the Lionshead Transportation Plan. • Widen the South Frontage Road to include a center lane (for left turns onto and off of the Frontage Road), a continuous right turn acceleration/deceleration lane, and appropriate bike lanes and sidewalks. This specific improvement could be modified for intersections where roundabouts might be constructed. • Explore a roundabout intersection for the West Lionshead redevelopment area that incorporates West Lionshead Circle, West, Forest Road, and the primary development "generators". • Explore a roundabout intersection for the redevelopment of the Lionshead Parking Structure that would serve the parking, a possible transit center, and East Lionshead Circle. • Construct a new crossing of I-70 between West Vail and the Main Vail interchanges. As the Town experiences increased growth, traffic concentrations through the interchange areas will become extensive at peak times. A new grade separated crossing (Simba Run Underpass) would relieve traffic levels at both interchanges as well as provide a more direct connection between the Lionshead area and locations north of I-70. This improvement is regional in nature. • Attempt to incorporate a transit center within the Lionshead Parking Structure redevelopment. Parking stalls for busses (8 to 10 total) , hotel shuttles (approximately four), and passenger cars (a minimum of five for short term loading/unloading only) should be incorporated. • In the event that a transit center cannot be properly located within the Lionshead Parking Structure, pursue incorporating it into the North Day Lot redevelopment. This should include appropriate mitigation measures to minimize its impact on nearby residential uses as well as an escalator-type facility to the gondola to help overcome grade differences. • If a transit center cannot be incorporated into either the North Day Lot or the Parking Structure, the Town should look to develop the Lionshead Mall area for a formal transit center. • Additional public parking should be pursued within the Lionshead area. One potential site includes a new structure in West Lionshead to accommodate as many new public spaces as possible (400 spaces is a target). Another candidate site includes the redevelopment of the existing Lionshead parking structure site. • FELS�URG (, I I O L T c� l U L L E V 1 G Page 14