CO 133 Carbondale Access Control Plan
About the Project
CO 133 is important resource for the Town of Carbondale and surrounding communities. Traffic volumes on CO 133 are projected to significantly increase in the future. One of the best ways to keep the roadways safe and efficient is to manage the location and design of intersections and driveways (access points).
The Co 133 Carbondale Access Control Plan will assess the existing and proposed access points along CO 133 within the study area and make recommendations for future changes if appropriate. Additional information about the plan is available on our Study Overview page. You can also learn more about the plan on our Frequently Asked Questions page.
Study partners include the Town of Carbondale, Colorado Department of Transportation, Garfield County, and a civil engineering consulting firm—Atkins.
Your input will help us create an access control plan for SH 133 that benefits the commuters, residents, businesses, and pedestrians who rely on this important roadway.
We appreciate your involvement. Please contact us with any questions, comments, or concerns.
Study Overview
The Town of Carbondale, Region 3 of the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), and Garfield County have identified a need to improve future traffic operations on SH 133 by developing an access control plan (ACP) within Carbondale limits, which is from just south of SH 82 to the Roaring Fork High School. Click here for a link to a map of the study area.
The purpose of the ACP is to determine what intersections and driveways (access points) will be allowed within the study area now and in the future, where they will be located, and what kinds of traffic movements will be allowed at each one. The ACP will include data collection and analysis, as well as public involvement and outreach to ensure the ACP reflects the needs of commuters, residents, businesses, and pedestrians.
Once the ACP is complete it will be presented to area agencies. If they find the plan satisfactory they will sign an Intergovernmental Agreement and adopt the plan, which will make it a legally binding document.
The SH 133 Carbondale ACP represents a long-range plan. Currently there are no planned state or federal projects or identified funding for improvements to SH 133 that will significantly change access. Implementation of the SH 133 Carbondale ACP will occur over time based on traffic and safety needs, available funding, and redevelopment.
Study Area
The study area for the ACP is limited along SH 133 itself, beginning just south of the Roaring Fork River Bridge on the northern limits, and ending at the entrance to the Roaring Fork Valley High School. This is a total distance of approximately 2.3 miles.
Study Timeline
The study began in January 2012 and will be completed in December 2012. Two Open Houses were held with the public, in June 2012 and October 2012. It is anticipated that the Intergovernmental Agreement will be signed by the Town of Carbondale, Garfield County, and CDOT in December 2012/January 2013 to formalize the plan recommendations
Public Involvement
Open House 1: June 27, 2012
The project team held its first open house for the SH 133 Carbondale access control plan on June 27, 2012 at the Carbondale Town Hall from 5:00 and 8:00 pm. At the Open House, attendees were able to learn about the project, see the proposed recommendations of the study, and provide comments to the study team. The material presented at the meeting can be downloaded here. In addition, the Draft Access Control Plan presented at the first open house can be downloaded here. We encourage you to contact a member of the study team with your input.
The revised access control plan will be added to the website after comments have been compiled and the study team has incorporated the changes.
Open House 2: October 10, 2012
The second and final open house for the SH 133 Carbondale access control plan will be held at the Carbondale Town Hall from 5:00 to 8:00pm on Wednesday October 10th. The proposed draft access control plan developed before the first Open House has been revised based on input from the public and can be downloaded here. The study team will be available during the open house to answer questions and to solicit comments on the revised access control plan.
Have a question or comment? Please contact us.
Frequently Asked Questions
The following questions and answers cover the basic elements of the SH 133 Carbondale Access Control Plan. If you have a question that is not addressed here, please contact us.
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What are the goals of the SH 133 Carbondale Access Control Plan? |
What is an access control plan?
Any intersection or driveway along a roadway is called an access point. The purpose of an access control plan is to determine a long-term goal for which access points will be allowed, where they will be located, and what kinds of traffic movements will be allowed at each access. This project will not define the future number of lanes or the typical cross-section of the highway.
Additional information is available on the Federal Highway Administration web site.
What is the goal of the SH 133 Carbondale Access Control Plan?
The goal of the access control plan is to enhance safety on SH 133 in Carbondale for drivers and pedestrians, to improve traffic flow, accommodate transit stops and circulation, and to provide the appropriate level of access to the properties adjacent to the highway.
What are the benefits of good access control?
The following benefits are associated with utilizing good access control techniques:
- Limiting the amount of access points on a corridor reduces the number of potential locations (called “conflict points”) that a crash may occur on the highway. This is applicable for not only vehicles, but also for pedestrians and bicycles having to cross multiple driveways along the corridor.
- Fewer locations for vehicles to brake or turn onto or off of the highway results in more efficient travel for through traffic.
- Fewer driveways on a roadway make the corridor more visually appealing to drivers.
You can learn more by reading the Federal Highway Administration's Benefits of Access Management brochure.
How do we manage access?
There are several ways to manage the number, location and design of access points, including:
- Consolidating access points that are not needed
- Sharing driveways between adjacent properties
- Using other roads to provide access to properties
- Not allowing left turns at access points
What happens if nothing is done to manage access?
Without a plan, the commuters, residents, businesses, and pedestrians along the SH 133 corridor could experience:
- A greater number of accidents involving vehicles and/or pedestrians
- Increased traffic congestion, resulting in higher levels of pollution and more delay for drivers
- A loss of visual appeal along the roadway
- A difficult driving experience caused by driveway clutter
Would construction for the ACP improvements begin immediately following the study?
No. The SH 133 Carbondale Access Control Plan represents a long-range plan. Currently there are no known planned State, Town, or Federal projects or identified funding that would result in major impacts to access on SH 133. There are and will be on-going development projects with planned improvements to SH 133 that may result in changes access, but these projects are being completed by private developers. Implementation of the SH 133 Carbondale ACP will occur over time based on traffic and safety needs, available funding, and redevelopment.
What local agencies are involved?
The Town of Carbondale, CDOT, and Garfield County.
For more information, contact:
Larry Ballenger
Director of Public Works
511 Colorado Avenue
Carbondale CO 81623
[email protected]
970-510-1217
or
Alisa Babler , P.E.
Permit Engineer
Colorado Department of Transportation, Region 3
222 South 6th St., Rm. 100
Grand Junction, CO 81501
[email protected]
970-683-6287
or
Anna Smith, P.E.
Project Consultant PBS&J
4601 DTC Boulevard, Suite 700
Denver, CO 80237
[email protected]
303-221-7275
