Transportation Advisory Committee – Oct. 17, 2024: Active Transportation Plan – Draft Plan Document, Appendix 1 – Reviewed Plans Maps

PPACG

• Regional Nonmotorized Plan
  • The PPACG Regional Nonmotorized Plan was created to create a regional roadmap for the long-term development of nonmotorized modes in the Pikes Peak region. By creating this roadmap, the hope is for an increase in people using nonmotorized modes of transportation. The maps, corridors, and regional routes within the plan were reviewed and leveraged for the creation of this plan.

• Congestion Mitigation Plan
  • The PPACG Congestion Mitigation Plan was reviewed to understand how the region is hoping to alleviate congestion issues in the region. As part of this plan’s goals, the region hopes to ensure adequate and equitable access to destinations by using various modes including active transportation.
• Tri-County Plan
  • The Tri-County Plan is a study that performed a stakeholder-led multimodal transportation study of El Paso, Teller, and Park counties that resulted in a defined regional network, set of initiatives and projects, and a conceptual implementation and funding plan. The projects identified in the Tri-County Plan were developed based on stakeholder outreach and review of existing plans.

El Paso County

• Parks, Trails, Open Spaces Plan (2022) and Map
  • The El Paso County Park, Trails, and Open Space Master Plan was reviewed for the existing and proposed future trails throughout the COG study area. The Park, Trails, and Open Space plan is set up to strategize and provide recreation opportunities such as parks and trails and the protection of open space. In addition to review of the El Paso County Park, Trails, and Open Space Master Plan, the Parks, Trails, and Open Spaces Map, the Trails Master Plan Map and Park Assets Map were all reviewed.
  • The plan identified trail standards and improved maintenance of existing trails the first goal for the trails focus area (Goal 7). Policies within this goal also include implementing varying urban and rural trail corridor sizes and increasing trail easements to 50ft.

Teller County

• Parks, Tails, and Open Space Master Plan
  • The Teller County Parks, Trails, and Open Space Master Plan set up goals for parks, trails, and open spaces throughout the County. The Parks goal seeks to acquire, develop, and maintain quality park facilities that will accommodate a growing population while providing a functional design. The trail objectives include creating a regional trail system that will connect communities and parks, as well as connecting the adjacent counties of El Paso, Park, Fremont, and Douglas. The Open Space goals include the protection of open areas and preserving the quality of life and economic interests of the county. Additionally, the County wants to enhance opportunities for protection and enjoyment of the natural environment.
• Divide Regional Plan
  • The Divide Regional Plan consists of three planning areas where growth is managed by a phasing process. The plan aims to balance the needs of humans, the environment, wildlife, and economic development while improving the character and infrastructure of the area. The goal for parks, trails, open space and wildlife preservation were reviewed. The goals for trails included providing connections to the Town Center and rural residential areas, as well as connections to schools and recreation areas. Trails should provide safe, non-motorized travel routes.
• Florissant Regional Plan
  • The Florissant Regional Plan was developed to fit within the structure of the Teller County Growth Management Plan and provide for a planned and orderly development within the Florissant planning region. Within this plan, the parks and open space section was reviewed. The section encourages public officials to support the Florissant Regional Park Master Plan and open space must be protected wherever possible to maintain the rural/mountain environment.
• Southeast Teller Regional Plan
  • The Southeast Teller Regional Plan is a sub-area plan under the Teller County Growth Management Plan. This plan was a collaborative planning process between the southeastern communities of Cripple Creek, Victor, the Cripple Creek & Victor Gold Mining Company, the Cripple Creek casinos, the Southern Teller County Focus Group, and the citizens of Southeast Teller County. This collaborative effort developed a planning vision, policies, and recommended implementations for the area. Recreation is one of the main planning categories and highlights abundant public lands in the area. Existing recreation areas and facilities exist and there are opportunities for more trail networks.
• 4-Mile Regional Plan
  • The 4-Mile Regional Plan was developed to preserve the character and environment of the region while recognizing that population growth will occur. The plan identifies strategies which include encouraging the development of parks and recreational areas. One of the planning strategies in relation to parks and recreation is to encourage the development of park land and trails within both new and existing subdivisions.

Colorado Springs

• Bike Master Plan and Maps
  • The COS Bikes! Master Plan and maps were reviewed to understand the existing and proposed bicycle network within Colorado Springs. This plan was developed to identify the gaps and opportunities for future bicycle facilities including both on-street and off-street facilities. Additionally, the plan is geared to not only serve existing riders but invite new riders to enjoy the bicycle network within the city.
• Legacy Loop Project
  • The Legacy Loop is an approximate 10-mile trail, park, and recreation loop around downtown Colorado Springs. This project was reviewed to understand where the location of the Loop would be located and the connections to the existing active transportation facilities.
• Envision Shooks Run
  • The Shooks Run study was reviewed as it is a multi-modal transportation and drainage infrastructure study. The city is excited about this plan as it will create a more vibrant aspect to the central portions of the city and provide multi-use trails and trail connections to the Rock Island Trail. This would also complete the eastern leg of the Legacy Loop.
• PlanCOS
  • PlanCOS was thoroughly reviewed as there are sections in this plan that explain the importance of strong connections. Connections between vibrant neighborhoods, unique places, landscapes, and other activity centers that people want to go to. Understanding where these destinations are located helps identify current gaps in the existing active transportation network.
• Downtown Plan
  • The Mobility, Transportation, and Parking chapter of the Downtown Plan was reviewed to understand how active transportation is looked at in the Downtown area. The plan seeks to bolster more walking and biking as traveling in and around downtown. The plan identifies trails and pedestrian priority streets where streets are designed for leveraging and expanding pedestrian use.
• ConnectCOS + Active Transportation Network
  • The ConnectCOS Plan’s Active Transportation Network was reviewed to understand the transportation system that includes both on- and off-street facilities such as trails, shared lanes, dedicated bicycle lanes, multiuse paths, and the entire sidewalk system. The Active Transportation Network map highlights a proposed network of dedicated facilities that would create better connectivity throughout Colorado Springs.
• Urban Trail Typologies (Tiers)
  • Colorado springs has defined three tiers of urban trails to provide themselves and the public guidance and understanding when discussing development and infrastructure level of efforts.
    • Tier One “Spines”
      • Multi-purpose trails accommodate a variety of trail users including walkers, joggers, recreational bikers, commute bikers, and horseback riders (as appropriate) within the same trail corridor. Serve the highest volume of users. These trails include a 12-foot main trail with a separate parallel 4-foot soft surface trail, both of which have a 2-foot soft surface shoulder.
    • Tier Two “Feeders”
      • Feeder trails for the Tier 1 trails provide for a diversity of users including bicyclists, in-line skaters, walkers, runners, and equestrians. Trails consist of 12-foot concrete or asphalt trails with a 4-foot soft shoulder.
    • Tier Three “Natural Trails”
      • Less improved trails located in the mountains or foothills serving primarily hikers and mountain bikers. These trails, which are expected to receive less use than the Tier 1 and 2 trails and consist of four to six-foot wide soft surface material.

Fountain

• Parks, Trails & Open Space Plan and Map
  • The City of Fountain’s Parks, Trails, and Open Space Map was reviewed to understand the current trail network within the City. The map includes on-street bicycle lanes and off-street trails, as well as parks and open space areas.
• Comprehensive Plan
  • The 2005 City of Fountain Comprehensive Plan was reviewed and developed as a guide to determine if land use changes is keeping with the overall pattern of development desired by the City and its citizens. The City has a Greenfrastructure Program which its citizens have expressed desire to develop an alternative transportation network to reduce the dangers associated with share pedestrian and motorist roadways, reduce traffic and pollution, and ensure that future citizens have the opportunity to enjoy the City’s recreational areas and open space. The Fountain Greenfrastructure System Map was reviewed to understand how pedestrians, bicyclists, and equestrians can move through Fountain and from one Open Space to another.
• Transportation Master Plan
  • The 2022 transportation master plan defined several types of trail sections and identified proposed trail and bicycle network across the city. It states “paved multi-purpose, off-street trails form the central trail spines through the Fountain. They accommodate various trail users, including walkers, joggers, recreational bikers, and sometimes, commuter bikers within the same trail corridor.”
  • The plan set a 10ft trail width, 50ft Right-of-Way (ROW), and other minimum standards for the primary off-street trails.

Green Mountain Falls

• Comprehensive Plan
  • The Green Mountain Falls 2019 Comprehensive Plan was created as a guide for future land use development and a long-range guide for the Town to achieve its vision and goals. The plan discusses how recreation is a big draw for the Town’s tourism. The current trail system in and around Town is roughly 17 miles in total length. Additionally, there are several parks throughout town and 247 acres of public land which consists of approximately 35% of the Town. Additionally, there are three additional trails that the town is proposing.

Manitou Springs

• Parks, Open Space, Trails Master Plan and Map
  • The Manitou Springs Parks, Open Space, and Trails Master Plan is a document to set the course for the future of Manitou Spring Parks, Open Space, and Trails. This plan identifies community values and issues and provides a framework for long-term management and stewardship of the City’s outdoor resources. Community members contributed to this plan by identifying issues and concerns while highlighting values and system improvements. The Parks and Trails maps were reviewed to understand the trail network and parks within the City.
• Community Master Plan and Hazard Mitigation Plan
  • The Manitou Springs Community Master Plan and Hazard Mitigation Plan was developed to engage the community in a discussion about the relationship between its vision and goals for the future and to also discuss the natural hazards and risks present in the community. One of the key issues and opportunities discussed is mobility – balancing parking, pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicular circulation needs on City roadways and defining an overall strategy for new facilities needed to support non-motorized modes.
• Transportation & Mobility Master Plan
  • The Manitou Springs Transportation and Mobility Master Plan provides a road map for the future of travel in and around Manitou Springs. The plan supports community goals outlined in Plan Manitou and the City’s Comprehensive Plan. This plan highlights strategic investments, short-term tactical improvements, and long-term major infrastructure investment that will enhance mobility across all modes of travel. This plan was reviewed to understand trail recommendations in the Manitou Springs area. Recommendations include creating a network of connected facilities and creating forward-thinking policies and regulations.

Monument

• Parks, Trails, and Open Space Master Plan
  • The Parks, Trails, and Open Space Master Plan identifies existing conditions and future community expansion, and it documents the direction viewed necessary to achieve the Parks, Trails, and Open Space goals of the community. The goals that were established to identify the importance of linking existing Monument trails with regional trails, development areas around Town, future trail heads, and existing and proposed parks. The trails, parks, and open space maps were reviewed to understand the trail network in and around Monument.
• Comprehensive Plan
  • The Town of Monument’s 2017 Comprehensive Plan was created to guide the decisions, development, and the growth of Monument. It was created to serve as a roadmap to help the community stay on course and ensure development occurs in a manner supported by the community. The plan elements that were examined were the Parks, Open Space, Trails, and Tourism element. This element highlights the opportunities for more amenities than traditional zoning in return for greater flexibility. These are in the form of parks, open space, and trails. When the Town is in the process of approving Planned Developments, they must look for ways to locate dedicated land and trails to connect with existing parks and trails. Other opportunities include options to seek funding for the planning and acquisition of new parks, open space, and trails.

Palmer Lake

• Comprehensive Plan
  • The Palmer Lake Community Master Plan is intended as a community guidebook for decisions, development, and growth. Additionally, community character, fiscal impacts, infrastructure, land use, and environmental quality are the many items addressed in this plan. The Parks, Open Spaces, and Trails section was reviewed to understand the Town’s existing trail network and parks. According to the plan, the Town has a total of 167 acres of parks, open spaces, and trails which equates to approximately 63.4 acres of open space and developed parks per 1,000 residents.
• Three Mile Plan
  • Palmer Lake’s Three Mile Plan is intended to set statute limits on municipal annexations to no more than “three miles in any direction from any point of such municipal boundary in any one year”. Palmer Lake’s Three-Mile area boundary is intended to promote a regional approach to planning, particularly concerning the availability of centralized services. Maps of the Three-Mile Plan identify areas of open space and parks which were reviewed as part of this study.

Woodland Park

• Parks, Trails, Open Space Master Plan and Map
  • The Woodland Park Parks, Trails, and Open Space Master Plan was developed as trends in City growth and the need for park and trail development. Since Woodland Park is within a unique mountain environment, the City can develop an excellent system of parks, trails, and open space. The goals reviewed included to promote a transportation network which facilitates safe, efficient, movement of motorized and non-motorized vehicles and pedestrians throughout the community. The Parks, Trails, and Open Space Map was reviewed to understand the current and proposed trail network with the City.
• Comprehensive Plan
  • The Envision Woodland Park 2030 Comprehensive Plan is a land use and growth plan that was developed by local residents, stakeholders, and program directors who evaluated the relevancy of goals, objectives, and actions in light of the current conditions, changes in community values, and implementation status of actions from the previous Comprehensive Plan. The Natural Environment chapter was review for the Parks, Trails, and Open Space topics. The plan states that the City wants to continue to develop and maintain trail and open space and continue to prioritize connectivity in trail development. According to the plan’s questionnaire, 55 percent of respondents use a trail every week and 27 percent use a trail every day. The City currently has approximately 19 miles of existing trails and 17 miles of planned trails.

CDOT & Statewide / Other Organizations

• Colorado Bicycle & Byways Map
  • The Colorado Bicycle and Byways map was reviewed to understand what trail information that CDOT has. Most of the trail information included on this map is included in the geospatial data received from various municipalities and El Paso County.
• Colorado Trail Explorer
  • The Colorado Trail Explorer Map is a collaborative mapping project put together by Colorado Park and Wildlife, Colorado Department of Natural Resources, and Colorado Department of Transportation. CPW trail data from this mapping project was provided and utilized in this study.