HomeMy WebLinkAbout851294.tiff DEC 161988 STATE OF COLORADO
DEPARTMENT OF r� WAYS )
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4201 East Arkansas Ave. L _.,y, tCOLo, S` t'+it;
Denver, Colorado 80222 tat ,� 1
(303) 757-9011 �:`
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FOR MORE INFORMATION: 757-9228 or
757-9361 #85-51
Highway News
December 12, 1985
GLENWOOD CANYON LITIGATION SETTLED
The suit challenging the adequacy of the Supplemental Environmental
Impact Statement for the Glenwood Canyon highway project has been settled
by agreement among the parties . The plaintiffs, a coalition of environmental
organizations spearheaded by Mark Skrotzki , President of Citizens for
Glenwood Canyon Scenic Corridor, started litigation against the Corps
of Engineers and the U.S. Department of Transportation on May 18, 1983. The
Colorado Department of Highways and Highway Commission intervened in the
action. In July 1984, Judge John L. Kane, Jr, denied plaintiffs ' motion for a
preliminary injunction to halt construction projects within the center
portion of the Canyon. In April of this year, Judge Kane dismissed two claims
asserted in plaintiff's complaint: (1) that the Supplemental Environmental
Impact Statement was illegal , and (2) that the Department of Transportation had
illegally certified its compliance with Section 4(f) of the Department of
Transportation Act, a provision requiring special protection for parklands.
The parties began settlement discussions following this ruling.
THE FOLLOWING IS THE PARTIES' JOINT NEWS RELEASE concerning the terms of
the stipulated Settlement Agreement resulting from these discussions. The
parties filed a stipulated motion to dismiss the civil action captioned
Citizens for Glenwood Canyon Scenic Corridor, et al . v. United States Army
Corps of Engineers, et al . on November 13, 1985. Judge Kane issued an
order dismissing the suit the same day "with prejudice," meaning that plaintiffs
cannot refile on the same issues raised in the complaint.
The Agreement, ;Mich does not establish any basis for further litigation,
addresses river sports; environmental mitigation measures; traffic flow;
revegetation; concurrent construction of mitigation measures; and the
proposed schedule for the completion of Interstate 70 in Glenwood Canyon.
1 . River Sports
Under the Settlement Agreement, the executive director of the Colorado
Department of Highways will appoint a seven-member River Sports Advisory
Committee by December 13, 1985, to recommend methods to implement a River Sports
Mitigation Plan for that portion of the Colorado River affected by the Glenwood
Canyon highway project. The Committee is intended to provide a forum
for input from all persons affected by the placement of fill in the
Colorado River.
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Highway News Page 2.
December 12, 1985
The Committee members will represent
(1) aesthetic interests;
(2) commercial river sports interests;
(3) non-commercial river sports interests;
(4) Citizen's Advisory Committee viewpoints;
(5) the U.S. Forest Service;
(6) the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; and
(7) the Colorado Division of Wildlife.
The Committee members will meet in the Glenwood Canyon/Glenwood Springs
area on a schedule yet to be determined. The Committee will disband after
the river mitigation measures have been implemented.
2. Traffic Flow
Open public meetings will be held in April and November of each year
during the time I-70 is under construction in Glenwood Canyon to provide
information regarding traffic flow to all interested persons and to obtain
their input on traffic flow issues. The meetings will provide a forum to
inform the public of all current and upcoming projects, any expected dis-
ruptions or delays, and proposed actions for handling expected traffic delays
and interruptions. The meetings will be held in Glenwood Springs or, if
requested, in Eagle or Pitkin counties.
3. Revegetation
The Settlement Agreement provides that the Colorado Department of
Highways will revegetate areas of Glenwood Canyon disturbed by highway construction,
using the 1985 state of the art for revegetation. The revegetation must be
performed to the mutual satisfaction of the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S,.
Army Corps of Engineers, and the Department of Highways . In addition, the
Agreement provides that the Department of Highways will monitor the success
of the revegetation planting; if the first planting fails after 3 to 5 years,
the Department will replant that specific area once. Vurthermore, the
Department of Highways will maintain the revegetation to the same standards
used throughout the rest of Colorado.
4. Concurrent Construction of Mitigation Measures
The Department of Highways and Federal Highway Administration
have agreed to include construction of appropriate environmental mitigation
measures (such as bike paths, rest stops, and access for river sports) at
the same time that each section of the highway is constructed. In addition,
die Department of Highways and the Federal Highway Administration have agreed
to continue to seek construction funding for the completion of I-70 through
Glenwood Canyon, as planned, including funding for all mitigation measures.
The plaintiffs have agreed to support funding for all environmental
mitigation measures, if requested.
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Highway News Page 3.
December 12, 1985
5. Projected Construction Timetable and Costs
3y December 15, 1985, the Highway Department has agreed to develop
a document setting forth the proposed schedule for the completion of I-;0
through Glenwood Canyon, including all mitigation measures and costs
associated with each separate construction project.
To summarize, the Settlement Agreement reflects all parties '
concerns that the overall Glenwood Canyon highway project be completed with
continued public input and inclusion of all planned environmental mitigation
measures.
This news release has been reviewed by attorneys for plaintiffs
and defendants, and is issued jointly as part of the stipulated Settlement
Agreement.
* * *
CONTRACTS AWARDED
Road/ Bid Contract
Project Street Description Awarded to Opening Awarded
BRF 036-1(30) Denver-Boulder Improvements on Tectonic Const. 11/21/85 12/6/85
Turnpike at U.S. 36 at Co.
Broadway Inter- Broadway. $1 ,533,723
change.
HES 0003(21) S.H. East of Minor realign- Crabtree Corp. 11/21/85 12/6/85
Fruita ment, guardrail $124,828
work.
I 70-2(109) I-70 in Major construction, Kiewit Western 11/14/85 12/6/85
Glenwood Canyon. project will build Co.
eastbound lanes . $7,809,721
000
BIDS TO BE OPENED
ADD: Jan. 9: 10:15 a.m. U.5.6improvements in Clear Creek Canyon tunnels
2 and 6, consisting of grading, structures, stabilization, hot bituminous pavement,
lighting and guardrail , beginning a mile west of Golden and extending ten miles westerly
(net length = 1.2 miles) , in Clear Creek and Jefferson counties , HES 0001(19) .
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Highway News Page 4.
December 12, 1985
Jan. 9: 10:30 a.m. S.H. 71 bridge replacement north of Limon, consisting
of grading, structures, stabilization, hot bituminous pavement, seeding and mulching,
beginning 18.5 miles north of the community and extending four tenths of a mile
north, in Lincoln county, FC 071-2(6) .
10:45 a.m. Resurfacing U. S. 350 northeast of Thatcher, consisting
of grading, stabilization, structures , hot bituminous pavement, signing, striping,
seeding and mulching, beginning 3.2 miles northeast of the town and extending three
miles northeast in Las Animas county, FR 350-1(5) .
11:00 a.m. Resurfacing a U.S. 50 westbound lane near Pueblo,
consisting of hot bituminous pavement overlay, grading, seeding, mulching and
striping, beginning about three tenths of a mile west of the S.H. 45 junction and
extending west about seven and a half miles, in Pueblo county, FR 050-3(35) .
11:15 a.ra. Rotomilling and resurfacing U.S. 50 in Lamar,
consisting of hot bituminous pavement overlay and striping, beginning at Auwaerter
Drive and extending north about half a mile in Prowers county, C 17-0050-12.
11:30 a.m. Replacing a bridge in Boulder, consisting of
grading, stabilization, structures, concrete box culvert, hot bituminous pavement,
topsoil , seeding, mulching and striping, located on 63rd St. three tenths of a mile
north of S.N. 119, over the Boulder supply canal , BRM 4075(2) .
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