Highway Expansion - Creating Tomorrows Problems Today

CDOT Decides to Move Forward with Referendum D West Vail Pass Auxiliary Lane EA Project

Vail Pass Environmental Assessment Project Scope of Work

Welcome to the West Vail Pass Environmental Assessment (EA) Web site. This site is your best resource for learning about the project and contacting the project team with your comments and questions. The EA will assess the effects of implementing slow-moving vehicle auxiliary lanes on the 10-mile west side of Vail Pass. The project setting is in the White River National Forest and contains scenic and sensitive environmental resources. Learn more about the project.

The EA process began in late 2006, and is expected to continue through 2008. To review alternatives under consideration and other technical documents prepared in this EA, visit the study progress page. Click here to view the study timeline.

Project History

I-70 plays a pivotal role in east-west highway travel in Colorado. It allows for the movement of people, goods, and services across the state, and is a major corridor for access to several of Colorado’s popular recreation destinations.

Vail Pass as we know it today was completed in 1978 when US 6 was widened to four lanes. It traverses some of the highest and most scenic terrain in Colorado, and provides access to several key recreational destinations in Summit and Eagle Counties.

The West Vail Pass Environmental Assessment (EA) is a Tier 2 NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act) study under the I-70 Mountain Corridor Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS). The EA will study the effects of implementing slow-moving vehicle auxiliary lanes in both the uphill and downhill directions of the 10-mile stretch of West Vail Pass from East Vail to Shrine Pass Road. These improvements are recommended by the PEIS as being necessary to address safety concerns on existing roadway that traverses the west side of Vail Pass.

The I-70 Mountain Corridor PEIS seeks to determine the future capacity, mode choice(s), and general location(s) for the future travel demand of the Corridor. The study is being conducted by the Colorado Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration.

Goals and Objectives

The goal of the project is to study the need for and effects of implementing slow-moving vehicle auxiliary lanes on West Vail Pass (Mile Post 180 to Mile Post 190) to improve safety.

The following objectives will be pursued as part of any proposed action:

Implement the Black Gore Creek Sediment Control Action Plan (SCAP)
Improve safety on the Vail Pass multi-use trail
Improve the ability to maintain the Vail Pass multi-use trail
Incorporate context sensitive solutions guidelines and principles
Minimize environmental effects

Project Map

The study area is from the East Vail Interchange (Mile Post 180) to Shrine Pass Road (Mile Post 190).

Photo Gallery

A West Vail Pass photo gallery is now available.

Study Timeline

The study began in late 2006 and is expected to continue through 2008. Click here to view the project timeline.

Study Progress

A great deal of information will be made available through the duration of the study. This page will contain study-specific documents and reports as they become available, such as the study’s purpose and need statement, a description of the screening process, a list of the alternatives considered, resource information, technical reports, and finally, the EA document. Check back often for updated information.

Purpose and Need

The purpose and need statement will be posted here once completed.

Resource Information

All resources required by NEPA will be evaluated as part of the EA. Evaluations of traffic/transportation, water quality and sediment control, wildlife, multi-use trail, and other resources will be posted here once completed.

Screening Process

The screening process will be posted here once completed.

Alternatives Considered

The alternatives considered will be posted here once completed.

Technical Reports
Technical reports and other study-related reports will be available here once they are completed.

EA Document

The EA document will be posted here once completed.

The West Vail Pass Auxiliary Lanes project is essentially an early action component of the yet unfinished CDOT I-70 Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement.

The Vail Pass Auxiliary Lane project as described in the Draft PEIS is the six laning of 10 miles of Vail Pass between mp 190 and mp 180. CDOT has awarded the environmental process and initial 1.5 mile (mp 185.5 to mp 187) eastbound climbing lane highway engineering and design to PBS&J.

The environmental clearance for the 10 mile section of West Vail Pass and the highway engineering and design for the 1.5 mile eastbound climbing lane can be viewed as a Tier 2 follow up to a PEIS outcome that would include highway expansion on the west side of Vail Pass prior to the release of the Final PEIS and Record of Decision (expected in 2007). It is questionable whether this improvement is absolutely necessary or being used by CDOT officials as a mechanism to commit the Ritter Administration to I-70 highway expansion regardless of the feedback from corridor stakeholders.

CDOT officials selected the Vail Pass Auxiliary Lane project in 2005 as part of their Referendum D project list without engaging local jurisdictions until after their inclusion decision was already made.

This is the typical CDOT process of "we know better what's good for you" in which ALL decision making authority is vested within the walls of CDOT Headquarters and never shared with local jurisdictions.

Then after Referendum D was voted down by the people of Colorado, CDOT officials continued to seek federal and state funding for this project through the earmark and the SB-01 processes.

The Vail Pass Auxiliary Lane EA is just another step in the Owens/Norton Legacy Agenda of widening I-70 to six lanes all the way from Floyd Hill (mp 247) through Vail (mp 169), regardless of stakeholder input.

The Owens/Norton Legacy Agenda now appears to be widely accepted by the Ritter Administration in stark contrast to the Colorado Promise and the 21st Century New Energy Economy as advertised during the Ritter Campaign!

CDOT/FHWA officials have made the decision to fund and move forward with the Vail Pass Auxiliary Lane Environmental Assessment and are now seeking input from local jurisdictions, the I-70 Coalition and Colorado's general public through the environmental assessment process.

The Vail Pass Auxiliary Lane project is of interest for several reasons. The use of I-70 traction sand on Vail Pass today is creating significant sedimentation problems in Black Gore Creek. The proposed climbing/descending lanes (auxiliary lanes) will no doubt aggravate an already difficult problem. Mitigation of the current sedimentation problems in Black Gore Creek should be addressed prior to any highway expansion. The Environmental process used for the Vail Pass Auxiliary lanes will demonstrate CDOT's commitment to both the Context Sensitive Solutions process and their Environmental Stewardship policy.

The placement of the auxiliary lanes could preclude the best rail transit alignment in this area of the corridor, so evaluation of transit alignments needs to be included as part of the Environmental Assessment. In addition, the Vail Pass project will undoubtedly set a precedent for PEIS tier 2 processes, especially in an environmentally sensitive area such as Vail Pass and in consideration of water quality impacts to adjacent stream systems such as Black Gore Creek.

CDOT officials must respond in an environmentally responsible manner to the following items:

1. The local jurisdictions were not involved in the EA vs. EIS decision, even though sedimentation to Black Gore Creek from I-70 traction sand has been and continues to be a huge issue for the Eagle River Watershed Council and is the reason that Black Gore Creek is on CDPHE's 303(d) list as impaired. Sediment control measures need to be the priority improvement.

Today, on average, 1,035 tons per mile of traction sand are applied to I-70 annually in the Eagle River drainage area of the current 4 lane facility (mp 133 to 190). The Draft PEIS six lane highway alternatives in the same area would require on average between 1,200 and 1,250 tons per mile of traction sand annually, an increase of between 17 and 19 percent.

On average, 9,697 gallons per mile of Liquid de-icer are applied to I-70 annually in the Eagle River drainage area of the current 4 lane facility (mp 133 to 190). The Draft PEIS six lane highway alternatives in the same area require

on average between 11,150 and 11,450 gallons per mile annually, an increase of between 15 and 18 percent.

2. CDOT has pledged to the I-70 Coalition to observe the Context Sensitive Solutions process for all PEIS tier 2 projects. A major component of the CSS process is to collaborate with an interdisciplinary team and engage stakeholders in the decision making process. CDOT officials have yet to share their decision making authority with anyone other than their own and consultant staff in the I-70 PEIS decisions to date. The Vail Pass project will provide an opportunity for CDOT to demonstrate true collaberation and include stakeholders in the decision making process.

3. It is very likely that the Vail Pass project, since it is basically six laning of 10 miles of I-70 should be subject to an Environmental Impact Statement instead of an Environmental Assessment. CDOT is pursuing the EA instead of an EIS in hopes of gaining a Categorical Exclusion and/or FONSI (Finding Of No Significant Impact) decision. Based on the current I-70 water pollution impact to Black Gore Creek, this would appear to be a significant water quality problem requiring substantial evaluation and mitigation.

4. Water quality impact mitigation must be an urgent priority. Based on the I-70 Coalition comments to the Draft PEIS, mitigation measures should be enacted immediately to stop the very harmful water quality impacts from the current four lane facility before considering any additional highway expansion, (based on the following language in the Coalition alternative, "any plan must provide for the immediate mitigation of existing environmental and community impacts").

5. The Vail Pass project must evaluate specific transit alignments in this area so that highway expansion does not preclude a viable transit alignment in the future (assuming that the EIS determines that the lanes are absolutely needed in the first place and can be constructed with the appropriate mitigation measures).

6. The Vail Pass project will undoubtedly set a precedent for PEIS tier 2 processes, especially in an environmentally sensitive area such as Vail Pass and in consideration of water quality impacts to adjacent stream systems such as Black Gore Creek.

So far we have seen the typical CDOT behavior under the Owens/Norton Regime of mandating the outcome regardless of stakeholder and public input. Will there be any difference under the Ritter Administration?

The outcome of the Vail Pass Auxiliary Lanes EA process will demonstrate CDOT's commitment to Environmental Stewardship and the Context Sensitive Solutions process and demonstrate the tier 2 study behavior to be expected in Clear Creek County and other environmentally sensitive areas in the corridor.