ii. inventory of existing conditions
II.
INVENTORY OF EXISTING CONDITIONS
In order to understand how transportation is provided to Milliken residents, an inventory of the existing transportation system was conducted. This is an important part of the planning process since it becomes the starting point in identifying areas in need of improvement. Similar to other towns of comparable size, Milliken’s transportation system is primarily focused on the automobile and thus, the roadway system. The roadway inventory includes collection of data associated with the existing street system (i.e., laneage, paving, traffic control devices, posted speed limits, etc.) and the compilation of recent traffic counts taken by Felsburg Holt & Ullevig, Weld County and the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT). In addition to the roadway system, the inventory includes a multi-modal inventory including railroad, transit, bicycle and pedestrian facilities.
A.
Roadway Network
Roadway Conditions The principal component of Milliken’s transportation system is the roadway network, primarily located along section lines. Figure 1 illustrates the existing street system and the surface condition (paved versus gravel) of the roadway segments. Approximately 60 percent of the section-line roadways shown in the study area are currently paved. Figure 2 provides an inventory of the lane and shoulder widths of the paved roadways. All of the roadways in the study area have two through lanes, with the exception of US 34 and US 85, both of which have four through lanes (two in each direction). The paved roadways have lane widths generally ranging from ten to 12 feet. SH 60 and SH 257 have wide paved shoulders (typically eight to ten feet on each side), but many of the county roads have a narrow unpaved shoulder or no shoulder.
Regionally Significant Corridors The North Front Range Metropolitan Planning Organization (NFRMPO) has identified Regionally Significant Corridors throughout the region. These corridors serve as regional connections between North Front Range communities; several such corridors have been identified within the Milliken area including SH 60, SH 257, Two Rivers Parkway, US 34, US 85, CR 54, and 65th Avenue.
FELSBURG HOLT & ULLEVIG Page 7
Milliken Millik en Tr T r anspor ta tation tion Master Plan
34
20th St. 95th Ave.
FELSBURG H O LT & ULLE VI G
34
Greeley
CR 52 U
Big
Evans CR 52
P R R
Th
CR
om ps on
CR 48 1/2
er
Bi
GWR
Lit
CR 46 1/2
Johnstown
C UP
R
8
r
39
6
CR
39
4
RR
CR 46 CR 29
GW
R
CR 46
Broad St.
ve
Alice Ave.
er
Irene Ave.
Riv
tle
Thompson
Tho
g
Ri
mpson
Ash St. Quentine Ave.
60
Riv
37
65th Ave.
257
Two Rivers Pkwy.
CR 27
CR 25
CR 17
CR 17 1/2
CR 54
CR 44
te Pl
CR 31
at
Milliken
60
S.
CR 21
Ri
ve
r
CR 44
CR 42
CR 42
Gilcrest
CR 40 1/2
CR 25 1/2
CR 25
CR 23
RR UP
CR 19
CR 17
CR 40 CR 38 1/2
85
U
P
R
CR 38
R
CR 36
Legend
Figure 1
= Paved Roads
Existing Roadway System
= Gravel Roads North
Milliken Transportation Plan, 08-063, 7/22/08
Page 8
Milliken Millik en Tr T r anspor ta tation tion Master Plan
34
20th St. 95th Ave.
FELSBURG H O LT & ULLE VI G
34
Greeley
12-12 12-12
11-11
[4]-11-11-[4]
CR 52 8-12-12-8
U
Big
Evans CR 52 4-12-12-4
P R R 12-12 (with 14’ Striped Median
Th
CR
om
[4]-12-12-[4]
ps on
CR 48 1/2
Riv
er
GWR
tle Lit
CR 46 1/2
Johnstown
C UP
10-12-12-10
8
8-11-11-8 r
ve
R
39
6
CR
RR
39
4
12-12
[4]-12-12-[4]
CR 46
[2]-12-13-[2]
37’ 10-12-12-10
44’
[2]-12-12-[2]
Ri
ve
r
CR 44 te
CR 44
12-12
Pl
CR 31
at
Milliken
60
S.
CR 21
LEGEND Paved Shoulder Lane Width Lane Width Paved Shoulder
CR 29
GW
R
CR 46
Broad St. Alice Ave.
er
Irene Ave.
11-11 Riv
Thompson
Tho
g
Ash St. Quentine Ave.
60
Bi
43’
10-12-12-10
Ri
mpson
37
65th Ave.
257
Two Rivers Pkwy.
CR 27
CR 25
CR 17
CR 17 1/2
CR 54
[2]-10-10-[2]
CR 42
CR 42
XX-YY-YY-XX
CR 40 1/2
[2]-12-12-[2]
2-10-10-2
Gilcrest
[2]-12-13-[2]
PAVED SHOULDER
[XX]YY-YY[XX]
CR 25 1/2
CR 25
CR 23
RR UP
4-12-12-4
CR 19
CR 17
Unpaved Shoulder Lane Width Lane Width Unpaved Shoulder
CR 40 CR 38 1/2
85
CR 38
12-12
UNPAVED SHOULDER
[4]-12-12-[4]
U
P
R
R
CR 36
Legend
Figure 2
= Paved Roads
Existing Roadway Widths
= Gravel Roads North
Milliken Transportation Plan, 08-063, 7/22/08
Page 9
SH 60 runs east-west through the center of Milliken and connects to the Town of Johnstown and I-25 to the west. East of downtown Milliken, SH 60 extends south and connects to US 85. SH 60 is named Broad Street through downtown Milliken. It is a two-lane facility with wide (ten feet) paved shoulders, except through downtown, where there is curb and gutter and on-street parallel parking. CDOT recently completed the SH 60 Environmental Overview Study (March 2007), which includes future roadway cross sections and an access control plan for SH 60 through Milliken. SH 257 is a north-south roadway that begins at SH 60 in Milliken and connects north to Windsor, and ends at SH 14. It is a two-lane facility with wide (eight feet) paved shoulders. Two Rivers Parkway has been identified as a Regionally Significant Corridor and was the subject of a recent study to evaluate alignment alternatives (Two Rivers Parkway Alternative Alignment Study). Two Rivers Parkway currently extends east from SH 60 for a half mile and then curves to the north. Two Rivers Parkway provides regional connectivity from SH 60 through Evans and Greeley up to CR 74 and eventually to SH 14. US 34 is the primary east-west expressway through Weld County and provides a direct connection between Loveland and Greeley. It is located five miles north of downtown Milliken. US 34 has been built to an expressway standard with four lanes, a wide median, and controlled access. US 34 has received the attention of several recent planning studies. The US 34 Access Control Plan and US 34 Corridor Optimization Study were completed in 2003 and provide the context for widening US 34 to six lanes in the future. US 85 is a major north-south expressway through northern Colorado. US 85 has four through lanes with a wide median. The US 85 Access Control Plan (1999) established future access improvements along the corridor including consolidation of accesses and future interchange locations. Although US 85 is on the edge of the Milliken study area, it will serve as an important corridor for access to future development in the southeastern portion of the study area. CR 54 is an east-west roadway located in the northern portion of Milliken’s study area. CR 54 is a two-lane facility without shoulders. It provides connectivity to Greeley and Evans to the east and to I-25 on the west. West of I-25, the alignment is designated as a state highway (SH 402) and extends into Loveland. CR 54 has been identified as a Regionally Significant Corridor. 65th Avenue is a north-south roadway on the eastern edge of Milliken’s study area. This roadway extends north into Evans and Greeley and transitions to the 59th Avenue alignment north of US 34. 65th Avenue has been identified by the NFRMPO as a Regionally Significant Corridor.
FELSBURG HOLT & ULLEVIG Page 10
Traffic Control Devices Figure 3 illustrates the existing traffic control devices in the Milliken planning area. The purpose of intersection traffic control is to ensure safe and efficient traffic operation by assigning right-ofway between conflicting traffic streams. This assignment of right-of-way provides uniform and predictable movements of vehicles and pedestrians. Typical intersection traffic control may consist of a traffic signal or a STOP sign on the minor street approaches. There are currently two signalized intersections in the planning area; one at the SH 60/SH 257 intersection with the Milliken town boundary, and one at the SH 60/Two Rivers Parkway intersection. Most intersections of section-line roads have stop sign control on the minor street approach. Two intersections, CR 42/CR 29 and CR 54/CR 17 have four-way stop control, and several intersections, particularly in the southeastern portion of the study area, have no traffic control. Another form of traffic control is the posted speed limit of a roadway. An inventory of existing speed limits was performed and is shown on Figure 4. Many of the county roads have no specific posted speed limits. US 34 and sections of US 85, SH 60, and SH 257 have posted speed limits of 65 miles per hour (mph). Through downtown Milliken, SH 60 has a posted speed of 30 mph. Speed limits on the county roads range from 35 up to 55 mph. In the developed portion of Milliken, the posted speeds are generally in the range of 25 to 35 mph. There is generally good continuity of speed limits along all of the roadways in the planning area. That is, speed limits are consistent between sections of road and changes are tied to differences in the type or density of adjacent land use. Almost all of the roads in the planning area are straight, and slower speeds through curves are not a concern. Speed limits and traffic operations should be monitored in the future as further growth occurs to make sure that vehicular speeds remain within appropriate and safe ranges.
Traffic Volumes Weld County and CDOT collect traffic volume information on a yearly basis. In the Milliken area, most of the Weld County traffic counts were conducted in 2006 and 2007, as shown on Figure 5. To supplement the CDOT and Weld County counts, additional traffic counts were conducted in the Milliken area. Consistent with the functional classification of the system, the higher traffic volumes are experienced on the expressways (US 34 and US 85) and the major arterial streets (SH 60, SH 257, Two Rivers Parkway). SH 60 (Broad Street) through downtown Milliken currently carries 6,400 to 6,900 vehicles per day (vpd). SH 257 carries 5,800 vpd immediately north of SH 60. Most of the county roads in the study area carry fewer than 2,000 vpd, with the exceptions of Two Rivers Parkway (6,600 vpd), CR 54 (3,700 vpd), and Quentine Avenue immediately south of SH 60 (4,100 vpd).
FELSBURG HOLT & ULLEVIG Page 11
Milliken Millik en Tr T r anspor ta tation tion Master Plan
34
20th St. 95th Ave.
FELSBURG H O LT & ULLE VI G
34
Greeley
Two
257
Rivers Pkwy.
CR 27
CR 25 CR 52
CR 52
U
Big
Evans
65th Ave.
CR 17
CR 17 1/2
CR 54
P R R
Th
CR
om ps on
CR 48 1/2
er
Bi
GWR
Lit
CR 46 1/2
Johnstown
g
C UP
R
8
r
39
6
CR
39
4
RR
CR 46 CR 29
GW
R
CR 46
Broad St.
ve
Alice Ave.
er
Irene Ave.
Riv
tle
Thompson
Ri
son Thomp
Ash St. Quentine Ave.
60
Riv
37
r
CR 44 te Pl
CR 31
at
Milliken
60
S.
CR 21
Ri
ve
CR 44
CR 42
CR 42
Gilcrest
CR 40 1/2
CR 25 1/2
CR 25
CR 23
RR UP
CR 19
CR 17
CR 40 CR 38 1/2
85
U
P
R
CR 38
R
Legend CR 36
= Traffic Signal = Stop Sign
Figure 3
= No Traffic Control = Paved Roads North
Existing Traffic Control Devices
= Gravel Roads
Milliken Transportation Plan, 08-063, 8/05/08
Page 12
Milliken Millik en Tr T r anspor ta tation tion Master Plan
65
34
65
20th St. 95th Ave.
FELSBURG H O LT & ULLE VI G
55 65
65 34
Greeley
65
U
Big
NPS
P R
50
R
55
CR 52
NPS
NPS Th om
55
ps on
CR 48 1/2
er
Bi
Lit
CR 46 1/2 CR 46
30
C
NPS
Broad St.
30
UP
45
35
CR 46
r te
NPS
Pl
NPS
NPS
CR 42
NPS
Gilcrest
CR 40 1/2
50
NPS
CR 25
NPS
CR 40
NPS
CR 25 1/2
UP
RR
CR 19
CR 23
NPS
25
4
55 60
35
NPS
39
NPS
at
Milliken
55
CR 17
CR
NPS
CR 42
55
6
CR 44
Ri
NPS CR 21
39
RR
65 ve
35
NPS
R
r
NPS
NPS
NPS
25
ve
8
55
S.
GW
R
NPS
CR 44
55
37
CR 29
er
Alice Ave.
Riv
tle
Thompson
Ri
Ash St.
55
Johnstown
Tho
g
mpson
55
GWR
Irene Ave.
60
Riv
Quentine Ave.
35
CR
CR 31
CR 52
35
Evans 50
65th Ave.
257
55 Two Rivers Pkwy.
CR 25
CR 17 1/2
CR 17
NPS
NPS
NPS
CR 27
CR 54
55
NPS
NPS
CR 38 1/2
NPS
65
U
85
NPS
P
R
R
NPS
CR 38
65
NPS
CR 36
NPS
Legend
XX
= Posted Speed Limit
Figure 4
NPS = No Posted Speed
Existing Speed Limits
North
Milliken Transportation Plan, 08-063, 7/22/08
Page 13
Milliken Millik en Tr T r anspor ta tation tion Master Plan
95th Ave.
20th St.
5400
Greeley
CR 52
70 U P R R
Th
CR
170 CR 31
140
580 150
100
Gilcrest
370
230
210
100
380
85 80
15
,2
00
30 Legend
U
90
3700
CR 38 1/2
CR 36
P
R
R
150
CR 38
160 90
290
CR 40
220 60
CR 25 1/2
90
220 CR 25
70
CR 23
UP
RR
990
860
CR 42
200 CR 19
4
CR 46
CR 29
4500 r ve Ri te at Pl
60
100 CR 40 1/2
CR 17
RR
39
650
S.
70
CR 21
950
Milliken
70
XXXX = 2008 Daily Traffic Volumes
CR
CR 44
CR 42
730
6
1200
210
90
130
190
39
900
400
CR 44
140
UP
R
r
1140
950
GW
R
460
C
ve
270
CR 46
Alice Ave.
730
220 CR 46 1/2
Johnstown
Broad St.
1360
710
Ri
8
320
5800
er
320
Riv
g
son Thomp
Ash St.
220
Lit
tle
Thompson
4090
Irene Ave.
680
GWR
Quentine Ave.
on
60
6900
Bi
160
ps
130
1650
6400
ve r
6630
om
7200 Ri
CR 48 1/2
37
190
Big
CR 52
100
270
Evans
65th Ave.
CR 25
257
Two Rivers Pkwy.
CR 54
100
CR 17 1/2
3700 CR 17
34
CR 27
FELSBURG H O LT & ULLE VI G
26,000
34
30,200
180
100
XXXX = 2007 Daily Traffic Volumes XXXX = 2006 Daily Traffic Volumes
Figure 5
XXXX = 2005 Daily Traffic Volumes North
Current Daily Traffic Volumes
XXXX = 2004 Daily Traffic Volumes
Milliken Transportation Plan, 08-063, 7/22/08
Page 14
With downtown Milliken’s location along SH 60 (Broad Street), the level of truck traffic passing through downtown is a concern for Town residents. Both SH 60 and SH 257 serve as heavily used truck routes, particularly for truck traffic traveling between US 85 and US 34. Vehicle classification counts were conducted in April 2008 to understand the level of truck traffic using SH 60, SH 257, and Two Rivers Parkway in the Milliken area. As shown on Figure 6, the highest volume of truck traffic is on SH 60 east of SH 257 and south of Two Rivers Parkway. These sections of SH 60 carry approximately 500 trucks per day. Truck traffic on SH 60 south of Two Rivers Parkway accounts for the highest percentage (7.7 percent) of the total traffic. SH 60 west of SH 257 carries approximately 385 trucks per day, while SH 257 carries approximately 360 trucks per day and Two Rivers Parkway carries approximately 290 trucks per day.
B.
Railroad Facilities
Two railroads (the Great Western Railway and the Union Pacific Railroad) have railroad lines that bisect the Town of Milliken, as depicted on Figure 7. While the Great Western Railway (GWR) line parallels SH 60 on the north, the Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) line runs diagonally through Town. Another UPRR line parallels the South Platte River with a general southwest to northeast alignment. This line, in combination with the South Platte River, creates an obstacle for roadway connectivity in the Milliken area. A third UPRR line runs parallel to US 85 in the southeastern part of the study area. This line carries the highest volume of train traffic in the study area with approximately 20 trains per day. The other UPRR lines carry an average of two trains per day, while the GWR line carries an average of four trains per day. All railroad crossings in the Town are at-grade crossings. While several of the railroad crossings in the study area, particularly in the developed areas of Milliken, have both signage and gates, other railroad crossings have only signs. Delays of up to 30 minutes have been experienced on Broad Street (SH 60) at the Dorothy Avenue crossing.
FELSBURG HOLT & ULLEVIG Page 15
Milliken Millik en Tr T r anspor ta tation tion Master Plan
34
20th St. 95th Ave.
FELSBURG H O LT & ULLE VI G
34
Greeley
CR 52 U
Big
Evans CR 52
P R
Lit
tle
R
CR 46 1/2
Johnstown
4.8% 137
152
Th
C
Broad St.
239
UP
265
37
ve
R
8
r
39
6
CR
39
4
RR
CR 46 CR 29 CR 44
te
CR 31
Pl
at
Milliken
60
S.
CR 21
Ri
ve
r
CR 44
242
7.7% 241
GW
R
CR 46
g
Ri
n ompso
6.9% Ash St.
Alice Ave.
on
Thompson
191 6.8%
ps
4.4% 178 GWR 60 r 207 i ve
Bi
Irene Ave.
om
er
Quentine Ave.
171
R
Th
Riv
CR 48 1/2
CR
65th Ave.
257
Two Rivers Pkwy.
CR 27
CR 25
CR 17
CR 17 1/2
CR 54
CR 42
CR 42
Gilcrest
CR 40 1/2
CR 25 1/2
CR 25
CR 23
RR UP
CR 19
CR 17
CR 40 CR 38 1/2
85
U
P
R
CR 38
R
CR 36
Figure 6
Legend
XX
= Directional Daily Truck Volumes
XX%
= Truck Percentage of Daily Traffic
Current Truck Volumes and Percentages (April 2008)
North
Milliken Transportation Plan, 08-063, 7/22/08
Page 16
Milliken Millik en Tr T r anspor ta tation tion Master Plan
34
20th St. 95th Ave.
FELSBURG H O LT & ULLE VI G
34
Greeley
CR 52 U
Big
Evans CR 52
P R R
65th Ave.
257
Two Rivers Pkwy.
CR 27
CR 25
CR 17
CR 17 1/2
CR 54
2 Th
CR
om
R
r i ve
Lit
CR 46 1/2
Johnstown
Tho
g
Ri
mpson
C
Ash St.
tle
Thompson
4
Bi
UP
ve
R
8
r
39
6
CR
39
4
2
RR
2 CR 46 CR 29
GW
R
CR 46
Broad St. Alice Ave.
GWR
er
Irene Ave.
on
60
Riv
Quentine Ave.
ps
CR 48 1/2
37
r
CR 44 te
CR 31
at Pl
Milliken
2
60
S.
CR 21
Ri
ve
CR 44
CR 42
CR 42
Gilcrest
CR 40 1/2
CR 25 1/2
CR 25
CR 23
RR UP
CR 19
CR 17
CR 40
20 CR 38 1/2
85
U
P
R
CR 38
R
CR 36
Legend = Railroad Crossing with Gate and Signs = Railroad Crossing with Signs
X
=
Figure 7
Average Number of Trains per Day
Railroad Inventory
North
Milliken Transportation Plan, 08-063, 7/18/08
Page 17
C.
Trails and Pedestrian Facilities
The Town of Milliken has completed an inventory of the location and condition of sidewalks within the community. All new construction is required to include sidewalks on both sides of streets. However, there are relatively minor gaps in the system in the older parts of the town. For example, neither of the UPRR grade crossings (Broad Street and Alice Avenue) have sidewalks crossing the tracks. In addition, other notable gaps in the sidewalk system adjacent to existing developments include the south side of SH 60 (Quentine Avenue to Marjorie Avenue), the north side of SH 60 (UPRR to Alice Avenue), both sides of Quentine Avenue (from SH 60 to Broad Street), the east side Quentine Avenue (Green Street to Inez Boulevard), the west side of Quentine Street (Lilac Street to Inez Boulevard), and the south side of Broad Street (Quentine Avenue to Olive Avenue). Both the Milliken Comprehensive Plan (2004) and the Johnstown/Milliken Parks, Trails, Recreation and Open Space Master Plan (2003) call for the development of a trail system to create a recreational and commuting network for the Town that will also connect to regional trail systems. Currently, the trail system is in the planning phase; no segments of the trail system have been implemented. In addition to the future trail system, the Town intends to implement a system of multi-use facilities for bicycle and pedestrian traffic. Multi-use facilities are detached sidewalks with a width of eight to ten feet. With new development, the Town will require the construction of multi-use facilities along major arterials to accommodate both bicycle and pedestrian traffic. Detached sidewalks ranging from six to eight feet will be required along minor arterials, collector and local streets.
D.
Transit
Presently there is very little transit service in the Milliken area. The only existing transit service is provided by the Minibus program operated by the Weld County Human Services Department. The county operates various transportation services between the many small towns in the county and Greeley, the county’s largest city, with a focus on serving the transit dependent and elderly populations. Both general public service and specialized programs are provided, including employment services, Migrant Head Start, Head Start, senior nutrition, and a summer youth program. Minivan service is scheduled from Johnstown to Greeley the second Tuesday of every month for shopping in Greeley. Passengers are picked up at 9:30 a.m. at the Johnstown Senior Center and return at 1:30 p.m. There is no fee for this service; donations are accepted. Demand responsive service is also available to all residents in Weld County for medical trips. Passengers must give two-day notice and be a registered user with the Weld County Transportation Department. Demand responsive service is available from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Again, there is no fee for this service; donations are accepted. The Johnstown, Milliken, and Windsor Short Range Transit Plan was completed in November 2006. The plan includes a recommendation for implementation of fixed-route transit service connecting Johnstown/Milliken/Windsor to Greeley, Loveland, and Fort Collins. These three communities have been working with Weld County and have agreed to share the local grant match for acquisition of vehicles to initiate the proposed service in 2009 or 2010. The three communities will be seeking a grant for funding the operations and maintenance of the service in 2010 and will be providing the local match. FELSBURG HOLT & ULLEVIG Page 18
INVENTORY OF EXISTING CONDITIONS
In order to understand how transportation is provided to Milliken residents, an inventory of the existing transportation system was conducted. This is an important part of the planning process since it becomes the starting point in identifying areas in need of improvement. Similar to other towns of comparable size, Milliken’s transportation system is primarily focused on the automobile and thus, the roadway system. The roadway inventory includes collection of data associated with the existing street system (i.e., laneage, paving, traffic control devices, posted speed limits, etc.) and the compilation of recent traffic counts taken by Felsburg Holt & Ullevig, Weld County and the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT). In addition to the roadway system, the inventory includes a multi-modal inventory including railroad, transit, bicycle and pedestrian facilities.
A.
Roadway Network
Roadway Conditions The principal component of Milliken’s transportation system is the roadway network, primarily located along section lines. Figure 1 illustrates the existing street system and the surface condition (paved versus gravel) of the roadway segments. Approximately 60 percent of the section-line roadways shown in the study area are currently paved. Figure 2 provides an inventory of the lane and shoulder widths of the paved roadways. All of the roadways in the study area have two through lanes, with the exception of US 34 and US 85, both of which have four through lanes (two in each direction). The paved roadways have lane widths generally ranging from ten to 12 feet. SH 60 and SH 257 have wide paved shoulders (typically eight to ten feet on each side), but many of the county roads have a narrow unpaved shoulder or no shoulder.
Regionally Significant Corridors The North Front Range Metropolitan Planning Organization (NFRMPO) has identified Regionally Significant Corridors throughout the region. These corridors serve as regional connections between North Front Range communities; several such corridors have been identified within the Milliken area including SH 60, SH 257, Two Rivers Parkway, US 34, US 85, CR 54, and 65th Avenue.
FELSBURG HOLT & ULLEVIG Page 7
Milliken Millik en Tr T r anspor ta tation tion Master Plan
34
20th St. 95th Ave.
FELSBURG H O LT & ULLE VI G
34
Greeley
CR 52 U
Big
Evans CR 52
P R R
Th
CR
om ps on
CR 48 1/2
er
Bi
GWR
Lit
CR 46 1/2
Johnstown
C UP
R
8
r
39
6
CR
39
4
RR
CR 46 CR 29
GW
R
CR 46
Broad St.
ve
Alice Ave.
er
Irene Ave.
Riv
tle
Thompson
Tho
g
Ri
mpson
Ash St. Quentine Ave.
60
Riv
37
65th Ave.
257
Two Rivers Pkwy.
CR 27
CR 25
CR 17
CR 17 1/2
CR 54
CR 44
te Pl
CR 31
at
Milliken
60
S.
CR 21
Ri
ve
r
CR 44
CR 42
CR 42
Gilcrest
CR 40 1/2
CR 25 1/2
CR 25
CR 23
RR UP
CR 19
CR 17
CR 40 CR 38 1/2
85
U
P
R
CR 38
R
CR 36
Legend
Figure 1
= Paved Roads
Existing Roadway System
= Gravel Roads North
Milliken Transportation Plan, 08-063, 7/22/08
Page 8
Milliken Millik en Tr T r anspor ta tation tion Master Plan
34
20th St. 95th Ave.
FELSBURG H O LT & ULLE VI G
34
Greeley
12-12 12-12
11-11
[4]-11-11-[4]
CR 52 8-12-12-8
U
Big
Evans CR 52 4-12-12-4
P R R 12-12 (with 14’ Striped Median
Th
CR
om
[4]-12-12-[4]
ps on
CR 48 1/2
Riv
er
GWR
tle Lit
CR 46 1/2
Johnstown
C UP
10-12-12-10
8
8-11-11-8 r
ve
R
39
6
CR
RR
39
4
12-12
[4]-12-12-[4]
CR 46
[2]-12-13-[2]
37’ 10-12-12-10
44’
[2]-12-12-[2]
Ri
ve
r
CR 44 te
CR 44
12-12
Pl
CR 31
at
Milliken
60
S.
CR 21
LEGEND Paved Shoulder Lane Width Lane Width Paved Shoulder
CR 29
GW
R
CR 46
Broad St. Alice Ave.
er
Irene Ave.
11-11 Riv
Thompson
Tho
g
Ash St. Quentine Ave.
60
Bi
43’
10-12-12-10
Ri
mpson
37
65th Ave.
257
Two Rivers Pkwy.
CR 27
CR 25
CR 17
CR 17 1/2
CR 54
[2]-10-10-[2]
CR 42
CR 42
XX-YY-YY-XX
CR 40 1/2
[2]-12-12-[2]
2-10-10-2
Gilcrest
[2]-12-13-[2]
PAVED SHOULDER
[XX]YY-YY[XX]
CR 25 1/2
CR 25
CR 23
RR UP
4-12-12-4
CR 19
CR 17
Unpaved Shoulder Lane Width Lane Width Unpaved Shoulder
CR 40 CR 38 1/2
85
CR 38
12-12
UNPAVED SHOULDER
[4]-12-12-[4]
U
P
R
R
CR 36
Legend
Figure 2
= Paved Roads
Existing Roadway Widths
= Gravel Roads North
Milliken Transportation Plan, 08-063, 7/22/08
Page 9
SH 60 runs east-west through the center of Milliken and connects to the Town of Johnstown and I-25 to the west. East of downtown Milliken, SH 60 extends south and connects to US 85. SH 60 is named Broad Street through downtown Milliken. It is a two-lane facility with wide (ten feet) paved shoulders, except through downtown, where there is curb and gutter and on-street parallel parking. CDOT recently completed the SH 60 Environmental Overview Study (March 2007), which includes future roadway cross sections and an access control plan for SH 60 through Milliken. SH 257 is a north-south roadway that begins at SH 60 in Milliken and connects north to Windsor, and ends at SH 14. It is a two-lane facility with wide (eight feet) paved shoulders. Two Rivers Parkway has been identified as a Regionally Significant Corridor and was the subject of a recent study to evaluate alignment alternatives (Two Rivers Parkway Alternative Alignment Study). Two Rivers Parkway currently extends east from SH 60 for a half mile and then curves to the north. Two Rivers Parkway provides regional connectivity from SH 60 through Evans and Greeley up to CR 74 and eventually to SH 14. US 34 is the primary east-west expressway through Weld County and provides a direct connection between Loveland and Greeley. It is located five miles north of downtown Milliken. US 34 has been built to an expressway standard with four lanes, a wide median, and controlled access. US 34 has received the attention of several recent planning studies. The US 34 Access Control Plan and US 34 Corridor Optimization Study were completed in 2003 and provide the context for widening US 34 to six lanes in the future. US 85 is a major north-south expressway through northern Colorado. US 85 has four through lanes with a wide median. The US 85 Access Control Plan (1999) established future access improvements along the corridor including consolidation of accesses and future interchange locations. Although US 85 is on the edge of the Milliken study area, it will serve as an important corridor for access to future development in the southeastern portion of the study area. CR 54 is an east-west roadway located in the northern portion of Milliken’s study area. CR 54 is a two-lane facility without shoulders. It provides connectivity to Greeley and Evans to the east and to I-25 on the west. West of I-25, the alignment is designated as a state highway (SH 402) and extends into Loveland. CR 54 has been identified as a Regionally Significant Corridor. 65th Avenue is a north-south roadway on the eastern edge of Milliken’s study area. This roadway extends north into Evans and Greeley and transitions to the 59th Avenue alignment north of US 34. 65th Avenue has been identified by the NFRMPO as a Regionally Significant Corridor.
FELSBURG HOLT & ULLEVIG Page 10
Traffic Control Devices Figure 3 illustrates the existing traffic control devices in the Milliken planning area. The purpose of intersection traffic control is to ensure safe and efficient traffic operation by assigning right-ofway between conflicting traffic streams. This assignment of right-of-way provides uniform and predictable movements of vehicles and pedestrians. Typical intersection traffic control may consist of a traffic signal or a STOP sign on the minor street approaches. There are currently two signalized intersections in the planning area; one at the SH 60/SH 257 intersection with the Milliken town boundary, and one at the SH 60/Two Rivers Parkway intersection. Most intersections of section-line roads have stop sign control on the minor street approach. Two intersections, CR 42/CR 29 and CR 54/CR 17 have four-way stop control, and several intersections, particularly in the southeastern portion of the study area, have no traffic control. Another form of traffic control is the posted speed limit of a roadway. An inventory of existing speed limits was performed and is shown on Figure 4. Many of the county roads have no specific posted speed limits. US 34 and sections of US 85, SH 60, and SH 257 have posted speed limits of 65 miles per hour (mph). Through downtown Milliken, SH 60 has a posted speed of 30 mph. Speed limits on the county roads range from 35 up to 55 mph. In the developed portion of Milliken, the posted speeds are generally in the range of 25 to 35 mph. There is generally good continuity of speed limits along all of the roadways in the planning area. That is, speed limits are consistent between sections of road and changes are tied to differences in the type or density of adjacent land use. Almost all of the roads in the planning area are straight, and slower speeds through curves are not a concern. Speed limits and traffic operations should be monitored in the future as further growth occurs to make sure that vehicular speeds remain within appropriate and safe ranges.
Traffic Volumes Weld County and CDOT collect traffic volume information on a yearly basis. In the Milliken area, most of the Weld County traffic counts were conducted in 2006 and 2007, as shown on Figure 5. To supplement the CDOT and Weld County counts, additional traffic counts were conducted in the Milliken area. Consistent with the functional classification of the system, the higher traffic volumes are experienced on the expressways (US 34 and US 85) and the major arterial streets (SH 60, SH 257, Two Rivers Parkway). SH 60 (Broad Street) through downtown Milliken currently carries 6,400 to 6,900 vehicles per day (vpd). SH 257 carries 5,800 vpd immediately north of SH 60. Most of the county roads in the study area carry fewer than 2,000 vpd, with the exceptions of Two Rivers Parkway (6,600 vpd), CR 54 (3,700 vpd), and Quentine Avenue immediately south of SH 60 (4,100 vpd).
FELSBURG HOLT & ULLEVIG Page 11
Milliken Millik en Tr T r anspor ta tation tion Master Plan
34
20th St. 95th Ave.
FELSBURG H O LT & ULLE VI G
34
Greeley
Two
257
Rivers Pkwy.
CR 27
CR 25 CR 52
CR 52
U
Big
Evans
65th Ave.
CR 17
CR 17 1/2
CR 54
P R R
Th
CR
om ps on
CR 48 1/2
er
Bi
GWR
Lit
CR 46 1/2
Johnstown
g
C UP
R
8
r
39
6
CR
39
4
RR
CR 46 CR 29
GW
R
CR 46
Broad St.
ve
Alice Ave.
er
Irene Ave.
Riv
tle
Thompson
Ri
son Thomp
Ash St. Quentine Ave.
60
Riv
37
r
CR 44 te Pl
CR 31
at
Milliken
60
S.
CR 21
Ri
ve
CR 44
CR 42
CR 42
Gilcrest
CR 40 1/2
CR 25 1/2
CR 25
CR 23
RR UP
CR 19
CR 17
CR 40 CR 38 1/2
85
U
P
R
CR 38
R
Legend CR 36
= Traffic Signal = Stop Sign
Figure 3
= No Traffic Control = Paved Roads North
Existing Traffic Control Devices
= Gravel Roads
Milliken Transportation Plan, 08-063, 8/05/08
Page 12
Milliken Millik en Tr T r anspor ta tation tion Master Plan
65
34
65
20th St. 95th Ave.
FELSBURG H O LT & ULLE VI G
55 65
65 34
Greeley
65
U
Big
NPS
P R
50
R
55
CR 52
NPS
NPS Th om
55
ps on
CR 48 1/2
er
Bi
Lit
CR 46 1/2 CR 46
30
C
NPS
Broad St.
30
UP
45
35
CR 46
r te
NPS
Pl
NPS
NPS
CR 42
NPS
Gilcrest
CR 40 1/2
50
NPS
CR 25
NPS
CR 40
NPS
CR 25 1/2
UP
RR
CR 19
CR 23
NPS
25
4
55 60
35
NPS
39
NPS
at
Milliken
55
CR 17
CR
NPS
CR 42
55
6
CR 44
Ri
NPS CR 21
39
RR
65 ve
35
NPS
R
r
NPS
NPS
NPS
25
ve
8
55
S.
GW
R
NPS
CR 44
55
37
CR 29
er
Alice Ave.
Riv
tle
Thompson
Ri
Ash St.
55
Johnstown
Tho
g
mpson
55
GWR
Irene Ave.
60
Riv
Quentine Ave.
35
CR
CR 31
CR 52
35
Evans 50
65th Ave.
257
55 Two Rivers Pkwy.
CR 25
CR 17 1/2
CR 17
NPS
NPS
NPS
CR 27
CR 54
55
NPS
NPS
CR 38 1/2
NPS
65
U
85
NPS
P
R
R
NPS
CR 38
65
NPS
CR 36
NPS
Legend
XX
= Posted Speed Limit
Figure 4
NPS = No Posted Speed
Existing Speed Limits
North
Milliken Transportation Plan, 08-063, 7/22/08
Page 13
Milliken Millik en Tr T r anspor ta tation tion Master Plan
95th Ave.
20th St.
5400
Greeley
CR 52
70 U P R R
Th
CR
170 CR 31
140
580 150
100
Gilcrest
370
230
210
100
380
85 80
15
,2
00
30 Legend
U
90
3700
CR 38 1/2
CR 36
P
R
R
150
CR 38
160 90
290
CR 40
220 60
CR 25 1/2
90
220 CR 25
70
CR 23
UP
RR
990
860
CR 42
200 CR 19
4
CR 46
CR 29
4500 r ve Ri te at Pl
60
100 CR 40 1/2
CR 17
RR
39
650
S.
70
CR 21
950
Milliken
70
XXXX = 2008 Daily Traffic Volumes
CR
CR 44
CR 42
730
6
1200
210
90
130
190
39
900
400
CR 44
140
UP
R
r
1140
950
GW
R
460
C
ve
270
CR 46
Alice Ave.
730
220 CR 46 1/2
Johnstown
Broad St.
1360
710
Ri
8
320
5800
er
320
Riv
g
son Thomp
Ash St.
220
Lit
tle
Thompson
4090
Irene Ave.
680
GWR
Quentine Ave.
on
60
6900
Bi
160
ps
130
1650
6400
ve r
6630
om
7200 Ri
CR 48 1/2
37
190
Big
CR 52
100
270
Evans
65th Ave.
CR 25
257
Two Rivers Pkwy.
CR 54
100
CR 17 1/2
3700 CR 17
34
CR 27
FELSBURG H O LT & ULLE VI G
26,000
34
30,200
180
100
XXXX = 2007 Daily Traffic Volumes XXXX = 2006 Daily Traffic Volumes
Figure 5
XXXX = 2005 Daily Traffic Volumes North
Current Daily Traffic Volumes
XXXX = 2004 Daily Traffic Volumes
Milliken Transportation Plan, 08-063, 7/22/08
Page 14
With downtown Milliken’s location along SH 60 (Broad Street), the level of truck traffic passing through downtown is a concern for Town residents. Both SH 60 and SH 257 serve as heavily used truck routes, particularly for truck traffic traveling between US 85 and US 34. Vehicle classification counts were conducted in April 2008 to understand the level of truck traffic using SH 60, SH 257, and Two Rivers Parkway in the Milliken area. As shown on Figure 6, the highest volume of truck traffic is on SH 60 east of SH 257 and south of Two Rivers Parkway. These sections of SH 60 carry approximately 500 trucks per day. Truck traffic on SH 60 south of Two Rivers Parkway accounts for the highest percentage (7.7 percent) of the total traffic. SH 60 west of SH 257 carries approximately 385 trucks per day, while SH 257 carries approximately 360 trucks per day and Two Rivers Parkway carries approximately 290 trucks per day.
B.
Railroad Facilities
Two railroads (the Great Western Railway and the Union Pacific Railroad) have railroad lines that bisect the Town of Milliken, as depicted on Figure 7. While the Great Western Railway (GWR) line parallels SH 60 on the north, the Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) line runs diagonally through Town. Another UPRR line parallels the South Platte River with a general southwest to northeast alignment. This line, in combination with the South Platte River, creates an obstacle for roadway connectivity in the Milliken area. A third UPRR line runs parallel to US 85 in the southeastern part of the study area. This line carries the highest volume of train traffic in the study area with approximately 20 trains per day. The other UPRR lines carry an average of two trains per day, while the GWR line carries an average of four trains per day. All railroad crossings in the Town are at-grade crossings. While several of the railroad crossings in the study area, particularly in the developed areas of Milliken, have both signage and gates, other railroad crossings have only signs. Delays of up to 30 minutes have been experienced on Broad Street (SH 60) at the Dorothy Avenue crossing.
FELSBURG HOLT & ULLEVIG Page 15
Milliken Millik en Tr T r anspor ta tation tion Master Plan
34
20th St. 95th Ave.
FELSBURG H O LT & ULLE VI G
34
Greeley
CR 52 U
Big
Evans CR 52
P R
Lit
tle
R
CR 46 1/2
Johnstown
4.8% 137
152
Th
C
Broad St.
239
UP
265
37
ve
R
8
r
39
6
CR
39
4
RR
CR 46 CR 29 CR 44
te
CR 31
Pl
at
Milliken
60
S.
CR 21
Ri
ve
r
CR 44
242
7.7% 241
GW
R
CR 46
g
Ri
n ompso
6.9% Ash St.
Alice Ave.
on
Thompson
191 6.8%
ps
4.4% 178 GWR 60 r 207 i ve
Bi
Irene Ave.
om
er
Quentine Ave.
171
R
Th
Riv
CR 48 1/2
CR
65th Ave.
257
Two Rivers Pkwy.
CR 27
CR 25
CR 17
CR 17 1/2
CR 54
CR 42
CR 42
Gilcrest
CR 40 1/2
CR 25 1/2
CR 25
CR 23
RR UP
CR 19
CR 17
CR 40 CR 38 1/2
85
U
P
R
CR 38
R
CR 36
Figure 6
Legend
XX
= Directional Daily Truck Volumes
XX%
= Truck Percentage of Daily Traffic
Current Truck Volumes and Percentages (April 2008)
North
Milliken Transportation Plan, 08-063, 7/22/08
Page 16
Milliken Millik en Tr T r anspor ta tation tion Master Plan
34
20th St. 95th Ave.
FELSBURG H O LT & ULLE VI G
34
Greeley
CR 52 U
Big
Evans CR 52
P R R
65th Ave.
257
Two Rivers Pkwy.
CR 27
CR 25
CR 17
CR 17 1/2
CR 54
2 Th
CR
om
R
r i ve
Lit
CR 46 1/2
Johnstown
Tho
g
Ri
mpson
C
Ash St.
tle
Thompson
4
Bi
UP
ve
R
8
r
39
6
CR
39
4
2
RR
2 CR 46 CR 29
GW
R
CR 46
Broad St. Alice Ave.
GWR
er
Irene Ave.
on
60
Riv
Quentine Ave.
ps
CR 48 1/2
37
r
CR 44 te
CR 31
at Pl
Milliken
2
60
S.
CR 21
Ri
ve
CR 44
CR 42
CR 42
Gilcrest
CR 40 1/2
CR 25 1/2
CR 25
CR 23
RR UP
CR 19
CR 17
CR 40
20 CR 38 1/2
85
U
P
R
CR 38
R
CR 36
Legend = Railroad Crossing with Gate and Signs = Railroad Crossing with Signs
X
=
Figure 7
Average Number of Trains per Day
Railroad Inventory
North
Milliken Transportation Plan, 08-063, 7/18/08
Page 17
C.
Trails and Pedestrian Facilities
The Town of Milliken has completed an inventory of the location and condition of sidewalks within the community. All new construction is required to include sidewalks on both sides of streets. However, there are relatively minor gaps in the system in the older parts of the town. For example, neither of the UPRR grade crossings (Broad Street and Alice Avenue) have sidewalks crossing the tracks. In addition, other notable gaps in the sidewalk system adjacent to existing developments include the south side of SH 60 (Quentine Avenue to Marjorie Avenue), the north side of SH 60 (UPRR to Alice Avenue), both sides of Quentine Avenue (from SH 60 to Broad Street), the east side Quentine Avenue (Green Street to Inez Boulevard), the west side of Quentine Street (Lilac Street to Inez Boulevard), and the south side of Broad Street (Quentine Avenue to Olive Avenue). Both the Milliken Comprehensive Plan (2004) and the Johnstown/Milliken Parks, Trails, Recreation and Open Space Master Plan (2003) call for the development of a trail system to create a recreational and commuting network for the Town that will also connect to regional trail systems. Currently, the trail system is in the planning phase; no segments of the trail system have been implemented. In addition to the future trail system, the Town intends to implement a system of multi-use facilities for bicycle and pedestrian traffic. Multi-use facilities are detached sidewalks with a width of eight to ten feet. With new development, the Town will require the construction of multi-use facilities along major arterials to accommodate both bicycle and pedestrian traffic. Detached sidewalks ranging from six to eight feet will be required along minor arterials, collector and local streets.
D.
Transit
Presently there is very little transit service in the Milliken area. The only existing transit service is provided by the Minibus program operated by the Weld County Human Services Department. The county operates various transportation services between the many small towns in the county and Greeley, the county’s largest city, with a focus on serving the transit dependent and elderly populations. Both general public service and specialized programs are provided, including employment services, Migrant Head Start, Head Start, senior nutrition, and a summer youth program. Minivan service is scheduled from Johnstown to Greeley the second Tuesday of every month for shopping in Greeley. Passengers are picked up at 9:30 a.m. at the Johnstown Senior Center and return at 1:30 p.m. There is no fee for this service; donations are accepted. Demand responsive service is also available to all residents in Weld County for medical trips. Passengers must give two-day notice and be a registered user with the Weld County Transportation Department. Demand responsive service is available from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Again, there is no fee for this service; donations are accepted. The Johnstown, Milliken, and Windsor Short Range Transit Plan was completed in November 2006. The plan includes a recommendation for implementation of fixed-route transit service connecting Johnstown/Milliken/Windsor to Greeley, Loveland, and Fort Collins. These three communities have been working with Weld County and have agreed to share the local grant match for acquisition of vehicles to initiate the proposed service in 2009 or 2010. The three communities will be seeking a grant for funding the operations and maintenance of the service in 2010 and will be providing the local match. FELSBURG HOLT & ULLEVIG Page 18
