The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and the agencies of Brighton, Adams County, Thornton, Broomfield, Erie, Lafayette and Boulder County are working together on a Corridor Optimization Study (COS) for State Highway 7. This COS will look current and ultimate configuration of the highway (# of lanes, intersections, traffic signals, access and rerouting); additional modes of transportation (Bus, bike, pedestrian) that can be integrated into this highway; alternative routes or rerouting of State Highway 7 (Lafayette and Brighton are looking at alternatives to reroute SH7 around their respective Cities); environmental issues that would effected by any changes in the highway; economic information and technical issues that relate to this COS.

The COS process is expected to take 18 to 24 months and should start in early 2008, at the latest. This $700,000 study will be funded 50% by CDOT and the remaining $350,000 split evenly among the municipal/county agencies.

Lafayette's main issue with State Highway 7 is the traffic loading now and into the future from thru traffic that is traveling on a very narrow two land road in Lafayette's Old Town. Lafayette wants to reroute this highway one mile to the north onto Arapahoe Road and bypass the old Town area. This rerouting could occur at 119th or further to the east.

Once the COS is complete and CDOT agrees to all of the current and future configurations of the highway, the individual agencies then need to secure funding for their portion of the highway that will be changed. To reroute State Highway 7 one mile to the north will cost Lafayette from $5M to $26M depending on various scenarios, lane configurations, right-of-way need to be acquired, etc.

There is a very competitive process to secure limited funding thru DRCOG Transportation Improvement Process. How much funding Lafayette would receive from this process is yet to be seen.

If you have any questions, call Doug Short, Public Works Director at 303.665.5588 ext. 3322 or at douglass@cityoflafayette.com