Arvada Transit Station Planning Project

What’s New…

Transit Station Framework Plan Adopted

The Arvada Transit Station Framework Plan was adopted by Planning Commisson on July 17, 2007, and ratified by the City Council on August 20, 2007.

Background Regarding the Project

The purpose of the Transit Station Framework Plan is to establish Arvada’s vision and goals for how development should occur around transit station associated with the Gold Line. The presence of transit normally spurs investment by the private sector; it is important to have a public vision of how land use and transportation will occur to guide private and public investment. Arvada also feels that planning around transit stations will help guide the Regional Transportation District in its planning for the Gold Line.

The Draft Transit Station Framework Plan was developed with extensive public participation consisting of stakeholder interviews, two design charettes in May and July of 2006 and a public open house in November of 2006. In addition to public input received through these meetings, a steering committee composed of Arvada residents guided work on the plan. See related links below for materials presented at the November 2006 open house for details on the project.

The Transit Station Framework Plan is part of the Comprehensive Plan and will serve as the guiding framework for future work with respect to land use regulations, public improvements and needed partnerships.

Relationship of Transit Station Framework Plan to Gold Line Environmental Impact Statement Process

The purpose of the Transit Station Framework Plan is to establish Arvada’s vision and goals for how development should occur around future transit stations along the Gold Line. This plan is the city’s plan.

The Gold Line Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is a federally mandated process to examine environmental impacts and alternatives for the Gold Line. This process is being conducted by the Regional Transportation District (RTD). See RTD’s Gold Line website http://www.rtd-fastracks.com/gl_1 for more information. RTD is responsible for constructing the Gold Line, along with other transit corridors approved by voters as part of the FasTracks program. The EIS process was begun in the fall of 2006. After examining many alternatives, the EIS has narrowed the range of feasible alternatives to Electric Multiple Unit: BN/UP which follows the rail corridor.

The City of Arvada’s position is that the Electric Multiple Unit: BN/UP alternative is the preferred option as it is most consistent with the original vision of FasTracks and what voters approved, most supportive of local planning goals and least disruptive to the community.