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<br />3.0 U.S. HIGHWAY 6 EVALUATION <br /> <br />....., <br /> <br />3.1 INTRODUCTION <br />A major dam and reservoir on Clear Creek would require relocation of <br />portions of U.S. Highway 6 and might require relocation of portions of State <br />Highway 119. This study has evaluated existing highway use patterns and provided <br />alternatives for roadway relocations. A goal of the study was to determine <br />alternatives which could provide equal or better access than existing conditions. <br />If this goal can be met, then the impact of the project on communities relying <br />on U.S. Highway 6 for their commuter and tourist traffic would be minimized. <br /> <br />,....-, <br /> <br />,-'" <br /> <br />-- <br />, I <br />j <br /> <br />3.2 PURPOSE <br />This evaluation identifies alternatives for the relocation of the highway <br />if a dam were to be built in Clear Creek Canyon. Construction costs and annual <br />operation and maintenance costs were estimated for each roadway relocation <br />alternative. In addition to construction costs and annual costs, each roadway <br />relocation alternative was analyzed to determine the cost to the users of the <br />highway. User costs for each roadway relocation alternative were then compared <br />to the user costs without the project. The project area and U.S. Highway 6 <br />Corridor is shown in Figure 3.1. <br /> <br />,4 <br /> <br />,~ <br /> <br />.- <br /> <br />3.3 EVALUATION OF EXISTING ROADWAYS <br />The major east-west routes in the area of U.S. Highway 6 were evaluated <br />for existing traffic characteristics, future traffic characteristics, capacity, <br />and safety. The three east-west routes in the corridor are U.S. Highway 6, 1-70, <br />and Golden Gate Canyon Road. The primary sources of data for these evaluations <br />were the Colorado Department of Highways (COOH) and the Jefferson County <br />Department of Highways and Transportation. <br /> <br />Design hour traffic volumes on U.S. Highway 6 in Clear Creek Canyon <br />currently are less than half the capacity of the highway and, based on historical <br />patterns, can be expected to stay below capacity for the next 20 years. The 1987 <br />average annual daily traffic (AADT) volumes were 5200 vehicles per day with a <br />projected volume of 7280 at year 2007, based on historical growth. Based on 1986 <br />accident data (COOH, 1986), accident rates along U.S. Highway 6 in Clear Creek <br /> <br />3-1 <br />