2008-04-15_REVISION - M1980244 (268)

Home Browse Search

Cripple Creek & Victor Gold Mining Company MLE Traffic Impact Study EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Cripple Creek & Victor Gold Mining Company (CC&V), located in Teller County, Colorado, is seeking to extend the life of the gold mine. The project would extend principal mining operations from Year 2012 to Year 2016, with leach operations continuing until about Year 2024. From Year 2024 until about Year 2032, the mine would be reclaimed. In general, the mine life extension (MLE) project will include a new overburden storage area on the northeast side of the mine, an extension of mining operations particularly to the north side of the mine, and the construction of Phase 5 of the Valley Leach Facility (VLF). This report addresses the impacts of traffic associated with the MLE. Daily traffic counts and 14-hour tube counts were taken in October 2007 in order to determine existing traffic volumes on key roadways around the mine and at the two principal mine access intersections to the mine. Daily traffic was compared to the turning traffic entering and exiting the mine to determine what portion of the daily traffic is mine related. On SH 67 near the Carlton access mine related traffic is about 15 to 16 percent of the total daily traffic. On CR 82 .northwest of the Ironclad access, mine related traffic is about 65 percent of the daily traffic. On CR 82 southeast of the Ironclad access, mine related traffic is about 44 percent of the total daily traffic. Intersection turning movement traffic at the Carlton and Ironclad mine access intersections was analyzed in order to determine the existing operational levels of service. The results of the analysis indicate that there are no operational problems at either of these intersections. Intersection traffic at these two access points is currently operating at excellent levels of service. This corresponds with the low volumes exhibited in the current turning movement counts. The turning movement volumes are not large enough to exhibit any operational problems. The location of the East Cresson overburden storage area and the Wildhorse Extension of the East Cresson Mine will impact CR 82 and CR 83. CR 82 will need to be realigned. CR 83 will be required to be closed. Traffic that is currently traveling on CR 83 between CR 82 and CR 81 will divert to CR 82. CR 82 will have more than adequate capacity to handle the increased traffic. Construction of Phase 5 of the VLF will require that lime, diesel, and gasoline deliveries be made to the mine via the Ironclad access rather than the traditional route through the Carlton access. This is a positive impact for SH 67 because fewer trucks will travel through the city. of Cripple Creek and approximately seven .miles of SH 67 between Cripple Creek and Victor. The change in delivery route for diesel, gasoline, and lime, however, will add more turning traffic to the intersection of CR 821 and SH 67. To offset these impacts, CC&V Interstate Engineering, Inc. 1 April, 2008