Trails Master Plan comes before the Planning & Zoning board

Download the full version of the Trails Master Plan for better maps

The Trails Master Plan is coming before the Planning & Zoning board on October 10. The proposed plan is nicely organized and well put together. We encourage residents to review the document then contact the P&Z board with any thoughts. Doing so will accomplish two goals. First, the P&Z board makes final decisions related to the multiple developments pending in our area, so your comments will let the board know how their decisions are impacting residents who live here. Second, although we feel their priority list is reasonable, there may be items that were overlooked or undervalued. The priorities list may be found on page 16 of the proposed Paved Recreational Trail Master Plan. The most current version can be downloaded from the November 19, city council agenda (updated 11/15/13).


One priority that is noticeably missing is any trail underpass of the Harmony Corridor. The 2008 plan called for completion of the Power Trail, including underpasses, by 2013. The current plan mentions 10 new underpasses but specifically states Power Trail underpasses are not included (and much of the Power Trail is now relatively low on the priority list). Traffic levels make Harmony crossings precarious -- just 2 years ago a man was killed while trying to get across in a wheelchair.*  The Harmony Corridor is well-known to the city as a major barrier to pedestrian and bicycle traffic. It's mentioned in several major planning communications, including the most current version of the Harmony Road ETC Master Plan.Why then, is this barrier not prioritized in the proposed Trails Master Plan?

Westward view of the Kechter Crossing
development, showing the virtual
elimination of Kechter Road'swestbound shoulder.

Also, we've pointed out that a nationally recognized organization, the American League of Bicycles, has specifically mentioned "safe routes to parks and schools in the southeast" as key measure needed to improve cycling in Fort Collins. Travel between Preston Middle School, Bacon Elementary, Kinard Middle School and Fossil Ridge High appear to be the primary areas raising this concern. Yet the trail which could address this issue falls to item #13 on the list of priorities and will not be addressed until at least 2017. Adding to the issue is the poor implementation of the Kechter Crossing development which narrowed the size of Tilden Road and eliminated the westbound shoulder on Kechter Road -- virtually eliminating the possibility of resolving the issue through bike lanes on the existing and planned traffic infrastructure. This clearly demonstrates failed coordination between the city's master plans, those who implement the plans and the interests of primary stakeholders who live in areas scheduled for development. Further complicating the matter are several planned developments, including one the Coloradoan calls, "one of the largest non-student-oriented multifamily projects in the city." New developments have the potential to exacerbate the current situation and jeopardize our Platinum City status. The P&Z board is uniquely responsible for new developments. So it makes sense to bring your personal experiences with these issues to their attention.

You may contact the P&Z board by sending an email to Laurie Kadrich and requesting that your comments be forwarded to the P&Z board. If you'd like to attend the P&Z board meeting, go to City Council Chambers, City Hall West, 300 LaPorte Avenue on Thursday October 10, at 6:00 p.m. On busier nights, residents are only allowed two to three minutes to make their case -- plan your statements accordingly. If you have a lot to say, consider emailing your statement and highlighting your issues at the meeting. Personal appearances tend to receive more attention than emails.

* "Man in wheelchair killed on Harmony," Fort Collins Coloradoan, October 14, 2011, Trevor Hughes