3-month closure of MacGregor and US 34 (Wonderview Avenue) intersection in Estes Park to start March 2

Travel Advisory

February 14, 2020 - Northeastern Colorado - Open house at Estes Park Town Hall slated for Feb. 20

ESTES PARK – On March 2, the intersection of US 34 (Wonderview Avenue) and MacGregor will be closed for three months to allow the Colorado Department of Transportation to build a roundabout in the area and make other safety improvements to the area. 

There will be an open house for the public to ask questions of the project team on Feb. 20 from 5-7 p.m. at the Estes Park Town Hall, but all the information for the project will be housed at the project website: https://www.codot.gov/projects/us-34-macgregor-improvements. No new information will be presented at the meeting, and there will be no formal presentation.  

During the closure, traffic from US 34 (Wonderview) will be detoured to US 34 Business (Elkhorn) and traffic from MacGregor will be detoured to Big Horn Drive. Minor delays are expected. 

c:\Users\fieljp\Downloads\Chrome\Detour Map MacGregor v2.jpg

This project is one that has been discussed for years, including a public meeting in December of 2018 to discuss design options for the intersection. The roundabout design that was the overwhelming choice of those in the meetings and the design team, was Option 1 (picture below). This option connects sidewalks on the north and was better for pedestrian safety while maintaining the access points for residents in the area.

macgregor roundabout.jpg

All of this work came about because of operational and safety concerns with the intersection which led to a CDOT study on the area. 

The goals of the study were:

  • Accommodate current and future traffic volumes

  • Improve safety for vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists and other users

  • Cost savings for construction, maintenance, traveler delay and crashes    

While the study looked at a number of options, the roundabout was easily the best choice. The study looked at how the intersection operates, safety concerns and cost over the next 20 years. 

Other traffic options included in the study:

  • Leaving the intersection as-is (with stop signs only for MacGregor) … would mean very long delays especially for drivers on MacGregor, increased number of crashes and would be the highest cost overall. 

  • Make the intersection a four-way stop … operations would not be much better than the current two-way stop but it would reduce crashes.

  • Put in a traffic light … it would operate better than either of the stop sign options but would not reduce conflict points and won’t reduce crashes as well as the four-way stop. 

Why was the roundabout selected?

  • Best operation for all vehicles

  • Lowest points of conflict with vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians

  • Lowest number of expected crashes

  • Lowest cost over the next 20 years 

For additional information about this project:

REMEMBER: SLOW FOR THE CONE ZONE

The following tips are to help you stay safe while traveling through maintenance and construction work zones.

  • Do not speed in work zones. Obey the posted speed limits.

  • Stay Alert! Expect the unexpected.

  • Watch for workers. Drive with caution.

  • Don't change lanes unnecessarily.

  • Avoid using mobile devices such as phones while driving in work zones.

  • Turn on headlights so that workers and other drivers can see you.

  • Be especially alert at night while driving in work zones.

  • Expect delays, especially during peak travel times.

  • Allow ample space between you and the car in front of you.

  • Anticipate lane shifts and merge when directed to do so.

  • Be patient!

WHOLE SYSTEM. WHOLE SAFETY. 

To heighten safety awareness, CDOT recently announced its Whole System — Whole Safety initiative. This project takes a systematic statewide approach to safety combining the benefits of CDOT’s programs that address driving behaviors, our built environment and the organization's operations. The goal is to improve the safety of Colorado’s transportation network by reducing the rate and severity of crashes and improving the safety of all transportation modes. The program has one simple mission—to get everyone home safely.

ABOUT CDOT

CDOT has approximately 3,000 employees located throughout Colorado, and manages more than 23,000 lane miles of highway and 3,429 bridges. CDOT also manages grant partnerships with a range of other agencies, including metropolitan planning organizations, local governments and airports. It also administers Bustang, the state-owned and operated interregional express service. Gov. Polis has charged CDOT to further build on the state’s intermodal mobility options.