Project Phone Line:
303-671-7258

Motorists on Parker Road currently experience congestion and lengthy delays during morning and afternoon peak hours. While current traffic volumes alone warrant proposed improvements, traffic volumes are projected to increase by approximately 50 to 70 percent on Parker Road by 2015.
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opulation in the Denver metropolitan area has doubled in the past 20 years to more than 2 million people. During this time Aurora's population has more than tripled from about 75,000 people in 1970 to 225,000 in 1990. Trends and projections show this growth will continue so that in 2015, the metropolitan area's population will be 2.5 million and Aurora's population will be approximately 400,000. Locally adopted land-use plans support these growth projections, and the 2015 Interim Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) (DRCOG 1993 and 1995) includes roadway improvements and other measures to accommodate the increase in travel that will accompany the projected growth.

The Parker Road/I-225 Interchange Reconstruction Project is one of the first steps that will be taken to implement overall transportation improvements in southeastern Aurora and Arapahoe County. A number of actions are included in the 2015 RTP and local transportation plans for the southeast area to make this portion of the system function adequately in the future. Both I-225 and Parker Road in the project area are currently more than 15 percent over their vehicle capacity. As "2015 Congested Corridors," the 2015 RTP states that I-225 between Parker Road and I-70 will be widened to six lanes, Parker Road from Hampden Avenue to I-225 will be widened to six lanes, and the interchange at I-225 will be reconstructed. Other specific roadway improvements are included in the 2015 RTP, as well as broader studies that will consider other types of transportation improvements for the southeast area. Further information on these and related topics can be found on the following sites:

• DRCOG — www.drcog.com
• Southeast Corridor — www.southeastcorridor.com
• RTD — www.rtd-denver.com

Reasons for Congestion

Motorists on Parker Road currently experience congestion and lengthy delays during morning and afternoon peak hours. Primary reasons for the congestion are heavy traffic movement on Parker Road to and from I-225, and turning movements at the intersections of the I-225 ramps, Vaughn Way, and Hampden Avenue. While current traffic volumes alone warrant proposed improvements, traffic volumes are projected to increase by approximately 50 to 70 percent on Parker Road by 2015.

Future transit and other transportation options are being studied for the Southeast Corridor, including I-225 between I-25 and Parker Road. The Nine Mile park-n-Ride, located at the I-225 interchange, provides an interface between motor vehicles, pedestrians, bicycles, buses, and future transit modes. The interchange is the site of a future end-of-line station for I-225 light rail, which is currently planned for completion by 2008. Heavy congestion in the project area would hamper use of alternative modes of travel as well as motor vehicles, making this interchange less viable for transit in the future if improvements were not made.

The high accident rate in the project area, which is three times the statewide average (considering both frequency and severity), is due primarily to turning and stopping vehicles. In addition to damage to property and injuries, accidents add to congestion in the corridor.

Comprehensive Approach

To relieve congestion in the corridor and achieve an acceptable level of operation, methods to improve traffic flow, increase roadway capacity, and control access to and from adjoining properties along Parker Road must be implemented. Additionally, to the extent possible, the use of single occupant vehicles should be decreased. This comprehensive approach to resolving problems of congestion is in accordance with the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA21), which mandates a broad approach to congestion management.