Commissioners briefed on Jefferson Parkway: regional modeling, timelines and evacuation benefits

Jefferson County commissioners received a detailed briefing Oct. 7 on the Jefferson Parkway alignment, regional traffic modeling assumptions and potential benefits including congestion relief, emergency egress and multimodal connections. The briefing did not include a formal action; staff said next steps could include coordination with the Jefferson Parkway Public Highway Authority and the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG) if the board decides to change the project’s regional status.

County transportation staff, led by Christina Lane, summarized the parkway alignment linking State Highway 93 to Highway 36 and described proposed interchanges (including the Indiana/Candelas area). Staff said the parkway was planned originally to complete a regional beltway and historically has been modeled as a class‑3 critical corridor in DRCOG’s Regional Transportation Plan, meaning its presence is incorporated into regional air‑quality and traffic projections.

Lane told commissioners that DRCOG uses a regional travel‑demand model (a transportation analysis zone framework and the DRCOG focus model) to project traffic volumes; those regional projections currently understate traffic in the corridor because Jefferson County updated local transportation analysis zone data that were not reflected in earlier DRCOG modeling. Staff said a 2016/2018 traffic-study baseline that informed parkway planning likely understates future volumes and that an updated DRCOG model (including 2020 and 2025 inputs) would show higher counts on Highway 93 and surrounding corridors if the parkway is not built.

Staff highlighted several anticipated benefits if the parkway is built as planned: reduced vehicle‑miles traveled for regional trips by completing the beltway, reduced congestion on local arterials such as Indiana Street, improved regional air‑quality modeling compliance, potential new freight routing to move heavy trucks off local roads, and improved emergency egress for neighborhoods in WUI‑vulnerable areas. County staff also noted opportunities to incorporate multimodal infrastructure (shared‑use paths, bike/ped links) and potential coordination with future Northwest Rail or other transit proposals.

Jefferson Parkway Authority CFO Brian Archer and Arvada staff participated; Archer noted faster‑than‑anticipated local build‑out in some Candelas and Rock areas and voiced support for parkway benefits. Commissioners asked about the DRCOG removal process if the county wanted to withdraw the project from the regional plan; staff said DRCOG requires a formal request and a multi‑step reanalysis process that can lead to CDOT and FHWA review. No formal motion was taken; staff said the presentation materials and DRCOG procedures can be provided for further review if the board wishes to consider next steps.