Erie council directs staff to seek resolution for County Line Road–Airport feasibility study

Erie — The Erie Town Council on June 17 directed staff to prepare a resolution authorizing a feasibility study of a proposed County Line Road connection to Airport Drive, a project staff said could ease north–south traffic and open development opportunities near the airport.

Transportation Manager John Ferruzzi told the council the town’s Transportation Mobility Plan identifies three candidate connection points — County Line to Airport Drive, Sheridan to County Road 7, and Bonanza to Vista Parkway — and that staff has developed an initial scope and high‑level cost estimate. “One of the things to look at is that as part of the process, our estimate for a feasibility study and preliminary design … is about a $137,000,” Ferruzzi said.

Ferruzzi and other staff said the study would evaluate multiple alignment options, screen out routes that are not feasible for physical or regulatory reasons, and produce preliminary engineering and an ASC‑level cost estimate to inform a benefit‑cost comparison. He listed likely constraints that the study must examine, including floodplain, undermined mining areas, steep grades and required reviews by the Federal Aviation Administration and the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT).

“CDOT’s access control plan for Highway 7 limits full‑movement signalized access to roughly every half mile and places other spacing constraints on new signals,” Ferruzzi said when asked about signalization and spacing.

Council members pressed staff on trade‑offs, asking whether a new road would create traffic through neighborhoods or require a four‑lane arterial. Several members said the main policy goal was to alleviate pressure on Vista Parkway and other neighborhood streets, not to incentivize through‑traffic in residential blocks.

Julian (economic development staff) framed the potential development benefits if improved airport access were feasible. He said the town could consider creating a new urban renewal area (URA) to capture a portion of future tax increment from development adjacent to the corridor and that the process to establish a URA requires a condition survey, an urban renewal plan and a financial impact report.

Council discussed timing and budget mechanics: staff said the town would need a second supplemental appropriation to fund the work if the council wanted the study to start before the 2026 budget. Ferruzzi recommended bringing the County Line–Airport study forward this year because staff already has the County Line scope and an existing cost estimate.

After debate about scope and timing, the council adopted a motion directing staff to return a resolution that would authorize only the County Line Road–Airport Drive feasibility study and identify funding options to support it. The motion passed by voice vote; the resolution will return to council with funding recommendations and appropriation language.

What’s next: staff will prepare the draft resolution identified by the council, including proposed funding sources and appropriation steps, and return it for council consideration. The feasibility study, if funded, will produce conceptual alignments, site constraints and high‑level cost estimates to inform later engineering and budget decisions.