TAPS committee backs 'Connecting Aurora' multimodal plan and will forward it to City Council

The TAPS committee on Thursday voted to advance the Connecting Aurora multimodal transportation master plan to City Council for consideration as an amendment to Aurora's comprehensive plan.

Keith Portia, the consulting project manager, told the committee the plan is intended to be "the City's first citywide multimodal transportation master plan" and to guide transportation investments over the coming decades. Julian Lu, a principal transportation planner, introduced the project and said adoption would add the plan into the city's Aurora Places comprehensive plan by amendment.

The presentation highlighted the plan's vision—"Aurora safely connects all people to our places for a healthy, sustainable and economically strong community"—and ten goals grouped around safety and convenience; sustainability and public health; and authentic, equitable, integrated development. Portia said the project team documented more than 1,000,000 engagement "touch points," more than 10,000 website visitors and nearly 2,000 completed surveys during the two‑year planning process.

The plan lays out layered "visionary" networks for pedestrians, bicyclists, transit and autos, and identifies nearly 900 project elements across short-, medium- and long-term lists. Staff described policy changes tied to adoption, including updated complete‑streets guidance, revised traffic impact study requirements and a focus on high‑frequency transit corridors.

On costs and timing, Portia said the short‑term project list is aimed at the next decade and that staff estimate total investment for those projects over the next 10 years at roughly $45 million to $65 million per year. He told the committee that these capital figures do not include ongoing operations and maintenance costs.

Carly Camposano, Deputy Director of Public Works, clarified that operations and maintenance will be evaluated on a project‑by‑project basis during development and managed through the city's existing maintenance programs. Staff said Planning Commission gave unanimous support to recommend the amendment and that the plan is scheduled for a City Council study session in April with final Council consideration expected in May.

Committee members indicated support to move the plan forward; the Chair asked for agreement and several members said "I do," after which staff said the item will be presented to City Council for further consideration.

The committee did not take a final ordinance vote; the action recorded at the meeting is a committee recommendation to forward the plan to Council for consideration. The recommendation will be considered at the scheduled Council study session and subsequent Council meeting.