US 36 Managed Lane/Bus Rapid Transit Project Phase II

Phase II Project Overview

The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and the Colorado High Performance Transportation Enterprise (HPTE) are in procurement for the US 36 Express Lanes Phase II Project through a Public-Private Partnership (P3) to reconstruct six miles of US 36 from 88th Street in Louisville/Superior to Table Mesa/Foothills Parkway, in Boulder. The project is an extension of Phase I, which is currently under construction, and will mirror the same features:

• Add an express lane in each direction of US 36 for Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), High Occupancy Vehicles (HOV) and tolled Single Occupancy Vehicles (SOV);
• Reconstruct existing pavement on US 36 and widen the highway to accommodate 12-foot inside and outside shoulders;
• Add BRT improvements, including new electronic display signage at stations and bus priority improvements at ramps.
• Install Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) for tolling, transit, traveler information, and incident management;
• Install a separate commuter bikeway along much of the corridor; and
• Improve RTD stations along the corridor, including new canopies with enhanced weather protection.

CDOT AND HPTE Select Concessionaire

The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and the High Performance Transportation Enterprise (HPTE) have announced the selection of Plenary Roads Denver as the Concessionaire for phase II of the US 36 Express Lanes/Bus Rapid Transit project between 88th Street and Table Mesa, which will complete improvements to the entire US 36 corridor between Denver and Boulder. The project is CDOT’s first public-private partnership (P3), an innovative partnership where the public and private sectors team together to provide transportation improvements and services to the traveling public. CDOT and HPTE will enter into a 50-year agreement with Plenary Roads Denver who will:

Construct Phase 2 of the US 36 Corridor which includes:

• Constructing an Express Lane in each direction of US 36 between 88th Street and Table Mesa for Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), High Occupancy Vehicles (HOV) and tolled Single Occupancy Vehicles (SOV);
• Reconstructing two general purpose lanes in each direction between 88th Street and Table Mesa
• Widening the highway to accommodate 12-foot-wide inside and outside shoulders;
• Replacing the Coal Creek Bridge and rehabilitating and widening the S. Boulder Creek bridge and widening the McCaslin Boulevard bridge to accommodate a diverging diamond interchange;
• Adding Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) improvements, including new electronic display signage at stations and bus priority improvements at ramps. The improvements also will allow buses to operate on the shoulders of US 36 between interchanges to decrease bus travel time;
• Installing Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) for tolling, transit and traveler information, and incident management;
• Installing a separate commuter bikeway along the rest of the corridor; and
• Improving the RTD station at McCaslin Boulevard.

Operate and Maintain the following highways, which includes snow and ice removal:

• The entire US 36 corridor between I-25 and Table Mesa
• I-25 Express Lanes between downtown Denver and US 36

About two-thirds of the Phase 2 Project costs are funded through private sector equity and non-recourse debt. The project delivers much-needed capacity, while shifting operations and maintenance and replacement obligations to the private sector for the next 50 years. And, the P3 arrangement enables the project to be completed 20 years sooner than originally planned.
The Concession team includes the following partners:

The Plenary Group- team lead and managing partner

• Ames Construction, Inc.- construction
• Granite Construction- construction
• HDR- engineering design
• Transfield Services- maintenance
• Goldman Sachs- financial advisor

The second phase of the US 36 Express Lanes project is expected to begin construction in late 2013 and will be complete by late 2015.

Anticipated Phase II Schedule

Proposals due – March 2013
Contractor selected – April 2013
Commercial close of contract – May 2013
Financial close of contract – October 2013
Construction begins – 2014
Project opens – late 2015

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