CENTER FOR SCIENCE AND PUBLIC POLICY

Transportation and Urban Land Use Planning

The Keystone Center has mediated seemingly intractable conflicts over whether, where and how to build transportation infrastructure. Keystone staff are accomplished facilitators, helping transportation agencies to engage the general public and interested/affected stakeholders in the decisions that shape communities and change access and mobility. Using this experience, Keystone staff have developed training programs for transportation officials, helping them learn new ways to engage the public and work with their stakeholders. Keystone trainers have developed and delivered training for the National Highway Institute and the National Transit Institute.

Projects include:

Washington School Site Design Process (2008)
The Washington School Site Design Process was a stakeholder deliberation process to provide consensus design guidelines for an urban infill redevelopment project on the site of a closed elementary school in Boulder, Colorado. Neighbors to the site had concerns about the impact of a new development to parking, home values, neighborhood “feel,” and overall quality of life. City government had requirements regarding preservation of the historic school building, provision of low- and middle-income and senior housing, solar access, and density. The stakeholder group reconciled these often competing demands into a consensus list of guiding principles for the developer.
Contact:	Heather Bergman

520 Mediation Process (2007 - 2008)
Keystone mediated a dispute over how to rebuild the bridge and highway across Lake Washington between Bellevue and Seattle, Washington and helped a group of federal, state and local stakeholders meet a December 2008 deadline to develop three viable alternatives for inclusion in a supplemental environmental impact statement. The Washington Department of Transportation is completing its analysis of the 3 alternatives.
Contact:	Mike Hughes

I-70 Collaborative Process (2007 - 2008)
The Keystone Center helped stakeholders build consensus on a recommended preferred alternative for the I-70 corridor from C470 to Glenwood in order that the Colorado Department of Transportation can complete the I-70 Mountain Corridor Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) and move forward with a record of decision. The Keystone Center convened a stakeholder group that represents all communities and interest groups along the corridor.
External website:	http://www.i70mtncorridor.com
Contact:	Sarah Alexander

South Broadway NEPA Process (2005 - 2007)
The intersection of I-25 and Broadway, 2 miles from downtown Denver, is the site of a major transit hub and zoning for 10 million square feet of mixed-use, transit-oriented development. To address current congestion and find a solution for long-term travel demand, the City and County of Denver began a study of transportation options and asked The Keystone Center to help the Community Consensus Committee build agreement on a set of transportation improvements for a one-mile section of South Broadway to address capacity and safety improvements for pedestrians, bicycles, transit and automobiles. The committee, made up of residents, business operators, property owners, the city, the Regional Transit District, the Colorado Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration reached agreement on a recommended preferred alternative on April 19, 2007.
External website:	http://www.denvergov.org/BroadwayNEPA
Contact:	Jody Erikson

St. Croix River Crossing Problem-Solving Process (2003 - 2004)
Keystone Center mediators managed a dispute over transportation, historic preservation and environmental concerns related to a proposed new bridge and road crossing over a Federally-designated Wild and Scenic River and the future of the existing, lift bridge, a structure that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The project was placed on the White House list for environmental streamlining (one of thirteen projects) after decades of disagreement over whether to build the project. The mediation produced a recommended alternative that the states of Minnesota and Wisconsin used as the preferred alternative in their final environmental impact statement and that the Federal Highway Administration affirmed in its Record of Decision in 2006.
Final report:	St. Croix River Crossing Controversy: Case Report, U.S. Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution
External website:	http://www.dot.state.mn.us/metro/projects/stcroix
Contact:	Mike Hughes

Colorado State Highway 9 Environmental Impact Statement, Colorado Department of Transportation (1999 - 2005)
Keystone directed and facilitated public involvement activities in the development of an Environmental Impact Statement for Colorado State Highway 9 in Summit County. Work included identifying issues and potential parties, developing a stakeholder scoping report, convening and facilitating meetings of a twenty-five member citizen’s advisory committee and technical workgroup, and assisting with other public involvement activities.
Contact:	Sarah Alexander