Cities, landowners find common ground at Windsor exit

WINDSOR – A group of owners of property along the west side of Interstate 25 near the Colorado Highway 392 interchange is hoping that the time may be ripe – finally – to work out a plan to improve the interchange. That would make their land developable and could be an economic boon to the cities of Fort Collins and Windsor.

Five property owners, with a total of about 300 acres, have been trying for years to get city and transportation officials to support changes around the Windsor exit and make it safer, less congested and more attractive to development, particularly on the west side of I-25.

But there’s been a huge obstacle: A $25 million price tag for a new, revamped interchange that can support new businesses and increased use.

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“The $25 million rebuild of that intersection cannot be financed by the property owners,´ said Mary Van Cleave, who owns 40 acres near the interchange with her husband, Terry. “It’s just impossible.”

The interchange marks the place where the town of Windsor on the east meets the city of Fort Collins’ Urban Growth Area on the west. Everyone agrees the interchange is failing, and traffic frequently backs up on the overpass and on-ramps. But the Colorado Department of Transportation is strapped for cash and Dave Martinez, Region 4 engineer, said it could be “10 to 15 years” before funds might be available to fix the interchange.

Meanwhile, property owners are hoping their voices are beginning to be heard. “The goal is to move up that timetable,´ said Jeff Couch, a consulting engineer and property owner representative, who notes that would be good for all involved.

“Windsor gets a new front door, Fort Collins gets a nice commercial space, and the landowners can sell their property and everybody gets a better interchange,” he said.

Operational nightmare

John Barnett, former Larimer County planning director and another property owner representative, said the existing interchange is “an operational nightmare.”

“The dilemma we have is everyone involved in this – the town of Windsor, city of Fort Collins and Larimer County – has adequate public facilities regulations that say if you don’t have adequate facilities, we can’t let you do anything,” Barnett said.

Barnett said the project should be phased, with the first item on the agenda being the relocation of the existing west frontage road next to the interstate to a proposed corridor about a tenth of a mile west. That would open a commercial development zone just east of Fossil Creek Lake and also pull traffic back away from the interchange.

“If the frontage roads get moved from the on-off ramps there’s more stacking distance, the lights can function better and it solves a big part of (the congestion) problem,” Barnett said. “I think traffic would suddenly move much better.”

But moving the frontage road to the west also impacts existing wetlands near the lake. Barnett said he believes a mitigation plan can be developed to replace affected lands in another nearby area. CDOT’s Martinez said a plan to redesign the interchange into a “tight-diamond” configuration could work and minimize the environmental impact.

“We’ve determined that with a tight-diamond configuration it works well,” he said.

Property owners pleased

Property owners say they’re pleased that city of Fort Collins officials seem to be on their side now after years of blocking attempts to do something about the interchange and development of the area.

“Until recently, they seemed to want to see all these properties become open space,” Van Cleave said. “They have never wanted to see any growth out here.”

But with the success of Centerra just down the interstate and the siphoning of sales taxes to Loveland, financially strapped Fort Collins seems to be having a change of heart, she said. Van Cleave also noted that an Intergovernmental Agreement between Fort Collins and Windsor expires next year and Fort Collins “doesn’t want to see Windsor expand across I-25” by annexing the properties.

Darin Atteberry, Fort Collins city manager, said he doesn’t see it that way, although he admits the city is doing all it can to improve its economic position.

“It’s certainly the priority of this council that the economic health of the community is a high priority, and this is one good example of that,” he said. “I think there’s a renewed interest in seeing to what extent we can partner with the town of Windsor and be sensitive to the environment and that allows for reasonable development out there.”

Atteberry denies the city is worried about Windsor leaping over I-25 to annex the property. “There’s nothing we’ve heard from Windsor that Fort Collins should be anxious about.”

Financing mechanisms that may be considered include the creation of a Metropolitan District similar to the one used by McWhinney Enterprises to develop their Centerra expansion east of I-25 at U.S. Highway 34; tax-increment financing, or an Urban Renewal Authority based on a need to remedy blight – in this case, a failing transportation system.

“It’s going to take public-private partnerships, no doubt about it,” Barnett said.

CDOT’s monitoring the progress of the effort and is supportive, according to Martinez. “We’re working with the local governments to see where the frontage road can be relocated in a safe manner, and we’re supportive of that,” he said.

“The city of Fort Collins and the town of Windsor have gotten together and supported this, and that’s been a pleasant surprise for the landowners out here,” Couch said.

Atteberry said he expects the city to play a critical role in finding a solution that works for everyone.

“I think both the town of Windsor and the city of Fort Collins are critical to making this happen,” he said. “We went into this with all options on the table.”