Is Edwards getting too congested? Officials want more data to help plan road improvements

Traffic studies are imperfect things, but more data is generally better.

That’s why Eagle County Engineer Ben Gerdes wants to conduct traffic studies in Edwards every quarter. He also wants to do some 24-hour studies in the area, to better understand the real need for improvements in the community.

Greg Schroeder of McDowell Engineering in Eagle recently completed a traffic master plan for the Edwards Metro District. He believes more data can help guide the suggestions that the plan contains for a number of proposed road improvements for the community.

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In a recent Zoom conversation, Gerdes and McDowell talked about how their combined efforts can work in the broader master plan.

Schroeder said more data, particularly a 24-hour look at an area, can factor in seasonality, the effects of tourism and other elements. Gerdes noted that taking a 24-hour look at traffic can also help planners understand whether traffic is an all-day issue or is only limited to peak periods.

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An intersection flowing well for 22 hours a day can be an important consideration for those making potentially expensive decisions regarding community roads, Gerdes said. That’s especially important as road improvements become more expensive every year.

At the moment, the only 24-hour study areas in Eagle County are run by the Colorado Department of Transportation on Interstate 70 — one near Wolcott, the other in West Vail. Those studies show the highest traffic numbers in July and the lowest in April. Schroeder said there was a 38% increase in traffic between those two periods.

More data might also show that actual growth isn’t matching projections.

But, Schroeder said, since current traffic counts are simply snapshots, they can sometimes be misleading. For instance, Gerdes noted that some residents’ recent reference to a “141%” increase in traffic at the U.S. Highway 6 and Edwards Spur Road roundabout is “somewhat misleading.” That number, he said, is a comparison between two different counts, and is actually a 41% percent difference. In fact, he said, the apples-to-apples count at the roundabout was actually lower in 2023 than it was in 2020.

Schroeder said in creating a master plan, planners look at what could be built. But, he added, “we don’t know how fast that might happen.”

But even the difference between rapid and less-rapid growth isn’t terribly dramatic. The transportation master plan notes the population growth rates based on the rate of buildout based on current zoning. The difference between the 20-year buildout and the 40-year buildout ranges from 2.26% to 1.12%

With a master plan, whenever buildout happens, road improvements will be identified and can be targeted based on when that growth happens. With information from more frequent traffic counts, planners will understand that a community is approaching the time those improvements will be needed, much like other infrastructure improvements, he said.

“We’ve developed capital improvements to go hand in hand (with growth),” Schroeder said. Gerdes’ work will help chart that planning, he added.

But real growth hasn’t always lined up with estimates. Those estimating methods at one point made sense, Gerdes said, but now it’s something of an “open question” if all those estimated trips are being realized.

Still, traffic counts over the years will grow. Schroeder said better data will allow Gerdes to update his forecasts. That, in turn will help guide planners in determining when Edwards needs to update its various roadways.

“We’ve got some pretty long cues,” Schroeder said. And, he added, some of those roadways will need those forecast improvements. The question is when.