Judge declares land swap in Jefferson Parkway legal

Font ResizeColorado NewsBy Jordan Steffen
The Denver Postdenverpost.comPosted: 12/22/2012 04:34:03 PM MSTDecember 22, 2012 11:37 PM GMTUpdated: 12/22/2012 04:37:42 PM MST

A federal judge ruled Friday that a controversial land exchange, and a critical next step in the creation of a high-speed toll road in Jefferson County, is legal and can be finalized before the end of the year.

The ruling upheld a December 2011 land exchange from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services to the Jefferson Parkway Public Highway Authority, as part of completing the Jefferson Parkway. The three mile long, 300-foot wide strip of land sits along the eastern edge of the Rocky Flats Wildlife Refuge.

In December 2011, the town of Superior filed a lawsuit in federal court, challenging the land swap. Shortly after, the city of Golden and two environmental groups, WildEarth Guardians and Rocky Mountain Wild, joined the suit.

The lawsuit filed by Golden, which has long opposed the parkway, alleged the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service failed to complete adequate environmental reviews, unlawfully rejected Golden's separate application for the strip of land and failed to ensure that environmental effects of the parkway would be minimized.

"The judge's decision by no means completes the Jefferson Parkway," Golden Mayor Marjorie Sloan, said in a statement. "Proponents still have substantial hurdles, not least of which is securing taxpayer dollars to make the project financially viable."

Bill Ray, interim executive director of the Jefferson Parkway Public Highway Authority, said the group will move into closing on the land exchange Dec. 31.

"It's been a year and I'm very appreciative of the fact that the decision is very clear, comprehensive and complete," Ray said. "This acquisition is one step of among many, upon many, to start construction."

Ray said it will be years before construction begins on the parkway.

"The real value of the judge's decision is that this acquirement of open space can go forward for the benefit of the entire north metro region," Ray said.

Jefferson County officials say the parkway is a crucial piece in completing a circular highway around Denver. The parkway would connect with Colorado 93 north of Golden and extend northeast through Jefferson County to connect with the existing E-470 near Broomfield.

Colorado 93 already connects with C-470 within the Golden city limits.

Jordan Steffen: 303-954-1794, jsteffen

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