DD Form 1391 - Pueblo Chemical Depot
Rexroad APG has completed a DD Form 1391 to request Defense Access Road (DAR) funding for the Pueblo Chemical Depot (PCD). This funding will be used for road improvements necessary to create safe access to the Depot to support the chemical demilitarization process. The United States has maintained a stockpile of chemical munitions since the 1950s. Although the U.S. never used the chemical weapons in combat, the Army produced the weapons to deter the threat of chemical attacks from foreign forces.
Approximately 8.5% of the nation’s stockpile is stored at the U.S. Army PCD. This installation is adjacent to US Highway 50, fifteen miles from Interstate 25, near Pueblo, Colorado.
The Department of Defense was directed by Congress through Public Law 99-145 as the government agency responsible for destruction of the chemical weapons stockpile. To comply with treaty agreements and congressional mandate, destruction of these weapons must be completed by 2007. The process to destroy the chemical weapons at PCD will take 10 years and will require the construction of a plant to destroy the mustard agent munitions. Bechtel has made an early estimate of 1,300 one-way trips per day during peak operation. Present peak hour traffic could more than double or triple during certain phases of the operation.
The interchange to US Highway 50 from the Depot is unsatisfactory and will not support the anticipated industrial traffic without significant upgrades. At this time the narrow ramps have no acceleration or deceleration lanes and the loop ramp has undivided two way traffic. In addition, there is currently poor horizontal sight distance throughout the interchange area and the vertical sight distance rates are lower than the posted speed. Presently, the bridges have narrow shoulder widths and are classified as either structurally deficient or functionally obsolete.
Additional problems are presented through the limited access to the installation. At this time, there is one gate providing access to the Depot and a secondary access is necessary to provide an evacuation route. To respond to the unsafe condition of the highway interchange and requirement for a secondary gate, the Army will relocate the primary access gate to PCD and convert the existing gate to a secondary access point. The Army will also build a new six mile road off of the Pueblo County DOT road to access the new gate as well as reconstruct and widen existing roads connecting to the highway. All traffic will be routed through the local Airport Industrial Park roads. This gate relocation was unanticipated by Pueblo County and will cause significant increases in traffic impacts to local roadways as these local roads were not designed for large volumes of heavy-duty traffic. The 1391 prepared by Rexroad APG clearly describes the existing conditions, required alterations, and necessary funding to ensure safe access to and from the installation.
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