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The Town of Estes Park has received a $4.2 million grant through the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) Responsible Acceleration of Maintenance and Partnerships (RAMP) program.
Coupled with the $13 million grant from the Federal Lands Access Program, the RAMP grant will fund major transit and highway improvements in downtown Estes Park. Town Administrator Frank Lancaster noted, “Now that funding is known, the Town and its partners at the Federal Highway Administration and CDOT will establish a plan for the project, proceed with contacting affected property owners, and embark on an extensive public input process and environmental assessment.” After these studies are complete, the new road could be built in 2016. Lancaster continued, “We have again reached out to property owners adjacent to the route – we intend to keep them informed throughout the process.”
After extensive public outreach in March including invitations to property owners adjacent to the potential project, the Town Board voted to proceed with a grant application to realign traffic with a new one-way couplet. The realignment will convert Elkhorn Avenue from East Riverside Drive to Moraine Avenue, and Moraine Avenue south of Elkhorn Avenue to West Riverside Drive, into one-way thoroughfares for westbound traffic. Moraine Avenue will then revert to two-way traffic going west from the intersection. In addition, a new one-way road for eastbound traffic will be constructed along a route similar to West Riverside Drive as it travels from Moraine Avenue to East Riverside Drive near Ivy Street, continuing to Elkhorn Avenue. At Elkhorn Avenue, east-bound traffic will become two-way again.
The reroute will increase mobility, support the economy by providing better access to businesses, reduce traffic congestion frustrations and improve air quality and the overall safety of our residents and guests. Traffic engineers estimate the couplet will increase capacity by approximately 40 percent, significantly reducing traffic congestion.
Town Administrator Frank Lancaster noted, “This project will ease traffic flow and accessibility downtown, benefiting the residents and businesses of Estes Park.” The project was recommended by several transportation studies to improve traffic flow and access to Rocky Mountain National Park. For more information, please contact the Town Public Information Office at 970-577-3701. To receive Town news and/or meeting agendas in your email inbox, please email townadmin@estes.org.
This plan does not really alleviate traffic issues. Primary traffic still rolls through the middle of downtown, and we’ll have four lanes condensed to one after going up the hill. I don’t see how this will eliminate any congestion, or create a better environment downtown.
Maybe they use 1 lane to create 2 bicycle lanes, and 1 lane to make the sidewalks a little bit wider. But that still doesn’t solve the amount of cars going in of course.
At a minimum, there should be a bike track going from the beginning of the one way by Riverside through the point at which it becomes a two way again. This isn’t ideal, of course, as I would like to see a two bike lane starting on Elhorn just past the intersection of 34/36 all the way through town. At the west end, it could meet up with the already existing bike trail.
Lancaster said they would contact property owners; he also needs to contact other stakeholders like Estes Park Cycling. This is an opportunity to begin the process of making Estes Park a Bike friendly town.