Sky Routes
Sep. 24th, 2003 12:00 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mishalakAn Open Letter to the Colorado Department of Transportation on Alternatives to Improve Traffic to Summit County
Okay back into politics, sort of. This is the sort of local issue that is important and can be influenced by people here in Colorado. Currently we are faced with the problem of providing transportation too and from Summit County and the ski areas located there and further west in Eagle County. There are proposals to widen Interstate 70 from Golden to Glenwood Springs, to add a monorail, and various incremental and full steps.
I think one possibility that is being ignored is to build a mostly new freeway on old and currently used right of ways. It could be cheaper than trying to put more lanes of traffic into the already crowded Clear Creak Valley.
This South Platte River Route would take advantage of the already improved nature of Highway 285 starting from C-470. The state would widen the rest of the highway above Conifer to Kenosha Pass or just short of the pass depending upon the route selected. Then I have tentatively identified three possible routes across the continental divide.
The easiest would be to build an almost level route from Kenosha Pass at 10,001 feet in elevation to Georgia Pass at 10,800 feet in elevation and about 12 miles away. It would then follow the Sawn River downwards to an improved State Highway 9 providing access to Breckenridge and the rest of the Summit County area. It does have the disadvantage of taking away a scenic section of the Colorado Trail.
Another possible route would be to descend into South Park and then to use part or all of the railway right of way over Boreas Pass, which is 11,482 feet in elevation. This route departs from Highway 285 near the tiny town of Como. It may also be relatively easy to build a tunnel under Hoosier Ridge at the pass or nearby as it appears on topographical maps to be about one mile or less under it.
The last route I think might be possible would be to depart Highway 285 before Kenosha Pass following instead the North Fork of the South Platte towards Webster Pass where there also may be a suitable area for a tunnel under the divide.
If used development rights to the private land along the new freeway should be bought up wherever practical to prevent the creation of a new traffic problem from commuters in new homes. This has been a significant contribution to the traffic flow problems on I-70 immediately to the west of Denver. Also I should note that the first route would probably be entirely suitable for some sort of train given its relatively gentle grade.
If it were to be built or I-70 to be widened I am of the opinion that tolls and perhaps a lift ticket tax should be used to pay for it since the primary need driving such projects is the ski industry.
Lastly I wish to note that there are many routes that might be practical for some sort of railway that might be unsuitable for a freeway and that any such plans should not limit themselves to building only near Interstate 70.
Okay back into politics, sort of. This is the sort of local issue that is important and can be influenced by people here in Colorado. Currently we are faced with the problem of providing transportation too and from Summit County and the ski areas located there and further west in Eagle County. There are proposals to widen Interstate 70 from Golden to Glenwood Springs, to add a monorail, and various incremental and full steps.
I think one possibility that is being ignored is to build a mostly new freeway on old and currently used right of ways. It could be cheaper than trying to put more lanes of traffic into the already crowded Clear Creak Valley.
This South Platte River Route would take advantage of the already improved nature of Highway 285 starting from C-470. The state would widen the rest of the highway above Conifer to Kenosha Pass or just short of the pass depending upon the route selected. Then I have tentatively identified three possible routes across the continental divide.
The easiest would be to build an almost level route from Kenosha Pass at 10,001 feet in elevation to Georgia Pass at 10,800 feet in elevation and about 12 miles away. It would then follow the Sawn River downwards to an improved State Highway 9 providing access to Breckenridge and the rest of the Summit County area. It does have the disadvantage of taking away a scenic section of the Colorado Trail.
Another possible route would be to descend into South Park and then to use part or all of the railway right of way over Boreas Pass, which is 11,482 feet in elevation. This route departs from Highway 285 near the tiny town of Como. It may also be relatively easy to build a tunnel under Hoosier Ridge at the pass or nearby as it appears on topographical maps to be about one mile or less under it.
The last route I think might be possible would be to depart Highway 285 before Kenosha Pass following instead the North Fork of the South Platte towards Webster Pass where there also may be a suitable area for a tunnel under the divide.
If used development rights to the private land along the new freeway should be bought up wherever practical to prevent the creation of a new traffic problem from commuters in new homes. This has been a significant contribution to the traffic flow problems on I-70 immediately to the west of Denver. Also I should note that the first route would probably be entirely suitable for some sort of train given its relatively gentle grade.
If it were to be built or I-70 to be widened I am of the opinion that tolls and perhaps a lift ticket tax should be used to pay for it since the primary need driving such projects is the ski industry.
Lastly I wish to note that there are many routes that might be practical for some sort of railway that might be unsuitable for a freeway and that any such plans should not limit themselves to building only near Interstate 70.