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The 2 cease lights controlling site visitors within the Narrows sections of Independence Move might turn into everlasting fixtures, based on the Colorado Division of Transportation.
Jason Smith, transportation director for area 3, which incorporates Aspen, informed Pitkin County commissioners this week the company doesn’t have any plans to alter the highway hall in response to occasional surges of site visitors when Interstate 70 will get closed in Glenwood Canyon. On a number of events final summer time and a handful this yr, Independence Move reworked into another route throughout I-70 closures.
Momentary cease lights had been put in within the two narrowest stretches final yr to keep away from congestion attributable to too vast or lengthy of autos — or skittish drivers. One path of site visitors is stopped whereas site visitors transferring the opposite path has a inexperienced mild to proceed by way of the Narrows.
Smith mentioned CDOT is exploring if it might probably join the indicators and get them to “discuss to one another” to decrease the wait. It’s presently attainable to get caught at crimson lights at each indicators.
Smith mentioned the company is searching for “something we will do to make that extra environment friendly and reduce the wait time.”
“The wait is brief in comparison with having somebody from Kansas freaked out in the midst of the highway and no one is transferring,” mentioned Pitkin County Commissioner Francie Jacober.
Fee Chair Patti Clapper mentioned the indicators are higher than making an attempt to widen or straighten the historic highway.
“I talked to the gentleman from the federal freeway authority and he was like, ‘Nicely, we’re simply fascinated by widening the Narrows,’” Clapper mentioned. “I mentioned, ‘Have you ever been up there? As a result of these boulders, that’s extra like an entire rock wall. You’ll be shutting down Independence Move for a season, and that may actually not be useful to anybody.”
Clapper mentioned she has fielded constituent complaints concerning the cease indicators, however she doesn’t suppose the wait time is overwhelming. Plus the surroundings is prime notch for individuals pressured to attend.
“It simply appears so bizarre to return round a nook and see a crimson mild in the midst of Independence Move, in the midst of the wilderness up there,” Clapper mentioned. “However, you understand, it really works. We don’t have individuals freezing up in the midst of the freeway, actually having to get a sheriff’s officer up there to stroll them by way of the Narrows. So, yeah, a everlasting facility up there may be in all probability the path that everyone’s going to be headed.”
Independence Move Basis, an Aspen nonprofit that attends to all issues associated to the move, isn’t taking a proper place on the everlasting cease lights, mentioned Government Director Karin Teague.
On the one hand, the conservation group doesn’t wish to see growth on the move, she mentioned. Alternatively, it’s her remark from spending a lot time on the move that it has helped site visitors circulation.
This summer time, the timing of the lights was adjusted. It was beforehand set for an extended time, making motorists caught for a full crimson mild a bit antsy. Now there’s a fast transition that permits about six or seven autos to proceed at one time, Teague mentioned.
Parker Lathrop, director of operations for the Pitkin County Sheriff’s Workplace, mentioned the indicators have helped with circulation. “In comparison with the place we had been final yr presently, completely,” he mentioned.
Automobiles pulling journey trailers routinely created congestion when site visitors volumes had been excessive and two-way circulation was allowed by way of the Narrows, he mentioned. Automobiles creating the congestion couldn’t transfer ahead due to width points and couldn’t again up as site visitors piled up behind.
It’s higher to attend for 5 minutes at a site visitors sign than two hours due to a site visitors jam, Lathrop mentioned. A wise mild that detects site visitors can be optimum, he added.
The largest issues on Freeway 82 over the move final summer time had been attributable to massive rigs. Though vans and different autos over 35 toes in size are prohibited, many truckers tried to recover from the move anyway out of desperation when I-70 was closed.
CDOT put in massive, flashing indicators on Freeway 82 to warn truckers that autos greater than 35 toes in size had been prohibited on the move.
“Minimal compliance,” Mark Bunnel, CDOT site visitors and security engineer, informed the county commissioners. “Somebody’s that far in, they’re simply going to attempt it anyway and go over the move.”
Large rigs brought about a number of snarls final summer time and some this summer time on Independence Move, Lathrop mentioned.
CDOT and Pitkin County officers beforehand explored putting in a chicane on the eastbound lane of Freeway 82 east of Aspen to stop massive rigs from making their transfer. The infrastructure would enable autos to make a tough proper to advance up the move, however longer autos can be pressured to make a U-turn. The concept was deserted for worry vans would get broken within the chicane, Bunnel mentioned. Final yr’s expertise suggests it could be time to revisit the idea, he mentioned.
“It could take lots of will to do this as a result of vans will get broken,” Bunnel mentioned.
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