Our town, along with the Colorado Dept. of Transportation (CDOT) is planning a highway upgrade and town streetscape plan in 2016. CDOT will be doing the highway construction, upgrade and adding a third lane to the state highway that runs through our town. A proposed detour of one lane of traffic is to be detoured through a residential area rather than remaining on the highway or shifted through the downtown business core.
Some residents have voiced complaints about this potential detour, as it will affect various aspects of our lives right in front of our own homes. There will be a steady stream of vehicles, including large delivery trucks, construction vehicles, commuter traffic, tourist traffic, RV's, cattle trucks and who knows what else.
The residents are concerned about the particulate matter that will develop through this construction process, especially directly in front of our homes. We will not be able to leave windows and doors open, nor enjoy being in our own yards due to the increase in noise and dust i.e.: particulate matter. Some of us have health concerns, which we have worked diligently to manage and this construction project has the potential for setbacks.
Both the town government and CDOT do not seem to realize the real hazards of moving state highway traffic through a residential area. Other options include moving it through the downtown business core, but better yet to leave it on the highway and do temporary waits of traffic. While keeping the traffic moving is desired, the health effects on residents should be of greatest concern.
