GLENWOOD SPRINGS ” As reconstruction of the 8th Street and Midland Avenue intersection draws near, area residents are eager to speak out on the plan.

So city officials obliged them.

At a community meeting held Monday, city engineers and City Council members listened to suggestions and concerns from about 50 people who live in the area.

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Ward 1 City Councilman Larry Beckwith said the intersection design decision likely could be made by City Council because “it’s kind of up in the air as far as the neighbors are concerned.”

“No decisions were made last night,” city engineer Larry Thompson said Tuesday. “We wanted to get some input and hear their primary concerns.”

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Although the time for designing the intersection ” which is being modified to accommodate the Glenwood Meadows shopping center ” is coming near, Thompson said there’s still plenty of time to incorporate new ideas into that design.

The main concerns aired by residents of Red Mountain, Overlin, Davis and Cowdin drives were:

– Creating and maintaining bicycle and pedestrian access through the area.

– Debating whether the intersection should be a roundabout or signalized.

– How much right of way would be taken for a roundabout.

One suggestion called for helping pedestrian and bicycle access by building a sidewalk along the north lane of the 8th Street bridge, Thompson said.

“There’s only a sidewalk on the south side,” Thompson said, pointing out that to use the sidewalk with the trail system, walkers and riders have to cross the street twice.

The actual alignment of the intersection is another question mark.

The options include installing a traffic light with little other grading work; installing a traffic light along with flattening the approaches to the intersection; or building a roundabout with no light. This option also would require grading to level approach streets.

“It seems like maybe more favored a roundabout versus a signalized intersection, but we didn’t take a vote,” Thompson said.

Thompson said a decision won’t be made by public acclaim, but rather, “on what I think is the best solution to meet the traffic needs and provide an acceptable level of service at the intersection.”

“A decision needs to be made fairly soon so they can make a design and go ahead with construction,” Thompson said of the Glenwood Meadows developers. “They’d like to get it under construction next spring or early summer.”

Contact Greg Masse: 945-8515, ext. 511

gmasse@postindependent.com