Bad decision

It is beyond my comprehension that City Council has approved closing the parking garage at Ninth and Cooper to Glenwood Springs residents and visitors to house luxury cars for an Aspen event. 

Why should Glenwood Springs forego their limited parking to accommodate a city 40 miles up valley? 

It is nice that the Hotel Colorado is offering to have people park in their lot. But the hotel does not have an abundance of spaces and one still has to cross the river to get downtown from the hotel. Doesn’t Aspen or Snowmass have any parking?

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Sharon Andersen, Glenwood Springs

Holiday shoebox thanks

I am writing to thank Roaring Fork residents for sharing the true meaning of Christmas with children in need this past holiday season.

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Your generosity contributed 1987 shoebox gifts of hope for the Samaritan’s Purse project Operation Christmas Child. Across the U.S., the project collected over 9.3 million shoebox gifts in 2022.

Through shoeboxes — packed with fun toys, school supplies, and hygiene items, residents brought joy to children in need around the world. Each gift-filled shoebox is a tangible expression of God’s love and is often the first gift these children have ever received. 

Anyone can still be part of this life-changing project by conveniently packing a shoebox gift online at samaritanspurse.org/buildonline. These simple gifts packed with love send a message to children worldwide that they are loved and not forgotten.

Rosalind Fowler, Area Coordinator for Operation Christmas Child, Glenwood Springs

Glenwood Canyon solutions

Ms. Kasper (2/20 letters) is correct. When the speed limits were increased through Glenwood Canyon (PI 9-19-17), we knew there would be more problems. The speed limit today at MP115 EB is 65 mph. Previously, it was 55 mph. The truck speed limit is lower, but when truckers see a 65mph speed limit sign, it encourages them to go faster. 

The variable speed limits are not a good idea. They encourage speeding and cause confusion. I propose a 35 mph speed limit for semi trucks from MP115 to MP131, both EB and WB. This speed limit would be in effect all year long. This would have prevented several rollovers at MP116 EB. 

Chains are impractical, as are pilot cars and snow plows metering speed. Chains may cause additional road damage and hazards in the roadway for motorists, when they come off the trucks. Pilot cars will cause trucks to bunch up and increase waiting times. Snow plows are for plowing snow and not for metering speed (PI 2-20-23). Their mere presence will certainly reduce speeds. Right lane travel and no passing for trucks over 26,000 lbs. 

GVW has been a law for years. It is also part of the solution and must be enforced all year. New guardrails must be installed and increased in height. A heavy wire mesh might even be installed on top of them, similar to the rock fall mitigation wire (Aspen Daily New 2-17-23). This may stop rocks and other objects from going over the top to lower lanes of traffic. 

Lastly, fines up to $1,800 must be levied for those choosing to break the law. These fines would be similar to the ones we enforced on Independence Pass. Let me add a few tidbits from the Canyon: semi rollover MP120.5 EB (dry roads + speed limit 50 mph), 37 car pileup (MP131 EB) caused by a jack-knifed semi, motorcycle speeding at 100 mph (MP121 WB) cited for reckless driving and lost license. 

Citizen reporting is also critical (*CSP). Traveling 16 miles at 35 mph instead of 50mph will only take truckers an additional 8 minutes. Some may say that these “solutions” will work “when pigs fly.” They already have in Glenwood Canyon (rollover MP118 WB)!

Mark Barritt, retired Colorado State Patrol, Glenwood Springs

Whose quality?

I read with interest Jon Bank’s recent column suggesting that the Glenwood Springs Comp plan revision should include a section on “Quality of Life.” While that sounds wonderful there is a problem with a government document defining “Quality of Life.” The problem is simple. What is quality of life to you may not be what I define as quality of life.

Glenwood could be defined as a “small town.” I have struggled with what people often call “small town character.” This was a hot topic when the Glenwood Planning Commission revised the Comp Plan in 2011. I have traveled across the country and through many “small towns” and each one is totally different. It seems that is what Mr. Banks is referring to — only under a different name.

What is “quality of life” to Mr. Banks may not be quality of life to someone else. We need to take care in trying to regulate such subjective things.

I was a Glenwood Springs resident for 54 years. I have been coming to Glenwood since the mid-1950s. I have seen many changes. Some good. Some not so good, in my opinion. However, what I have found is that people want Glenwood to stay the same as the day they came to town.

To specifically address some points: Yes, there is traffic. Glenwood is in a narrow valley with a state highway as the main street leading to a world-famous resort town. Free parking contributes to the traffic issue. The Grizzly Creek Fire damaged the watershed. Water is an issue throughout the west and southwest — and is not the result of growth in Glenwood Springs but growth in general. Glenwood has bike paths for walkers and bikers to enjoy. Hanging Lake’s popularity is not directly related to the population of Glenwood, but to social media. The result of the 480 Donegan election could well come back to haunt those that worked hard to defeat it.

While “Quality of Life” is a feel-good phrase, the definition is not universal. Let the city stick to what it does; safety (police/fire), economic development, infrastructure, and managing the inevitable growth (planning), and fiscal responsibility.

Kathryn Taggart, Glenwood Springs