Aspen City Council incumbents talk traffic as election runoff nears

Editor’s note: Aspen City Council election challengers Emily Kolbe and Christine Benedetti will be featured this weekend.

Four candidates — Emily Kolbe, John Doyle, Christine Benedetti, and Mayor Torre, who is term-limited from seeking re-election as mayor — are competing for two Aspen City Council seats after none secured the required 45% of votes plus one in the initial March 4 election.

In interviews this week with The Aspen Times, incumbent candidates Mayor Torre and John Doyle discussed strategies to address Aspen’s ongoing traffic and mobility challenges.

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Mayor Torre emphasized the importance of a multi-pronged approach, highlighting the city’s investments in mass transit as a key component. 

“We have spent a lot of time, energy, and effort on mass transit as a solution, which has done a phenomenal job,” Torre said. “I serve on the Roaring Fork Transportation Authority (RFTA) board and a subcommittee on first, last-mile mobility. I am putting in a lot of effort on transportation, congestion, and mobility to try to make this a better situation for everybody.”

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He stressed that encouraging people to drive less is essential but noted that roadway improvements are also necessary. 

“The next step is to look at some roadway improvements,” he said. “We need to minimize the amount of traffic and automobiles, then make improvements to the corridor.” 

Potential strategies include adjusting traffic signal timing, restricting turns at Cemetery Lane during peak hours, allowing cars to use bus lanes during certain times, and enforcing high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) regulations.

“We need roadway improvements, capacity improvements, and continuously leaving other alternatives on the table, such as railways, gondolas, and other parking options,” he added. 

He acknowledged that while traffic delays might never be completely eliminated, it is critical to explore every option. 

“There is still work to be done, but this issue may not be completely solvable with the variety of people we have coming into Aspen daily,” he said.

Torre identified the Modified Split-Shot as the most viable option for improving traffic flow following the recent passage of Referendum 2. This approach would avoid cut-and-cover tunnels, bypass much of the Marolt Open Space, and allow Cemetery Lane travelers to either turn left into town or right downvalley. It would also eliminate the need for a traffic light at Seventh and Main streets.

“I am somebody who is looking for community-first solutions,” he said of the Modified Split-Shot, which he described as the option requiring the most compromise. “I am very proud of my six years as mayor and my previous four years on the RFTA board. I like these issues being valley-wide because we are all part of Aspen.” 

City Council member John Doyle reflected on the long history of traffic debates in Aspen, noting that there have been close to 26 votes related to traffic and the Entrance to Aspen since he moved to the area in the 1980s. 

“I voted to approve a light rail system when that first came up. I think it was a great idea then, and I still think it’s a great idea today,” Doyle said. “I was invited on a train trip back in the 1990s called Roaring Fork Railroad that went from Denver to Glenwood Springs then up to Carbondale. Before the companies started taking out the railways, the railroad went all the way to Aspen.”

He said that while federal funding once looked promising, the political climate has shifted. 

“There was a big push for rail spending under former President Biden, and now I think anything progressive has essentially been axed,” he said.

He emphasized that solutions must account for Aspen’s diverse workforce. 

“America is built on growth, and Aspen is the shining example of that,” he said. “We have limited tools to address that, but Aspen has done an exceptional job of finding those tools and applying them to our issues. That is why Aspen is looked up to as a leader.”

Doyle pointed to the airport as a starting point for introducing rail. 

“We would not want a rail system to run along the Rio Grande Trail above Basalt because the population centers are off of Highway 82. The train route should follow Highway 82 up valley above Basalt to better serve where people are. If we can include Woody Creek, that would be awesome,” he said. “I think we should start our focus from Aspen to the airport, then look at having the rail go to Brushcreek and eventually to Glenwood Springs.”

He argued that the valley’s population will likely double in the coming years, making alternatives to driving essential. 

“The best alternative right now is a train,” he said. “We cannot build our way out of this with roads.”

He also emphasized his commitment to regional collaboration. 

“I am a big supporter of working with each city, town, and county in the valley to come up with solutions, and I have the experience to make that happen,” he said.

Doyle reflected on his growth as a council member, emphasizing his dedication to public service. 

“I was told when I first started that it takes four years to learn how to do this job. I was not comfortable in my role at first, but I definitely am now,” he said. “I take this job very seriously. I am very involved. I have been on four boards and commissions the whole four years I have been on council. I had picked up three more after the latest election when two of our newer members declined to be on any boards and commissions.”

He said his experience has provided valuable insights into the complex issues facing Aspen.

“I put in the hours, and I show up. I am on seven boards and commissions, and I enjoy every one of them. I take a great deal of pleasure out of serving our community,” he said. “Vote for the most environmentally conscious candidate on the ticket. Vote for me.”

Ballots for Aspen’s 2025 municipal runoff election, scheduled for April 1, have been mailed. Registered voters can cast their ballots by mail, in person, or by dropping them off at the official ballot drop box outside Aspen City Hall at 427 Rio Grande Place. Ballots placed in the Pitkin County drop box on Main Street will not be counted.

Ballots must be received by 7 p.m. on Election Day, April 1 to be valid. In-person voting is available at the City Clerk’s office from March 17-31, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., and from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. on Election Day. Voters must present a valid, government-issued ID.

Voter registration is open through Election Day at the Pitkin County Clerk and Recorder’s 530 E. Main Street office. 

The City Clerk’s Office reminds voters that signing another person’s ballot is illegal under Colorado law and may result in criminal penalties. For more information about the runoff election, visit aspen.gov.