Aspen to conduct community polling for its entrance

Aspen is gearing up to revisit its long-debated entrance project.

Aspen City Council, collaborating with Probolsky Research, spent Monday night mulling over a roughly 30-question survey set to ask community members their thoughts on what should be done with Castle Creek Bridge. Results from the survey, which will run once the questions are finalized, will be presented Dec. 16.

Probolsky Research said that this survey, combining live phone interviews and an online platform, aims to assess whether public opinion still aligns with bridge plans originally developed in the 1990s. Back then, growing traffic congestion between Colorado Highway 82 and its entrance prompted Aspen to join the Colorado Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration in exploring mitigation efforts.

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The culmination led to the 1998 Record of Decision, following a community vote in 1996 approving a single lane in and out of Aspen along an easement on the Marolt Open Space, also allowing for a potential light rail.

Twice in the early 2000s, Aspen voters rejected bus lanes in place of light rail. CDOT, however, maintains that the ROD supports using bus lanes until a light rail becomes feasible, though City Attorney Jim True emphasizes that Aspen’s open space code mandates a new vote for such changes.

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City Council member Bill Guth had concerns about the survey being too long.

“If I get a call asking me if I would like to participate in a 15-minute survey, I am hanging up the phone,” he said. “If we are going to poll voters on the specific options of the previous (environmental impact study), and then some of the tweaks since then, without being able to predetermine the outcome of a new EIS, are we jumping the gun?”

City Council member Sam Rose shared Guth’s concerns and said he is against conducting any polling until the March elections.

“I am not supportive of polling, especially at this time,” said Rose. “There are currently two petitions being circulated by citizens for ballot questions in March, and I would like to wait until the community votes on those potential measures.”

Of the two petitions currently being circulated, one is for 60% approval for open space. The other is for a pseudo-approval of the preferred alternative, according to Rose. Mayor Torre said that there may be a third petition circulating for an additional ballot question, as well.

Any ballot question to come from the community poll will likely involve changes to the Marolt Open Space. The ballot certification deadline is Jan. 10, 2025.

Over the past 25 years, the city, CDOT, and other regional entities have implemented elements of the preferred alternative outlined in the ROD, including infrastructure improvements like the Maroon Creek Bridge, the roundabout, and the realignment of Owl Creek Road. However, critical components, such as a second Castle Creek Bridge, remain unfulfilled.

Council did state that with the potential of multiple citizen-led ballot initiatives already being on the ballot, they are not as concerned about this timeline, as they are making sure the questions being asked to the community are informative and can help council assess public engagement and their values. 

The survey will be both in Spanish and English and be available online through email, text, and phone to all registered city of Aspen voters.

Council eliminated certain questions from the survey in order to shorten the duration, along with eliminating any questions they found to be potentially misleading, or redundant. Council also requested that diagrams be included to help community members better understand the different Entrance to Aspen options being presented.

The entrance project itself has a lifetime budget of $8.5 million, with $2 million already spent on Jacobs Engineering to explore alternatives. The new EIS process, estimated to cost $3 to $4 million, could take up to three years to complete. 

City Council member Ward Hauenstein brought up that if the preferred alternative is not adopted as is, the city and taxpayers would be on the hook for the cost of any modified routes in its place, which could be more than $100 million.

City Manager Sara Ott reassured the public in an earlier meeting that the Castle Creek Bridge remains safe. CDOT is expected to release a report on the bridge’s latest inspection soon. Potential alternatives, if the bridge receives a poor rating, might include repairs or new load restrictions and more frequent inspections rather than a full replacement.

At Tuesday’s city council regular meeting, council members will consider expanding Jacobs Engineering’s contract to prepare for the upcoming EIS. According to CDOT, a new EIS is crucial to avoid automatically triggering the completion of the remaining preferred alternative if the Castle Creek Bridge is to be replaced. Ott stated at Monday’s work session that the city has asked Colorado’s attorney general for clarification on this potential.

Pitkin County Commissioner Francie Jacober told The Aspen Times on Monday that polling should include the entire county — not just Aspen. 

“Considerably more unincorporated Pitkin County residents use the bridge and suffer commute times than city residents,” she said. “I would like the polls to include the whole valley. I do not think it’s fair for only Aspen to make this decision.”

Jacober referenced a past vote where Pitkin County residents supported the Preferred Alternative by 64%, while Aspen voters narrowly rejected it. She believes that while the city must decide on Marolt Open Space, a broader polling base would better reflect regional interests.

Guth questioned whether all Roaring Fork Valley residents should have a say, but that he would prefer this go to Aspen voters first.

Hauenstein agreed that the entrance to Aspen issue should be directed to Aspen voters only because it involved the use of Marolt Open Space, which would require Aspen voter approval for any modifications.

Allyn Harvey of Friends of Marolt Open Space emphasized with The Aspen Times on Monday the importance of preserving the area, which serves as a gateway to the city. 

“The Marolt Open Space is the first thing people see when coming into town,” he said, highlighting its recreational and ecological value, including Nordic skiing, dog walking, and wildlife corridors. 

Harvey stressed that voters approved a light rail, not bus lanes, and believes a new EIS will be crucial for assessing current community values.

“With the EIS, it starts a whole new process,” Harvey noted. “Everything needs to be looked at, including what the community values are today, compared to 1996.”