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Bridge improvement project is exactly the opposite

To clarify what is now clear as mud – the Castle Creek Bridge Misadventure

“To obfuscate: to render unclear, obscure or unintelligible, to bewilder,” this is what Aspen’s local government has done to those of us who depend on non-bus, non-bike, non-pedestrian individual vehicular access to and from Aspen each day in order to make a living and to make the local Aspen economy function. For us, this euphemistically mislabeled “bridge improvement project” is exactly the opposite. It is a multi-million dollar wealth transfer from taxpayers and economic agents like us who depend on individualized ground transportation (I’m talking about truck drivers, property managers, construction specialists, real estate professionals) to the casual and recreational interests of pedestrians and cyclists. To be meticulously fair, there may be economic agents who commute to and from Aspen who have the luxury of biking or walking to work, but it is fair to say that these lucky few represent a tiny sliver of Aspen’s economic generat ors.

I ask, for what reason could Aspen’s local government foist such a heist on us working people, and upon Aspen’s many thousands of paying guests? Half-baked blabber from government officials shall surely continue, but what is clear as day is that Aspen’s government decision-makers need to take a course in Economics 101.



And here’s the obfuscation part, which of course has political implications – the local government in Aspen has pulled this poorly disguised wealth-transfer for at least one clear purpose – to turn a blind eye to the absolute necessity of establishing a second major artery into and out of Aspen. This artery would most logically be placed directly through the Marolt Open Space, where vehicle drivers and passengers could enjoy the space each day, and whereby a second and desperately needed vehicular artery could be established for the safety and well being of the City of Aspen.

Please stop this economically malign Castle Creek Bridge misadventure. Please begin planning a second major artery into and out of Aspen right away.




John Hornblower

Aspen