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Letter: Thoughts on the entrance

Once again, we in the Aspen community are on a huge traffic flap. As a commercial vehicle operator who often travels Highway 82 into Aspen around the 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. time period, I have observed that we have several congestion problems that seem to elude most observers.

The biggest congestion occurs from the traffic coming from the school campus, both entering and leaving. It often backs up to the bus barn and into the campus. If we made all students ride the bus, we could eliminate 80 percent of this congestion. This would allow incoming Highway 82 to flow easily around the roundabout. Perhaps a check station at the entrance to the campus that would charge anyone bringing children to the campus a fee of $20 or $30. This could fund a new entrance to Aspen for Castle and Maroon creeks under the Marolt Open Space. This same traffic impacts the afternoon Aspen exit, as well.

Then a second roundabout at Cemetery Lane would relieve this terrible bottleneck. Perhaps a second bridge over Castle Creek for inbound traffic, two lanes for 82 and two lanes for Castle and Maroon creek traffic. Unfortunately, condemning the housing in the way of the second access would be necessary. Proper planning in the ’60s would not have allowed building in this area to begin with. A third bus lane could be added for both accesses.



A third option would be to widen the rail corridor and put west Aspen traffic and Red Mountain traffic on its own course.

I will not take claim for these ideas, as KNCB Moore proposed these back in 1965. Now it is time to take a good look at our problem.




Jim Wingers

Aspen