Summit County Citizens Voice

‘Checkpoint Charlie’ installations will beef up security

In time for the busy winter season, Dillon Dam Road re-opens 24-7.

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — Finishing a $1.2 million project to upgrade security features as scheduled, Denver Water and Summit County this lifted the nighttime closure of Dillon Dam Road.

Roundabouts in two locations will slow traffic, enabling guards to better monitor traffic and identify  vehicles, and also allow those vehicles to be turned around more easily, according to Denver Water’s Stacy Chesney. The Dam Road will still be monitored by security officers, she added.

Earlier this year, a task force developed a security enhancement plan for Dillon Dam. The road has been under construction since Aug. 1. Existing County ordinances regulating permissible vehicle types on the road will remain in place, and security officers at the dam will have County authority to deny access to prohibited vehicles.   

 The objectives of the project were to improve the security and safety of the dam for Summit County residents, visitors and Denver Water, as well as allow vehicles to access the road 24 hours a day. Over the past few months, crews have worked to realign the roadway to accommodate traffic roundabouts on each end of the dam. The final pieces of the project — lighting improvements and installation of entry stations at each end of the dam — are expected to be completed Nov. 9, weather-depending.

 “We feel this is the right balance between public use of the road and additional security improvements,” said Thad Noll, assistant county manager for Summit County.

 “We appreciate the communication and working relationship we now have with Summit County,” said Jim Lochhead, CEO of Denver Water. “This is one example of how collaboration can pay off. We look forward to continuing to work with Summit County on cooperative partnerships in the future.”

 The Dillon Dam Security Task Force is composed of officials from Denver Water, Summit County Government and the towns of Dillon, Silverthorne and Frisco, as well as local law enforcement and emergency response agencies. The group has been meeting regularly to develop an appropriate security plan and security improvements along Dillon Dam Road.

Filed under: Colorado, Summit County Colorado, Summit County news Tagged: | Denver Water, Dillon Dam Road, Summit County Colorado, transportation