Colorado: State wildlife experts support grassroots push to improve wildlife safety along Highway 9

Posted on June 1, 2013 by Bob Berwyn
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Wildlife underpasses could help improve safety along Colorado Highway 9 between Green Mountain Reservoir and Kremmling.

Improvements would reduce costly and deadly vehicle-wildlife collisions

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — Colorado wildlife officials say they’re supporting a grassroots drive to raise money for wildlife overpasses and underpasses along Highway 9, near Kremmling. The goal is to reduce the number of vehicle-wildlife collisions on a 10.6-mile stretch of the highway between Green Mountain Reservoir and the Colorado River near Kremmling.

According to the Colorado Department of Transportation, wildlife collisions in this area have led to nearly 600 vehicular accidents in the last 20 years, including 16 human fatalities and almost 200 injuries. About 35 percent of the collisions were wildlife related. In addition, there have been nearly 450 animals killed — mostly mule deer — in the last eight years. (more…)

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Colorado: Mt. Evans Road opens, fee-free this year

Posted on May 24, 2013 by Bob Berwyn

Access advocacy group plans May 25 event to mark the end of the $10 fee

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Exploring the Summit Lake area near the summit of Mt. Evans, Colorado. Bob Berwyn photo.

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The Mt. Evans Scenic Byway. Map courtesy CDOT.

By Bob Berwyn

FRISCO — There aren’t too many places in the world where you can drive up to the summit of a 14,000-foot peak, but one of them is right here in Colorado, where Mt. Evans road rises to the crest of the Rocky Mountains just a short way west of Denver.

And this summer, for the first time since 1997, visitors will be able to make the drive for free, thanks to the tireless work of the Western Slope No-Fee Coalition, a group that has been battling the U.S. Forest Service over what it says are illegal fees for access to public lands. (more…)

Filed under: Colorado, public lands, transportation, US Forest Service | Tagged: , , , , | 1 Comment »

Global tourism revenues set record in 2012

Posted on May 18, 2013 by Bob Berwyn
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Tourists from Asia exploring Hallstatt, Austria.

Travel and tourism a key driver in world economy

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — The global tourism economy hummed along at a record pace in 2012, growing by 4 percent and generating a total of $1.3 trillion when international passenger transit revenues are included in the equation.

“It is encouraging to see that the growth in international tourist arrivals was equalled by a comparable increase in spending in spite of continued economic challenges,” said United Nations World Tourism Organization secretary-general Taleb Rifai. “Considering that tourism is a key export for many economies around the world, this result is good news as it provides foreign reserves to destinations, and contributes to job creation in tourism as well as in related economic sectors,” he added.

By regions, the Americas recorded the largest increase in receipts, plus 7 percent, followed by Asia and the Pacific ( plus 6 percent), Africa ( plus 5 percent) and Europe (plus 2 percent). Receipts in the Middle East were down about 2 percent but improving compared to the double-digit decline recorded in 2011. (more…)

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Colorado: More money for transit?

Posted on April 28, 2013 by Bob Berwyn
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Money previously earmarked for road and bridge construction can now be used to enhance alternative transit.

New law gives communities more leeway with spending Highway User Tax monies on transit projects

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — Alternative transit in Colorado could get a funding boost this year, after Gov. John Hickenlooper last week signed Senate Bill 13-048 into law.

The measures gives communities new flexibility to spend their share of the $250 million pot of money collected from gas taxes and license plate fees — known as the Highway Users Tax Fund — on bike and pedestrian paths, transit and other projects.  Previously, the money was restricted by law to highway and bridge projects.

“Aurora supported the bill because we wanted the flexibility to address all of our local transportation needs, not just road and street needs,” said Steve Hogan, Aurora Mayor. “Our city wishes to address parking related to Light Rail, bike path and bike lane improvements, and transit needs around the Fitzsimons/Anschutz Campus. These amenities make our city more desirable.” (more…)

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Travel: U.S. Senate acts to avert more airport delays

Posted on April 26, 2013 by Bob Berwyn
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The U.S. Senate wants to keep air traffic moving.

Budget shuffle could enable FAA to avoid furloughs

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — With the busy summer travel season already winding up, the U.S. Senate acted to try and prevent more delays at U.S. Airports. The bipartisan deal to give the FAA more budget flexibility was led by Senators Mark Udall (D-Colo.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine).

The Reducing Flight Delays Act gives the U.S. Secretary of Transportation the flexibility to transfer discretionary funds into the FAA’s operations budget to prevent essential employees, such as air traffic controllers, from being furloughed.  (more…)

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Health: New European study solidifies link between highway pollution and chronic childhood asthma

Posted on March 23, 2013 by Bob Berwyn
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Roadside air pollution is a significant factor in chronic childhood asthma.

Toxic emissions from traffic are a significant public health concern, often ignored by transportation and urban planners

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — Pollution from busy roads may cause just as many cases of chronic childhood asthma as passive smoking, according to new findings published this week in the European Respiratory Journal.

The research conducted in 10 European cities concludes that 14 percent of childhood asthma cased are linked with traffic related pollution, while the World Health Organization estimates that between 4 percent and 18 percent of asthma cases in children are linked to passive smoking. (more…)

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Summit Stage director resigns

Posted on January 22, 2013 by Bob Berwyn
The Summit Stage free transit system serves thousands of riders each day/

The Summit Stage free transit system serves thousands of riders each day/

John Jones moving on to head transit system in Virginia

By Bob Berwyn

FRISCO — Summit Stage director John Jones said today he’s resigning from his job effective Feb. 8. Jones will become the new director of the transit system in Charlottesville, Virginia.

“When you sit up thinking about doing something new after the alarm goes off, you know it’s time for a change,” Jones said, adding that he’s looking forward to the new challenges ahead.

Jones has led the Summit Stage the past eight years through some serious ups and downs, including the peak of the resort and real estate boom years and the subsequent deep slump that cut into county tax revenues, including the free transit system’s budget, with the drop in revenues coming at a time of rising costs.

Those pressures on the Summit Stage budget resulted in some schedule juggling and associated staff cuts, leading to heated dispute with the unionized drivers. Not everyone was happy with Jones’ tenure, but that’s part of the nature of that type of job.

County officials said they have no immediate plans to replace Jones.

“We’ll look internally and see if want to make any structural changes,” said assistant county manager Thad Noll, explaining that the change in leadership could present an opportunity to rethink management of the transit system.

The Summit Stage continues to face budget challenges, Noll said, with costs increasing. But the overall budget picture is looking a bit brighter with sources of sales tax revenue coming online, he added, singling out the Lowe’s store in Silverthorne as a significant sales tax generator.

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Colorado: Budget juggling to speed highway projects

Posted on December 15, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

New accounting system doesn’t solve state’s long-term transportation woes

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Highway projects in Colorado will get a boost from a new budgeting regime.

By Summit Voice

FRISCO — Colorado transportation officials say they will juggle their budgets to accelerate completion of transportation projects and create or sustain more than 10,500 jobs over five years.

Currently, CDOT does not advertise a project until all of the money is “in the bank,” which means the department is saving money for projects over multiple years before construction begins. In addition, some projects take several years to construct, so money often sits unspent when it could be used much sooner.

Under the new program, CDOT will fund multi-year projects based on year of expenditure, rather than saving for the full amount of a project before construction begins. This effort will match project expenditures with available revenues and allow CDOT to allocate an additional $300 million per year over five years to transportation projects over the next five years. (more…)

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Colorado skiing: Catch a free ride to the slopes Dec. 15

Posted on December 6, 2012 by Bob Berwyn
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The Front Range Ski Bus at Keystone Resort. Photo courtesy FRSB.

Local bus company offering a free demo day; season bus passes, four-packs and discounted ski tix also available

SUMMIT COUNTY — Who say’s there’s no free ride?

To celebrate the start of full winter operations, Front Range Ski Bus is running a free bus from Denver up to A-Basin, Keystone, Loveland and Copper next weekend, right after what looks to be one of the first real snowy and wintry weeks of the season.

The bus has already been running on a limited schedule and will start operating four days per week (Thursday – Sunday) on Dec. 14, with basic round trip tickets for $35, down from $39 last year.

“Riding the bus up to the slopes is a great way to make new ski and snowboard friends before you even get to the slopes,” said  said chief marketing officer Martin Beran, who frequently rides the bus to ride up at A-Basin. “It’s a relaxing way to get up to the mountains.” he said. “This day is a great way for Denver residents to try out Denver’s best ski bus service without spending a dime.” (more…)

Filed under: Arapahoe Basin, Colorado, Copper Mountain, I-70, Keystone, recreation, skiing and riding, Summit County Colorado, Summit County news, transportation | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Colorado: CDOT eyes automated avalanche blasting system for Berthoud Pass corridor

Posted on November 24, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

A powder avalanche blasts down a hillside near Berthoud Pass, Colorado. Photo courtesy CDOT.

Pilot project to be considered for the Stanley slide path

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — A year or so after first talking up the idea of installing an automated avalanche blasting system on Berthoud Pass, the Colorado Department of Transportation is getting ready to hold a public info session to discuss the idea with the public.

At an elevation of 11,307 feet, Berthoud Pass averages about 500 inches of snow per year, and the area has 55 identified slide paths, many of them directly threatening U.S. Highway 40. The most recognized avalanche path, and proposed site of CDOT’s pilot project, is the Stanley Slide area located on US 40 at Mile Post 249.8. (more…)

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