Bicyclists beware, you are not being considered in county traffic studies. I write as a resident of Hermosa, specifically about the study submitted to the Planning Department for Roberts Resort Village Camp.
My huge concern is the county does not require that bicycle traffic be a consideration in its process. At a meeting with the county manager and commissioners, a Planning Department engineer said they never consider bicycles as traffic. This seems dangerously irresponsible. Durango is a bike town. We support and encourage this sport community on all levels.
The Hermosa area is extremely busy in this regard. Whenever I walk or drive, I encounter single cyclists or groups, some pulling child trailers. On our narrow roads, 280 huge luxury RVs and park cabins can only be a danger.
I also worry that when the developer chooses and pays a firm to do a pivotal study, there is the possibility that the conclusions may lean (whether knowingly or subconsciously) in favor of those paying the bill and the amount of the fee. Does the Planning Department take this into consideration when reviewing studies?
I can not see how the Planning Department can responsibly consider this amount of new traffic – especially the size, bulk and unwieldy aspects of these vehicles – as appropriate for the narrow shoulderless County Roads 250 and 203, and Trimble Lane.
Bicyclists, please, urge the county to consider you in this and all future traffic studies in La Plata County.
Connie S. Durand
Durango
