Approximately 30 years ago, after a Durango City Council member lost a family member in a traffic accident, the council instituted traffic calming – narrowing of lane width, lowering speed limits, speed bumps, extra stop signs, reduction of roads from four lanes to two and in general making things more dangerous so that people will drive slower.

Approximately 12 years ago, the Durango City Council publicly and strongly showed its unhappiness with CDOT when it refused to lower the speed limit from 50 to 35 mph from the Double Tree Hotel to Elmore’s Corner. La Plata County’s population has since doubled while our capacity is being reduced by the use of traffic calming in Durango.

Durango City Council’s elections are April 2. Citizens should know where the candidates stand on this. Is it time to end traffic calming in Durango to lower air pollution, our carbon foot print and congestion, and improve our quality of life?

Jim Schneider

Durango