Let us apply some common sense.
Durango, we have a multi-million dollar word, “seamless.” This is the word that is applied to the Animas River Trail and is the sole reason Parks and Rec is trying to build a bridge over the railroad tracks at 32nd Street.
The Public Utilities Commission will countenance no more at-grade crossings of the tracks for the ART.
Well, there already is an at-grade crossing at 32nd Street that is continually used by pedestrians – safely, I might add. This is a crossing protected by big flashing lights and a high-decibel steam whistle warning and is unavailable to pedestrians for at the most 16 minutes per day in the summer, spaced out in two-minute segments, four in the morning and four in the evening.
So, let’s consider the ART seamless to each side of the 32nd Street crossing but not across it. After all, our seamless ART crosses the tracks behind the Rec Center and on the way to Oxbow.
Now we have another opportunity to buy the property at the northwest corner of 32nd Street and Third Avenue, purchase that property, tunnel under 32nd and connect to the already existing path across the river. If the path doesn’t meet ART standards, widen it.
Surely, all this could be done for less than $4.1 million and be a whole lot less unsightly.
Buck SkillenDurango
