Dear Action Line: What is with the Bike Path to Nowhere off College Drive? The whole path on the east side is wide and wonderful, including a nice swooping-upwards section across from Ted’s Rental that looks remarkably like the old Bridge to Nowhere. Then – bam – it hits a dead end at East Ninth Avenue, where there are no curb cuts on either side of the street and no space for a bike lane. Then you’re right in front of a busy little strip mall (by CJ’s Diner), with cars coming in and out, and nowhere to ride safely. What’s a biker to do? – A Bad Ending
Dear Bad: Well, how much time are you willing to put into understanding the full answer? The short version: The city of Durango has a plan to change things and make them better.
The medium long version: The city’s Multimodal Transportation Plan, or MTP, “identifies a number of improvements to the area west of the Goeglein Gulch shared-use path, including improved pedestrian crossings, bicycle lanes, reduced speed limit, etc.,” said Sarah Dodson Hill, Durango’s assistant director of transportation. Also, city staff members have compiled a list of “sidewalk deficiencies,” which includes the sidewalk on College Drive and East Ninth Avenue.
The longer version: A more major plan designed to improve safety and connectivity in the vicinity, scheduled for construction in summer 2022, is the College and 8th Safety Project. Improvements include: reducing travel lanes around the College Drive/East Eighth Avenue intersection from four to three, creating bike lanes, making curb ramps, creating safer pedestrian crossings and more. The estimated cost is $2.1 million.
The “you really want to commit?” version: The city’s Multimodal Advisory Board, or MAB, prioritizes the MTP and sidewalk projects annually and makes recommendations about funding, Dodson Hill said. The MAB meets at 4 p.m. on the third Wednesday of each month, and welcomes public comments. For Zoom login information, visit durangogov.org/meetings. And to totally immerse yourself in such terms as “road diet,” check out these plans:
Link to MTP: https://bit.ly/3sBoXmy.Link to College and 8th Safety Project: www.durangogov.org/collegeand8th.
Link to MTP: https://bit.ly/3sBoXmy.Link to College and 8th Safety Project: www.durangogov.org/collegeand8th.A few weeks ago (April 3) Action Line discussed why Montview Parkway is wide enough to land an airplane – although you wouldn’t do that because of the deep dips. Not sure how helpful this is, but an anonymous reader wrote in to say, “Montview was constructed wide so that it could carry storm water without inundating the lots being developed.”
That’s it. No name, no contact for follow-up. Do with this knowledge as you will.
Last week, Action Line wrote about Durango’s Spring Cleanup, about piling up old mattresses and such. The cleanup seems to be a major issue in this town. For every resident who appreciates the chance to dump unwanted junk, there’s another who bemoans the mess it makes.
Action Line appreciates a good rant. Here’s one: “When will the city of Durango stop the madness that is ‘Spring Cleanup’? ... It’s astonishing how much Durango’s tiny, overpriced hovels can hold. So, I guess Spring Cleanup is like the opposite of cramming clowns into a Volkswagen. Once a year, our Beetle-sized houses regurgitate their contents, leaving unsightly heaps all over town. The ultimate insanity is that Durango’s neighborhoods never look any better afterward. When will this allegedly beloved tradition come to an end? Sign me, It’s the Most Wearisome Time of the Year”
Action Line suggests that those who have suggestions and opinions about Spring Cleanup – how to do it better, whether to do it at all – write to city councilors (who will undoubtedly thank Action Line for this suggestion). You can find their emails here: https://www.durangogov.org/169/City-Council.
Or (The Durango Herald’s opinion editor can thank Action Line for this) you could pen a letter to the editor of this newspaper: letters@durangoherald.com. Yes, Action Line is aware that no one actually “pens” a letter anymore.
Email questions and suggestions to actionline@durangoherald.com or mail them to Action Line, The Durango Herald, 1275 Main Ave., Durango, CO 81301. It sounds funny, sure, but please don’t even CONSIDER “going” in one of the old toilets left out for Spring Cleanup.
