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What readers had to say this week about local stories, No. 3

They weighed in on downtown Durango improvements, marijuana sales, e-bikes and more

Welcome to Comments of the Week, where we highlight some of the most insightful, passionate and witty comments shared on Facebook.

We enjoy reading your input and reactions to local stories: Readers can weigh in via our Facebook page, at the bottom of stories on our website at www.durangoherald.com or by writing a letter to the editor.

Here are a few comments that stood out this week:

Story: Survey results: Residents want middle turn lane and wider sidewalks in Downtown Durango
Bump-outs on Main Avenue in downtown Durango have proved popular. Designers hired by the city are looking at ways to accommodate bump-outs while maintaining other functions of Main. (BCI file)

“Spending all this $$$ to renovate downtown is a total waste. Just leave it alone. Seems like spending $$$ for spending sake. If anything, close it off from the train station north to Buckley. Make it pedestrian only. Then let businesses, artists, musicians, etc. get creative with making it a brilliant good time.” – Dave Farkas

“How about making Main into a one-lane one-way street with curbs? And widening the sidewalk for pedestrians and creating a bigger bike lane? Each block could feature a traffic pullout for unloading delivers and for handicapped folks to be let out. I can already picture our aggressive meter enforcement folks out there checking for handicap placards, eager to cite able-bodied folks parking there illegally for a few minutes.” – Slatina Massey

“So, more bicycle amenities but limited parking for ‘oversized’ vehicles which includes trucks, which are needed in the agricultural lifestyle of this county! Hm feels a little unbalanced in amenities.” – Trudy Pingree

“We need a parking structure. There was talk of building one in the lot where the Transit center is? The permit lots are for local downtown staff. That does not bring the customers in to shop. Meters are not good. If we want folks to shop and enjoy lunch and walk Main Street and not continually looking at their watches, then we need a structure. We could have a fee to park in it and also have tickets that local stores could give to customers who make a purchase. Personally the bump-outs are not a pleasant experience. Between the dust, noise, fumes and the feeling that cars are on one side and people walking by on the other, takes away from a relaxed meal. The side streets need more handicap parking. What we have now is not enough. Just my thoughts. I have lived here over 25 years and now I sadly say I spend very little time on Main.” – Judy Wachob

Story: Water seminar asks what prolonged drought means for Southwest Colorado
More than 100 people listened to water managers and climate experts about the drought and water plans on Friday during the Southwestern Water Conservation District seminar in Durango. (Jerry McBride/Durango Herald)

“And yet our county commissioners just keep approving housing developments without a rural water system. Meaning they are relying on wells that are drying up faster than they can be drilled. Our commissioners don’t care about the residents they are hurting, it’s a mad scramble to approve more houses so they can boost property tax revenue to make up for the millions they wasted when oil and gas taxes were endless. It should be criminal what they are doing.” – JJ Wilson

Story: Ignacio voters reject marijuana sales
Ignacio voters on Tuesday defeated a ballot measure that would have allowed recreational and medical marijuana sales in town limits. (Jerry McBride/Durango Herald file)

“Seems odd. They aren’t reducing the number of marijuana users in Ignacio. They are just saying, please take your tax money somewhere else.” – Malcolm MacDougall

“The voters have spoken. Just because pot is legal in Colorado doesn’t mean every town and city want pot retailers in their area.” – Laurie Voss

Story: Forest Service prepares to welcome e-bikes
Mike Phillips with Mountain Bike Specialists shows an electric-mountain bike sold at the store in Durango in November 2021. The U.S. Forest Service announced Thursday that the agency would allow for the use of e-bikes on forest trails, though each national forest has discretion over where e-bikes will be allowed. (Jerry McBride/Durango Herald file)

“On one hand, I hate this decision. On the other, it will saturate the trails with bikes and ultimately hasten in what will prove to be a benefit – even/odd use days for bikes/hikers/equestrians. It’s already successfully being done in other high-use areas around the country. As conflicts rise, this will be the only solution.” – Derek Thielin

Story: Would higher wages or reduced costs of living help Durango workers more?
Regan Briggs, lower right, executive chef at The Ore House, and her team from left, Berman Abdallah-Boehm, Zo Jones, Bobbi Cooley and Sam Krajnak prep food last week before the restaurant opens. (Jerry McBride/Durango Herald)

“Cost of housing is always the first thing to come to mind. The rule of thumb has always been to allow one third of your take home pay for housing. That includes rent or mortgage, insurance, taxes, utilities and repairs. With the ever increasing cost of housing in the Durango area the average person just can’t afford to live there anymore. I would guess that most people pay way more than that. I don’t have a solution but I have lived in other ‘tourist’ towns and they become vacation homes for well to do folks. During the off season probably half the homes are closed.” – Linda Martin



Reader Comments