Anyone who knows me knows I can be a sentimental sap when it comes to old Aspen, so yes, I have a sort of love for the “S-curves.”
But I have read the following in the local newspapers in recent weeks:
— “The Castle Creek Bridge is Aspen’s main access point for much of the year and serves as a major route for workers commuting from the valley to town each day. Approximately 22,000 individual vehicles cross the bridge, and six bus routes use the bridge daily during the summer.”
– “No one spoke at the meeting representing the thousands of workers who use the bridge daily, and none of the (Aspen City) Council members mentioned the welfare of those people as a factor in their decision.”
– And Wednesday: “According to a PitkinAlert, there will be significant traffic delays on Highway 82 from the airport to the roundabout. The expected duration of this event is unknown. The alert recommends using an alternate route.”
The thousands of people who commute to work or business in Aspen on Highway 82 each day deserve better. If you are opposed to impacting the Marolt Open Space, I encourage you to read Roger Marolt’s column in the Aspen Daily News discussing this issue.
Maintaining the status quo is unbearable for these commuters – not to mention incredibly dangerous in the event of a major public safety incident. I don’t know, but I suspect none of the Aspen City Council members commute to work during rush hour Monday through Friday.
Ann Stephenson
basalt
