WHEREAS Colorado’s highway system contributes to the economies of rural communities through the transportation of goods, services, industrial equipment, and people, and
WHEREAS many highways on the Western Slope are in need of continued surface and safety maintenance, including pavement repair, bridge repair, the addition or expansion of shoulders and guardrails, and passing lanes, and
WHEREAS the same state highways that serve as state transportation corridors also serve as the “Main Street” for many smaller communities, and
WHEREAS it is important to maintain traffic flow along these highway corridors while acknowledging the competing needs of CDOT and local communities to ensure safety, encourage economic development, and the timely completion of projects, and
WHEREAS Colorado’s winter recreational traffic and interstate highways require that CDOT maintain more winter mountain passes than any other state, (35 mountain passes over 8,000 feet), and
WHEREAS maintenance due to adverse weather conditions is critical to avoid closures due to mudslides, forest fires, avalanches, rockfalls and vehicle crashes directly impact the delivery of goods and services causing economic loss to businesses and communities, and increasing vehicle miles traveled through the use of detours, and
WHEREAS as traffic demand on Colorado’s highways continues to increase, so does the number of traffic-related accidents and the corresponding need to maintain safety during adverse weather conditions, and
WHEREAS Club 20 supports efforts to safely increase capacity and alternate route development on west slope roads, and
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that Club 20 strongly:
- Believes all highways on the western slope should be maintained in good pavement, road, and bridge condition, and any safety or improvement projects should be planned to minimize the length of road closures, and
- Supports timely maintenance and action during adverse weather conditions, to minimize road closures and the resulting economic impacts.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Club 20 encourages the Colorado Department of Transportation and local communities (and TPRs) to work together to address these needs and identify solutions that are mutually agreeable, particularly when it comes to “Main Streets”.
BE IT FUTHER RESOLVED that Club 20 encourages the Colorado Department of Transportation to:
- Work closely with local governments to develop a road-maintenance strategy which utilizes a combination of tools (including, but not limited to mechanical treatments, chemical applications, salt and sand applications, reduced winter speed limits, and reduced access) to achieve CDOT’s goals of highway safety and access while being sensitive to the unique concerns and needs of each community.
- Aggressively utilize the communications technology at their disposal using electrical signage, emails, website and road reports by phone (511) and the media.
- Actively promote enforcement of CO existing adverse weather driving laws including chain requirements, speed limitations, snow tires and four-wheel drive only conditions.
- Infractions of the chain law should be consistent in severity to penalties for other moving violations, including both appropriate fines and penalty points against the driver’s license. Club 20 encourages CDOT & State Patrol to consistently and appropriately apply the enforcement of chain laws and give adequate and up to date notification to all highway users.
- Revenues generated from the collection of chain law penalty fines should be dedicated to ensuring enforcement of the chain law and improved safe winter driving conditions.
- Urges the Colorado Department of Transportation to make it a priority to construct and maintain adequate chain-up areas necessary to allow full compliance with the chain law.
- Allocate maintenance funds in a timely manner to ensure timely project completion.
Incorporates the following resolutions:
- TR-10-1 Continued Funding to Upgrade Highway 13 North
- TR-03-1 Highway 50, Improvement of- Deleted in 2021
- TR-02-2 Highway Safety, Winter Road Maintenance, Adverse Weather Conditions
- TR-05-3 Main Street, Integrating with State Highways- Deleted in 2021
- TR-01-2 Funding for Highway 82
Adopted 9/9/2022