After months of gathering public feedback and comments, the Colorado Department of Transportation and Russell Engineering will be presenting initial U.S. 160 Corridor design options at Sept. 9 town board meeting.
Although the design options are still in the conceptual stage, some include bike lanes, sidewalks, intersection improvements, access points, landscaped medians, and gateways/signage.
CDOT has explained at previous public meetings on the U.S. 160 Corridor that CDOT Region 5's annual funding for all projects in its district is about $3.5 million. That means the agency relies on grant funding and mechanisms like public-private partnerships to make projects come to fruition. If Mancos has an actual engineer-designed improvement plan in place, the town can forge an intergovernmental agreement with CDOT - a crucial way to leverage more funding.
The June 23 public meeting on the Access Improvement and Mobility Plan featured live polling on several different design features to gauge what attendees did and did not want to see along the busy thoroughfare.
According to the polling results and public comments collected by the town, most residents want to see the fencing along the highway removed, improved safety and access for pedestrians and cyclists, landscaping and a way to slow traffic on the highway either through lowering the speed limit or using design mechanisms like landscaped medians or slimmer lanes.
The Mancos Board of Trustees meets Wednesday, Sept. 9 at 7 p.m.