Cottonwood Pass

Email to Garfield County BOCC

9/18 CDOT presentation of draft final Cottonwood Pass Report

Wed, Sep 13, 2:53 PM (1 day ago)

Please include the following email to the Commissioners and attached KMOHR Position Statement with the Commissioner's packet of information for the September 18, 2023, BOCC meeting:

Dear Commissioners:

Keep MO Heights Rural's mission is to preserve the rural character, sustainability, safety and quality of life of Missouri Heights, an elevated desert with a fragile environment. Our purpose is to protect against unbridled and commercial development and other incompatible land uses as well as actions that put a strain on vital resources and infrastructure, especially to preserve water and prevent wildfire. Overall, we are opposed to measures that negatively impact the serene character and safety of the area and its wildlife habitats.  

Representatives of KMOHR, with the exception of the last meeting in Gypsum, attended all public meetings and property owner ITF meetings, held by CDOT in its study of the Cottonwood Pass sites identified by Eagle County and Garfield County for possible improvement.  We have drafted a short position statement, attached, which we believe, more fully describes the public's position regarding the expenditure of relatively large sums of public funds to improve few or possibly only one site on Cottonwood Pass. Such public expenditure would be better used to harden Glenwood Canyon so that the Pass truly is for local use.  Given that normal local vehicle trips run somewhere between 350-400 vehicles per day, the question needs to be asked whether an expenditure of $55-$59M, which is where Eagle County is headed with its recent grant application for $23M, makes sense for the Blue Hill area.  What is the cost-benefit analysis for such an expenditure?

It is our understanding that as of this date, Garfield County has reserved its decision with regard to moving forward on possible improvements.  It was notable during the public meetings that property owners and members of the public questioned the selection of Catherine Store road as the route to Hwy 82 for numerous reasons and further study including public input, seems merited prior to any improvement to Catherine Store.  

We sincerely thank you for your public service and careful consideration in this matter.

Karen Moculeski, President

P.O.Box 1381

Carbondale, CO  81623

KeepMOHRural.com

CDOT finally admits that this project is about more than safety for local users of Cottonwood Pass

"Cottonwood Pass is a vital connection for local residents who rely on the county road to safely travel between Gypsum and CO 82 in the Roaring Fork Valley. It is often used as an undesignated alternate route when Glenwood Canyon is closed, which has escalated the urgency of addressing safety issues in a timely fashion. Gathering public input and estimating the magnitude of construction costs for the early concept designs will help Eagle and Garfield counties determine if and when improvements at each site would move forward.

KMOHR discusses CW Pass with Gov. Polis on August 21 in Carbondale.

Our president and one of our Board Members got some face time with the Governor on Sunday. Discussion points included: 

• Polis: The Canyon will get closed from time to time. KMOHR: Everything needs to be done to keep it open.  

• KMOHR: Is the use of "shed type tunnels" on GW Canyon being considered? Polis: they are expensive. KMOHR: It will expensive to "fix" Cottonwood it doesn't have services (such as cell phone connectivity).   

• KMOHR: We represent residents in MO Heights. Polis: Are you attending public meetings? KMOHR: We are and we continue to urge residents to be involved.

Follow-up Letter to the Editor from the KMOHR President

"As a partial response to LJ Erspamer’s letter (“Canyon needs avalanche chutes,” Sept. 5) concerning the use of avalanche-type chutes in Glenwood Canyon to mitigate future rockslides, individuals associated with Keep MO Heights Rural, a nonprofit organization, have posed the question of the use of chutes to CDOT, Garfield County officials and the governor’s office and have received various replies such as “it won’t work,” “ it would result in ­debris in the river” and “it costs too much.”

Whether it is the use of chutes or other preventative measures, it would seem that it is time for CDOT to make a determination of what other measures should be taken to harden the canyon from further slides and resultant closures because there are no other practical alternate routes for commercial trucking."

Karen Moculeski

This is just one example of why it is important to donate to KMOHR!

"With the information provided by this project, Eagle and Garfield counties will determine next steps for implementing improvements. Concept design is expected to be complete by early 2023. The counties will complete design and evaluate pursuing construction of improvements as funding becomes available in the future."