City of Glenwood Springs Invites Public Comment on South Bridge Environmental Assessment
GLENWOOD SPRINGS – The City of Glenwood Springs, with the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Garfield County, announce the availability of the South Bridge Environmental Assessment (EA). The public review and comment period on the EA begins today, October 23, and continues throughThursday, November 21, 2013.
The public is invited to attend a public hearing to hear about the EA findings, details on the proposed project, impacts to environmental and community resources, and proposed mitigation to minimize any impacts. The public hearing will be held Wednesday, November 13, at the Glenwood Springs Community Center, 100 Wulfsohn Road. There will be an open house from 5:00 to 7:30 p.m., followed by a formal presentation from 6:00 to 6:30 p.m., then a question and answer session from 6:30 to 7:00 p.m.
The purpose of the South Bridge project is to identify a critical second route between SH 82 and the west side of the Roaring Fork River in the southern portion of Glenwood Springs. This second route responds to the previous 2005 Congressional earmark for the Glenwood Springs, South Bridge (new, off-system bridge), Public Law 109-59, 109thCongress. The project will address identified transportation needs, such as lack of emergency vehicle access route redundancy and increasing mobility issues along the current primary access route (Midland Avenue) caused by increased growth in the area.
The alternatives evaluated in the EA are: 1) No Action Alternative and 2) Alternative 10b (identified in the EA as the Preferred Alternative). Alternative 10b connects Airport Road to SH 82 south of the Glenwood Springs Municipal Airport. The connection takes Airport Road under Airport property in a tunnel, crosses the Roaring Fork River on a clear-span bridge, and connects to SH 82 just south of the Holy Cross Energy facility near Red Canon Road.
To view the Environmental Assessment, please go to any of the following links:
http://www.glenwoodsouthbridge.net.
http://www.ci.glenwood-springs.co.us/departments/publicworks/engineering.htm
http://www.coloradodot.info/projects/studies-assessments/other-cdot-studies
Hard copies are available for review at the City of Glenwood Springs Engineering Department; Glenwood Springs Public Library; Garfield County offices in Glenwood Springs; CDOT’s offices in Glenwood Springs, Grand Junction and Denver; and the Federal Highway Administration offices in Lakewood.
TO COMMENT ON THE EA:
Comments must be received by the end of the 30-day public comment period on November 21, 2013.
Written comments can be made as follows:
Public Hearing: Bring your written comments to the Public Hearing or fill in a comment form at the Public Hearing.
Mail:
Wendy Swan
Administrative Assistant
City of Glenwood Springs Engineering Department
101 West 8th Street
Glenwood Springs, CO 81601
Fax: (970) 945-8582 (attn. Wendy Swan)
Email: [email protected]
Oral comments will be accepted only at the Public Hearing on Wednesday, November 13, 2013, from 5:00 to 7:30 p.m., and will be recorded by a court reporter
Questions about the public comment period or the EA may be directed to Wendy Swan at the City of Glenwood Springs at (970) 384-6435. Oral comments on the EA may only be made at the Public Hearing where they will be recorded—not via a phone call.
