Dear Johnnie: I have a concern about traffic flow on Pace Street in Longmont. The Centennial Park Apartments at Pace and Mountain View will have 144 apartments, which means at least 200 automobiles there. There is not an egress lane into Centennial Park off of Pace for traffic going south, which means traffic flow South will be stopped as cars pull in. Also there is not a turn lane for the traffic going north. It would be good if someone looked into this potential problem. — Concerned

Dear Concerned: Someone already has, and the decision is that those lanes are not needed. Here's what I heard back from Tyler Stamey, the city's transportation engineering administrator:

"The lanes in question are referred to as auxiliary lanes in the City of Longmont's Design Standards and Construction Specifications. Section 205.04 specifically identifies the criteria for when certain auxiliary lanes are required to be provided. Based on estimated traffic volumes, a southbound right turn lane from Pace Street into the access opposite Trail Ridge Road was not required. There is an existing lane for making a northbound left turn into this same access. It is currently striped differently than the southbound left turn lane, but the function is the same."

The list of requirements in that standards and specifications document is longer than I can include here, but among the requirements is that the intersection be one that is signalized or planned to be signalized; the length of turn lanes; and accident history.

Dear Johnnie: The (Oxford Road) elk's name is Edwina and ... she was part of a small herd that headed across 115th Street/Niwot Road toward the reservoir and the river that crosses under Colo. 52 and County Line Road.

I had to walk the dog early (Friday) and Edwina was back, sleeping along the south fence line outside the farm. She jumps in and out depending on when the farm animals are fed. — Jan

Dear Jan: Thanks for the update. I had wrongly named that elk Myrtle. I'll start calling her Edwina.