Siegel: Straight shot option won’t fix Aspen’s issues

The straight shot will not improve traffic. Not one study has concluded that any appreciable reduction in traffic times will occur for cars and trucks. Why? Because there would still be one lane in and out of town for those vehicles. The pinch points at Buttermilk and the roundabout remain. The addition of a new light at Seventh and Main streets coupled with funneling all Cemetery Lane traffic back into town could make traffic worse.

Consider this: the straight shot is not on CDOT’s 10-year plan for even consideration for pre-construction consideration. Critical funding issues exist. That project is decades away at best. All the while the current bridge is deteriorating. If not replaced it will be subject to closures and delays for repairs year after year.

Talk about traffic delays, is that what you PA advocates are willing to accept for the next 15 or so years? The priority should be to fix the current bridge now. It fits into your long-term dreams only if it is functional. Also, the replacement design would offer improvement for the p.m. rush hour.

So be careful what you wish for. There is no traffic fix in your straight shot vision of the future and for decades to come the reality is not looking good either.

Neil B. Siegel

Aspen