Cascade–no, rest of CC’s LRDP–yes
Hello B&CAers,
Here is the link to today’s Gazette article about City Council shooting down the proposed lane reduction for Cascade Avenue. The rest of the college’s Long Range Development Plan was approved with no problem. This was a controversial issue and a lot of people didn’t like it. CC worked, for a long time, with the Old North End Neighborhood Association, the Downtown Partnership and Imagine Downtown, and the FIne Arts Center, to coordinate and collaborate on plans for a shared vision for a safe and pleasant north downtown corridor. This was not something CC came up with in a vacuum or without considering other stakeholders. However, there were many individual stakeholders who didn’t agree or feel represented by the consenus of these groups and the decisions they made together, and their voices were heard, as they should be. I don’t think it’s the end of the world that we didn’t get City Council approval, but please don’t buy for a moment the rhetoric that CC was playing the bully in this process. The college was very democratic and inclusive in seeking input from as many people as possible, time and again over the course of several years. In turn, of course, City Council also acted democratically in acting on the input they heard from other citizens. And that, as they say, is that!
Here’s the link, and then here’s the full letter from President Celeste, Beth Kosley and Dave Munger explaining their rationale for what they had hoped to accomplish. Those are three people, whom, if you know and admire them as I do, you know are nobody’s bullies. They are the epitome of respectful, thoughtful, consensus-seeking leaders. And I’m sure they will be as gracious in defeat on this issue as they would have been in victory. Life goes on.
http://www.gazette.com/articles/college_41891___article.html/cascade_safety.html
Op-Ed Piece, from the Oct. 14 Gazette p. A9: (what they were hoping to accomplish):
We all wish to see our city’s downtown grow and prosper. Facilitating smooth traffic flow while guarding the safety of pedestrians, cyclists and motorists will only contribute to that growth. And encouraging easier, safer access to downtown for pedestrians and cyclists is civically, environmentally and economically responsible. That is why we are unified in our support of Colorado College’s Long Range Development Plan. And the fact that City Planning recommended – and the Planning Commission unanimously approved – the LRDP attests to the soundness of the college’s approach.
This plan aligns with the city’s concept of “complete streets” containing “safe lanes” for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers. The city has employed this concept successfully on several streets throughout Colorado Springs to reduce motor vehicle speeds and promote a safer, more comfortable environment for cyclists and pedestrians. Nationwide, communities such as Chicago, Sacramento and Seattle have used this concept of lane reduction or “road dieting” to manage traffic speeds without adversely affecting traffic flow.
This is the thinking behind the reduction of Cascade to one lane of auto traffic from Penrose St. Francis Hospital into downtown. The CC plan envisions a graceful “boulevard” into the campus and the Fine Arts “district” and beyond.
The Old North End Neighborhood association, Downtown Partnership and Colorado College have worked together for the past two years to plan traffic calming and “complete streets” wherever possible for the entire system of roads we share. Reducing traffic lanes to one in each direction will allow for longer turn lanes, which will greatly reduce tie-ups (particularly at Uintah intersections) and improve traffic flow. Based on our experience with Cascade, we envision the possibility of Weber and Wahsatch also being reduced to a single travel lane in each direction.
A study by transportation consulting firm Felsburg Holt & Ullevig used traffic counts to model various scenarios indicating that “road-dieting” on Cascade will not adversely affect travel flow or wait times at any intersections in the system. This analysis holds for traffic projections through 2035. Thus the proposed traffic calming will greatly improve safety and flow without negative effects on downtown businesses or surrounding neighborhoods.
We want to dispel any notion that approval of this plan means all of its concepts are set in stone. We do believe the college should have the opportunity to further explore the feasibility of single-lane travel on Cascade; in fact the Planning Commission mandates a field test before any permanent changes occur.
In addition, there are other economic, cultural and aesthetic benefits to the Colorado College plan. It envisions a combination of mixed commercial and residential use on the east side of North Tejon Street between Cache La Poudre and Dale streets. The proximity of this location to the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, the new Edith Kinney Gaylord Cornerstone Arts Center, Packard Hall, the American Numismatic Association and CC’s central campus should prove to be attractive as an “uptown” downtown place to shop, eat, live and enjoy cultural events.
The plan also proposes to further develop the college’s southern perimeter by enhancing Cache La Poudre Street as a central link in the current Downtown Master Plan’s “Emerald Necklace” concept of parks and trails encircling the city, providing a through trail between Shooks Run and Monument Park for cyclists and runners.
Finally, the CC plan also proposes new parking structures on the periphery of the campus to alleviate any on-street parking concerns in the surrounding neighborhoods.
We share with our fellow community members a desire to strengthen and sustain Colorado Springs. One of the strongest, healthiest trends in America has been local economies based on health care, education and research. Here, in our backyard, is a stable and financially healthy institution that continues to want to invest in the community. Colorado College provides jobs, nationally acclaimed research, and rich cultural offerings, and produces entrepreneurs who create further job growth. As a pure economic development proposition, CC’s improvement efforts should be embraced by the community, not thwarted.
Respectfully,
Downtown Partnership, Beth Kosley, President
Old North End Neighborhood Board, David Munger, President
Colorado College, Richard Celeste, President
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Many moons ago, I worked at CC and remember the LRDP in it’s embroyonic stages. Cascade was front and center of controversy, even then. As an employee of the College, I knew the hazards of crossing Cascade as a pedestrian and never took it lightly. As a citizen of the community I heard the complaints of drivers about the *@#% CC students taking over Cascade Ave.
Some of the more preposterous suggestions I’d heard to make Cascade more safe is to build an underpass or an overpass, or move the college. The last suggestion is obviously least likely. Like it or not, the college is there. It ain’t gonna move. An overpass or underpass? And how do we try to “encourage” students to use it? I can’t imagine them “choosing” to do so (nor would I) if running late to classes. Funnel them to the over or underpass with big concrete walls that prevent them from crossing Cascade in other places? Now isn’t that attractive? You think the community might complain about the eyesore?
To me, reducing the traffic to single lanes makes much more sense. For those complaining that it would cut off a thoroughfare to the downtown area, it doesn’t. It just makes it a slower and more thoughtful drive. You still get downtown. And if people aren’t already driving slower and thoughtfully on Cascade now as it is – well, they have no business driving there anyway.
Seriously, I think the truth is people dislike the narrowing of Cascade because it would take away the sport of trying to time the crossing of students just right when driving through Cascade.
If it were his or her child crossing Cascade, each citizen would see the logic behind this solution. But, typical of much what happens in our community, when our own pleasure is threatened (I’m not talking rights), the knee-jerk reaction is “CC is a bad community presence” whining session. We need to breathe and think. Surely this has been a thoughtful process – we can afford to give the college the benefit of the doubt here.