Stolfus & Associates, the county and the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) continue work on the Rogers Mesa Access Control Plan. A second public open house is scheduled for Aug. 30 at Hotchkiss High School from 4-7 pm.
In a summary of comments, 93% of residents in the area cited safety as a big reason to develop the plan; 82% said they would like to see shoulders; and 52% were concerned about current irrigation ditch impacts.
The draft interim plan proposes reducing the total number of existing access points from 153 to 111 by closing access to J80 Road; 14 field access closures; 12 consolidated accesses; 9 access relocation to side roads; and 6 shared driveways. The long-range draft plan calls for a further reduction to 74 access points.
While adoption of the plan is expected by November, no money currently exists for road construction. CDOT hopes funds will become available in the next three years.
Commissioners want residents to be aware that their input is still being taken and CDOT added that once an official notice is sent, affected residents could appeal. “We (Stolfus & CDOT) won’t be out here (to design access on Rogers Mesa) for another 30, 40, 50 years. This is our only chance. We need to get it right,” says Dan Roussin, Permit Unit Manager, CDOT.