Reduced scope for 2 remaining Westside RTA 'A' projects Two Westside locations remaining from the original Pikes Peak Rural Transportation Authority (RTA) A-list have had their project plans reduced in scope, but will get some improvements in the coming year.Mike Chaves of City Engineering provided updates this week. The locations are the 25th Street bridge over Fountain Creek at Naegele Road and the intersection of Garden of the Gods Road and Chestnut Street. In the 2004 election, voters were assured that the A-list projects would all be accomplished in the 2005-2014 time frame. Going into that election, conceptual analyses had called for replacing the 100-year-old, two-lane bridge at 25th Street with a new one (estimated cost $350,000) and for upgrading at the GoG/Chestnut intersection to improve traffic flow and safety (estimate: $375,000). Over the years, RTA had adjusted those costs for inflation to $500,000 and $522,000, respectively. Here is what the current plans call for: Adding to the city's thinking is the probability that the CDOT project itself is about 20 years away, Chaves said. As a result, “a new bridge is no longer needed.” In 2004, the current bridge, which gets light traffic, had been rated at 48 out of 100 on a scale that recommends replacement at 50. Although details are still being finalized, the work that is planned at GoG/Chestnut will include a change in the visibility of the stoplights (putting them on mast arms instead of the current span wires) and some sidewalk and pedestrian ramp improvements, he said. Although it's possible that the final costs will be less than the budgeted $522,000, Chaves said he thought it would be premature at this time to say so.
Westside Pioneer article Would you like to respond to this article? The Westside Pioneer welcomes letters at editor@westsidepioneer.com. (Click here for letter-writing criteria.) |