CDOT is proposing at least one fix to a problem known as "The Gap." The treacherous eighteen-mile stretch of Interstate 25 between Castle Rock and Monument could be expanded to include a toll lane. But that proposal makes many who live near The Gap uneasy, dredging up complaints about transportation woes from other readers, too. Says Jack:
First we pay for the roads, then we pay to drive on the roads?!? Quit bending us taxpayers over.Edgemeon adds:
Tired of all these toll roads!!.. Where are our tax dollars going?.. It’s not the roads and it’s not the schools!!Monica asks:
Tolled, why?! Traffic is heavy, slow and dangerous in that area even during weekends. But CDOT is willing to spend millions testing Hyperloop....We need better highways now.Megan argues:
A transit lane with a train would make much more sense. Colorado is awesome in so many ways, but transportation issues haven’t changed. I think students who failed municipal planning get hired at CDOT and get to make horribly planned road maintenance.Jimmy notes:
Yes, the more toll roads the better. I love having the option of paying a little extra to not sit in traffic.Concludes Chris:
It'll probably be used just as often as the other toll lanes are.Keep reading for more stories about transportation in Colorado.
Speed limits in Glenwood Canyon will change this season depending on driving conditions.
RTD
Elya Vatel/Shutterstock.com
An artist's rendering of the expanded I-70 highway as it descends under a four-acre "greenspace" cover near Fillmore Street.
CDOT
A screen capture from a stoned-driving test conducted by KIRO-TV.
KIRO-TV via YouTube
Residents near The Gap weren't always so unenthusiastic about making changes to that stretch of road. In fact, residents of the region ranging from the south Denver metro area to El Paso County were once thrilled to improve mobility between the state's two economic centers. El Paso County residents even approved $25 million in local money to help fund construction in November. Douglas County chipped in to fund the preliminary study and has already spent $8 million on safety improvements along the freeway in the Castle Rock area.
But the community rallying cry turned into a shrill scream of protest when CDOT has instead proposed to make its expansion a tolled express lane. CDOT is currently on a community listening tour through Douglas and El Paso counties, collecting input.
Denver County residents can share their thoughts by taking this CDOT survey. Or they can simply post through comments below, or email them to [email protected].
