The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
It’s time to “find your happy place”
By Mark Reaman
There is no doubt there are more people in the valley now than there were in May. Summer is always a busy time as people from Texas, Oklahoma and Boulder visit to escape the heat. Those visits come with impacts to Crested Butte.
Crested Butte chief marshal Mike Reily wrote in his report to the Town Council that “lots of people and vehicles are in town mixing together.” His advice to the council and local citizens was to “add five to 10 minutes to your travel times and find your happy place. The Marshals’ Office would like to remind everyone: no road raging, no texting (which caused a three-car pileup at Second and Gothic—unheard of in summer), no speeding and no creative parking jobs; simply smile, wave and enjoy your time in town.”
Former Crested Butte mayor Leah Williams asked the council to consider signage on Elk Avenue asking bike riders to dismount before coming onto the sidewalk.
“As the town gets more crowded, especially during tourist time, people riding bikes on the sidewalks are a safety issue,” she said. “In most places bikes aren’t allowed on the sidewalk and there is very limited space, especially when restaurant seating is out. I hope you look at this in the near future.”
Williams showed the council some signage used in Durango that she said “seemed to be a positive way to get people to be more considerate to the people on sidewalks. It seems an unobtrusive way to address the issue.”
While social media has had a field-day with photos of overflowing trash cans on Elk Avenue, Crested Butte Parks and Recreation director Janna Hansen reported that bear-proof containers on Elk and in the parks are emptied daily and twice a day during large special events. “One dumpster a day is being filled with the public’s trash. Waste Management is responsible for emptying, repair and maintenance of the Solar Bellies.”
Summer is busy. Summer lasts about another month in Crested Butte.
Breathe.
