State patrol promises more visible presence on Highway 135 at request of town

It really is a good idea to slow down

By Mark Reaman

You might be noticing more staties cruising Highway 135 in the coming months. A request from the Crested Butte town council to have the Colorado State Patrol (CSP) step up its presence and enforcement on Highway 135 was met with quick support from state patrol. Councilmembers approved sending the request letter at its Monday, November 17 meeting and by Wednesday the 19^th they had a response promising increased patrols and a zero-tolerance approach to speeding and reckless driving behavior.

In the letter, the council requested “additional patrol presence by the Colorado State Patrol along State Highway 135 between Gunnison and Crested Butte. The Town and our community members have become increasingly concerned about speeding, unsafe passing behaviors and general driver impatience on this corridor,” the letter stated. “The unsafe driving practices have led to numerous close calls and at least two severe crashes so far in 2025, one of which resulted in a tragic fatality. With winter approaching and traffic volumes expected to increase as residents, workers and visitors travel to and from Crested Butte, we are deeply concerned that the risk of additional serious accidents will only grow…Even intermittent patrols or targeted enforcement campaigns would serve as a strong deterrent and a reassurance to the community.”

CSP captain James Saunders of the Montrose Troop Office responded to the town’s concerns saying his department shared the concerns. “I’m forwarding this letter to our Gunnison area Sergeant Boden and will ask him to increase patrols on H135 with a zero-tolerance approach to speeding, careless and reckless behavior,” he said. “Please understand that the Gunnison team is responsible for all roads within unincorporated areas of Gunnison and Hinsdale Counties. H135 will continue to be a focus of ours.”

Saunders said a new trooper was recently assigned to the Gunnison team and he started his field training last week.

“Having another trooper able to patrol the area will benefit the safety of the community,” Saunders noted.

The town council letter also mentioned the hazardous area of the highway near the Cement Creek and Brush Creek intersections. It mentions the plan to build two roundabouts next summer, one at Brush Creek and the other at the south entrance to town by Red Lady Avenue, and the need for safe traffic operations during the construction period.

Crested Butte mayor Ian Billick said he valued the understanding of the state patrol for the town’s request. “We appreciate the thoughtfulness of the reply from the Colorado State Patrol,” he said. “Let’s make their job easier by accepting that an extra couple of minutes on the 135 drive is a small price to pay keep our family, friends and community members safer. The injuries and losses we’ve had on 135 reverberate hard through our small community.”