The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Safety doesn’t always come first in this valley — it’s part of our “brand.” Did you really choose to summit that peak in a lightning storm because you were so close, or ski that chute just after the three-foot dump in a windstorm cleared? We all know people who did, and it usually ends well, but not always. We all probably sometimes throw caution to the wind… but there are times safety definitely needs to come first, and finding the safest way to provide future residents of Whetstone a path to catch the RTA bus is one.
Why any elected or government official would ignore or gloss over potential safety issues when making concrete decisions in any matter is baffling, but when the consequences can be injury or worse, it is even more bizarre. This situation came about because of the delay in the construction of the pedestrian underpass for the soon to be renters living in the Whetstone Village housing project by Brush Creek Road. The underpass won’t be done until the end of next summer so catching the RTA bus means dodging traffic on Highway 135 for several months.
Yeah, I’ve heard the stats that there’s been like one pedestrian accident on Highway 135 in such a situation over the decades. But as people move into the 252-unit Whetstone project, this isn’t such a situation.
If, as the county projects, 28 units could be available starting in January, followed by 35 in February with more units opening their doors every month after, the county seems to expect hundreds of Whetstone residents filling the buildings before the lifts stop spinning. When people actually get their act together to move in is still anyone’s guess, and so is who exactly will be chosen and qualified to rent. It could be mid-20s ski bums. It could be a family of five. It could be a ready to retire couple. It might be all of them. But any of those people will have issues if they have to cross the increasingly busy highway in the heart of winter to catch the RTA bus. Stats are based on numbers and the more numbers, the higher the chance of an accident. That’s simple math and statistics.
Like councilmember Mallika Magner mentioned at Monday’s CB council meeting, I too have used that RTA bus stop at Brush Creek. As she relayed at the council meeting Monday, I agree that it can be shockingly scary to have to cross the highway when vehicles are zooming by at 55+ miles per hour. I’ve hopped on going both ways. I’ve done it in the daylight. I’ve done it in the dark. Honestly, I’ve done it completely sober and done it less than completely sober with others in the same condition coming from the summer music events. It is a challenge no matter what. I wouldn’t want a slow-moving elderly couple doing it, a gang of young ski bums celebrating their first successful run down Rambo, nor would I recommend trying to herd a gaggle of young kids across the highway to catch the bus.
So, I would vehemently disagree with anyone on the town council or with the county who might pooh-pooh the idea that anything bad would happen without real safety mitigation measures. Saying it hasn’t happened yet is weak sauce.
It sounds like at this early stage of discussion, most decision makers are in that chapter but on different pages where safety is a real concern that needs addressed. I would probably agree with the concept suggested by councilmember Kent Cowherd that it might take more than one measure to actually make it safe. Reducing vehicle speeds with rumble strips is a pain for drivers but probably needed for pedestrians since it’s been a high highway speed zone for decades. A construction light could come in handy as would the use of human flaggers to direct traffic and pedestrians especially during the busy trade parade times of early morning and late afternoon. Too many people are in too much of a hurry and drive way too fast without paying attention. We’ve seen tragic results of such driving. Throwing more pedestrians into the mix doesn’t help. The idea of the shuttle as a backstop also makes sense. Again, if I had to choose whether to herd the kiddy cats across Highway 135 or use an on-call van, I would easily choose the latter.
The worst thing is that the underpass was delayed, and officials have to deal with the situation. The best thing is that the officials seem to be dealing with the situation and it’s still early in the game. The caution is not to let it slide by and then make a panic decision to house some people before the project is really ready. Every government official, elected or hired, is bottom line charged with protecting the health, safety and welfare of their citizen constituents. Keep that in mind with whatever solution starts to emerge as a possibility to get 200 or more people living in the Whetstone construction zone before the end of the ski season.
—Mark Reaman
