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Read our message to the Larimer County Board of Commissioners and Engineering Department.

Hi there,

I’m interested in learning more about initiative 1A and how new sales tax revenue would be allocated for county transportation projects. I read the sample ballot and resolution language and it's unclear to me what would fall within the domain of a 0.15% countywide transportation sales and use tax. I’ve also had the opportunity to review the Draft Transportation Plan that was published in July. I’d appreciate your help in clarifying whether the outlined projects in the draft plan are to receive this funding or if it’s intended to be a more general guiding framework. 

With that I’m concerned that the majority of alleged safety and mobility improvements involve some degree of road widening. In reviewing the planning tables I’m counting 96 proposed widening projects not including climbing shoulders. In that same vein, "traffic calming" is mentioned 6 times in the entire draft transportation plan and "widen" or "widening" is called out 118 times. This worries me as throughput does not necessarily improve safety metrics and narrower lanes of travel have generally been found to be safer for all road users. This also speaks to the fallacy of the forgiving road paradigm. Drivers' are more inclined to engage in risk-taking behavior when a given stretch of road is perceived as forgiving, open, or wide.

Additionally, I'm deeply disheartened to see that some of the counties most prized remaining gravel roads are also on the chopping block. Gravel cycling is booming and the county is uniquely positioned to protect some of the most well regarded and accessible gravel terrain in the country. I do not understand the need to pave these segments (e.g. 27E, 56, 60E, and 80C) given average daily traffic. Along with recreational benefits, gravel roads aid in traffic calming and help to alleviate land cover shift and fragmentation (e.g. rangeland and wetlands).

I empathize with the finding that our county roads, bridges, and related infrastructure are in rough shape and in need of repairs and upgrades, but this draft plan does not seem to address current built environment needs in an appropriate nor equitable manner. Let's work on fixing what's already built first! The long-term fiscal implications of the plan as it stands trouble me as we already face a significant budgetary shortfall and mounting infrastructure liabilities.

I appreciate your time and reflection on this issue.

Liam Myers

Open Lands Initiative