Entrance to Aspen: What are the next steps?
City of Aspen/Courtesy image
The city has begun early steps in a federal process to address long-standing transportation challenges at the Entrance to Aspen.
Consultants from Jacobs Engineering recently outlined their approach to preparing for a potential Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), which would evaluate and guide future changes. This preparatory phase includes gathering public input, analyzing traffic and safety data, and establishing a clear purpose for proposed improvements.
The last EIS for the Entrance to Aspen was completed in the 1990s and resulted in a legally binding plan with the city of Aspen and its registered voters, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). However, implementation of that plan has been delayed for 27 years
The Federal Highway Administration and the Colorado Department of Transportation said they must approve an EIS as Colorado Highway 82 remains under their jurisdiction.
Aspen City Council has discussed priorities for this process, focusing on improving traffic flow for cars and public transportation, safeguarding neighborhoods from heavy traffic, enhancing bike and pedestrian routes, and ensuring emergency preparedness. Additional concerns include preserving open spaces, mitigating downtown parking issues, and maintaining Aspen’s character.
A recent community survey revealed strong public support for reducing rush hour congestion (86%) and improving emergency evacuation options (83%). Notably, 70% of respondents favored using the Marolt Open Space for vehicle traffic. The survey also highlighted a broader regional perspective, with 71% of respondents emphasizing the importance of considering the views of all Roaring Fork Valley residents.
The Modified Direct route, the preferred alternative identified in the 1990s, received the most support, with 52% favoring it over other options.
City Council has identified key stakeholders for the pre-NEPA process, which includes Aspen, Pitkin County, and Snowmass Village, while also recognizing the importance of input from the greater Roaring Fork and Colorado River valleys.
Additionally, the Council approved continued work on a transportation concept called the “modified split shot,” which diverges slightly from the original preferred alternative.
The preferred alternative envisioned a second two-lane road extending from the Maroon Creek roundabout, passing through the Marolt Open Space via a tunnel, and connecting to Main Street. It also rerouted Cemetery Lane traffic through the roundabout, preventing direct left turns into town.
In contrast, the modified split shot departs from Colorado Highway 82 at Cemetery Lane, bypassing much of the Marolt Open Space, and connects directly to Main Street, allowing left turns from Cemetery Lane into town.
Public meetings on the Entrance to Aspen project are on hold until after the March election, as two ballot measures could significantly influence its direction.
All city council members and Mayor Torre highlighted the devastation caused by recent wildfires in Los Angeles, emphasizing the ongoing concern for Aspen. They assured the public that city staff will continue working on the Entrance to Aspen project, even as public meetings are temporarily paused.
City Councilmember Sam Rose stressed the need for a new EIS.
“We should have done a new Environmental Impact Study after the last vote failed in 2001. We need modern-day solutions to modern-day issues,” Rose said. “We cannot put a 1990s solution to something that doesn’t solve the issues of today. It is more than evacuation routes, it is about traffic, it is about getting cars out of the west end, it is about having the potential to use the open space, and it is about wildfire, which they did not consider back in the 1990s.”
Rose also questioned the decision to pause public meetings until after the election. Aspen City Manager Sara Ott responded by explaining the legal considerations.
“Some of the state laws around elections do not allow the appearance of lobbying for specific solutions, processes, or outcomes,” Ott said. “Because there are two ballot questions, conducting outreach right before a ballot question, and the political environment of the election, could be viewed as an election law violation by staff.”
Ott referenced a case in Glenwood Springs where a private citizen sued the city, alleging election law violations, despite staff believing they were only sharing factual information.
Despite the pause, Ott reassured the public that work on the project continues.
“I just want to reassure the public that the project has not stopped. There is still a lot of preparation work being done by the consultancy team and city staff,” Ott said. “We’re just not going out the last week in February as was initially planned to start asking other stakeholders for their input. We are just waiting until after March 4. We are talking about a less than two-week delay for that particular step.”
The first ballot measure seeks to increase the voter approval threshold for changes to Aspen’s Open Spaces from a simple majority (50% plus one) to a supermajority (60% plus one).
“It’s pretty simple actually,” Aspen Resident Barb Pitchford said in November. “Currently, if the city wants to change any uses to an open space or park, they have to bring it to a ballot vote. How the law is written, it only takes a simple majority. We want that to change to a firm majority.”
The potential use of the Marolt Open Space for the preferred alternative remains contentious, as the community survey revealed nearly equal support and opposition. Some speculate that if the first ballot measure passes, it could effectively block future use of open spaces through minority opposition.
The second ballot measure responds directly to the first, allowing voters to decide on moving forward with the preferred alternative entrance to Aspen. It proposes amending Aspen’s Home Rule Charter to permit CDOT to use portions of the Marolt and Thomas properties for Highway 82 realignment, as outlined in the 1998 Record of Decision (ROD).
“This is a matter of physics. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction,” Aspen mayoral candidate Rachel Richards said in November. “When the petition drive came up in mid-October to change the number of votes needed to approve any changes to open space, that was concerning.”
As the March election approaches, Jacobs Engineering will continue to refine designs and prepare for the next steps in the process.
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