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I do not understand Golden’s resistance to the Northwest Parkway. The route it would take through Golden is currently occupied by a four-lane, divided road much like the proposed highway. North of Golden the road is now two lanes, undivided.
People now travel this stretch at speeds in excess of 55 mph and, in the winter, it is particularly hazardous. There is considerable congestion during rush hour.
Any Golden resident using this road should welcome the improved safety and traffic relief a new parkway would provide.

Fred Clarke, Arvada

READER COMMENTS

but fred it would bring progress and who knows maybe even a few more visitors. but think of how this will ruin their life at home. of course they dont mind using roads that go through your neighborhood and believe you should be fine with it.

When dealing with Golden, one needs to remember that Golden is a want-a-be Boulder. The elitist in Golden are the ones who also held up Denver recieving HD for television as well. It took an act by the president to give Denver and the front range from Ft.Collins to Colorado Springs free high definition television.

Golden also would support a toll road going to the gambeling in Central City and Black Hawk if it meant that they would recieve the money. Yet this parkway, of which they would not recieve monies form then should be opposed.

Golden is just a little cesspool of want-a-be snobs

Then move JERK.

Tell me where the current four-lane divided road running through Golden is Fred. I've never seen it.

Hey TJ, Please open your eyes.
6th avenue from Highway 6 to I-70, That is 4 lanes the entire stretch. It is longer than the stretch of 93 on the north to Highway 6 on the south, so for the most part a 4 lane road is already there.

Wantstomove...

I think CO Springs is more your style.

The four lane ends at 19th st and doesn't run through residential area.

Hey Fred, what's it to you if you live in Arvada.
Maybe they should run it up Oak street past your house.

Hey8:00openyoureyes, ALL of that traffic from Highway 6 to the north end of Golden may travel on a two lane road (and through a "residential area" as you put it) - but it is ALL still travelling that stretch and at much lower and noisier speeds. Not putting in a highway is not going to stop the flow only make it slower and noisier. DUH

Lower AND noisier? DUHHHHH

This comes down to common sense use of our tax dollars, this super-highway is a waste of my money and this has been proven definitively again and again by several studies. BTW: Calling all supporters of the super-highway, do you propose a substantial tax increase?

I personally live in Denver and I have a big problem with this decision because it is being pushed forward by greed, plain and simple, greed.

At the end of the day, this is a regional issue, not just Golden, this will negatively impact everyone who pays taxes. I’m all for taxes’ going to smart growth projects, but this is not one of them.

COMMON SENSE, WILL RULE THE DAY!

If this highway is so important, then ditch the private "toll road" plans. The NW parkway that runs near Louisville is such a dismal failure financially that they've had to redo their finances to pay back their investors. If this highway is so important to all of you, then lets all pay for it. Private toll roads are a waste.

The article should have been called NW Parkway a Boondoggle. How stupid that people living in Golden would have to pay a toll to go to Boulder. A total waste of taxpayers money just so Arvada and Broomfield can get more people to shop in their malls. Sprawl to the max.

Exactly karen. the Arvada city council motto is Urban Sprawl to the Max. They already allowed developers to destroy the north a part of the west facing slopes of north table mtn. to build totally ugly houses. Good thing open space bought up the top or they would have destroyed that also. They call that progress 6:13?

Wantstomovefromgolden,

It was definitely NOT the citizens of Golden who held up the HD antenna construction. It was a small handful of residence on Lookout Mountain. Get your fact straight.

If anybody who advocates putting the NW Parkway where Highway 93 currently is should take a drive to that area and try to envision what a major highway would do to the area between Highway 58 and about 56th Ave. The surrounding terrain simply makes it an unreasonable consideration. If a major highway would fit in that narrow corridor, it would take some petroleum jelly and a shoe horn to do so.

I'm not sure whether the NW Parkway would be a feasible fix to the traffic problem, but I get annoyed the by the whole obstructionist mood hanging over Golden.

It's truly a beautiful town, but the residents seem to think they live in the mountains, when in reality they are much more similar to metro-area towns like Lakewood. They scream 'No Pakway!' and 'No towers,' to the extent that state and even national politicians have to step in and essentially say, 'stop whining and stop standing in the way of progress.'

Any Golden resident complaining about increased traffic through the area is ignoring the fact that Golden completely whores itself during the summer tourist season. Their local economy benefits greatly from the dollars, so the 'leave us alone' mantra rings hollow.

Ollie, if it's urban sprawl you despise so much, keep in mind that Golden built on its mountain line several years before Arvada did. In the realm of urban sprawl, Golden wasn't a half-bad teacher.

Franko, this isn't a Golden issue. Period.

Let's focus on the issue: Toll roads or tax dollars.

Toll roads don't work. The toll road, NW parkway that runs near Louisville was a failure which our children's, children's, children will all pay for.

Let's get the record straight: Regional Issue

Arvada & The Beltway

There has been so much mis-information regarding the beltway, I'll do my best to clear up the issue. I'm President of CINQ, the citizen's group representing ALL Jeffco residents, and opposing the beltway.

Golden is not opposed to improving our roads, in fact, everyone believes SH93 is not safe, and desperately needs improvements. The question is, what is the most effective plan for everyone?

The beltway is actually two separate roads. The first and most ridiculous part is a proposed toll road through Arvada, connecting at the NW Parkway in Broomfield, heading south and connecting at about SH93 and Lyden Rd. 20 years of studies show this section is not needed - especially as a toll road. Ask yourself, how is the NW Parkway toll road working out? The economics driving reality is LAND USE. The vast majority of land in this area will never be developed which includes Open Space, Rocky Flats and Lyden dump/gas fields. Population drives the need for roads, and this area will NEVER be another Highlands Ranch. Moreover, CDOT has admitted that a new toll road through Arvada will never pay for itself, but will require substantial tax subsidies. This begs the question, if it won't pay for itself, do we need it? And how do you feel about using tax money to subsidize a private (potentially foreign-owned) toll road, then being asked to pay again to drive it? Folks in Arvada have no idea what they are in for. A toll road will actually create more congestion on Arvada streets because people will avoid the toll road. Somehow Arvada City Council has "sold" its citizens that a toll road is a good idea. Honestly, most Golden residents could care less if a toll road is built through Arvada because Arvada citizens are the losers. Personally, I care about the entire region and our tax money. I can only hope that Arvada citizens start asking some hard questions - don't take Arvada City Council's word (or even my word) for everything.

The other section of the beltway being debated is widening SH93, from Lyden Rd. south into Golden. Arvada and CDOT want 6 lanes, 65mph. Golden wants 4 lanes, 45 mph. Again, 20 years of studies indicate 4 lanes is the best option based on the lack of future population and land use. Plus, 4 lanes would cost millions of dollars less. (Not a bad idea to save money when we have bridges falling down). The right-away exists to expand SH93 from 4 lanes to 6 lanes later if necessary, but why build what we may not need?

I lived in Arvada for 40 years, moving to Golden just recently. I know this area like the roof of my mouth. I ask Arvada residents, would you use this toll road? If you're heading to I-70, isn't the quickest route on Indiana/McIntyre, Kipling or Wadsworth? If you're heading downtown, aren't you likely to take the same route or Hwy36? Would you pay $3-$5 to drive a toll road when there are so many other options?

If we would just focus in widening SH93 and Indiana/McIntyre to 4 lanes, it would reduce congestion and offer better mobility, AND cost 50% less. (Widening SH93 and Indiana/McIntyre costs $650 million; the beltway toll road costs $1.6 billion). The kicker is, 20 years worth of studies support widening existing roads, not a beltway. The most prominent study was the Northwest Quadrant Feasibility Study (2000). Jeffco, Arvada and about six other cities participated in this study, but interestingly Arvada doesn't recognize this data.

The dirty little secret is that Arvada City Council thinks a toll road will spur westward development. Case in point: Have you driven through this area lately? Its rows and rows of homes with more to come - a classic example of sprawl. And when all these new homes are built, what will happen? Even more congestion through Arvada streets. The toll road will solve nothing, and will actually cause more congestion in Arvada.

Arvada City Council has done a great job of pitting Golden against Arvada. The reality is, we are in this together. What is bad for Arvada is also bad for Golden. We are neighboring communities that should be working together to solve this problem. (Slanderous remarks between citizens are counterproductive).

If any Arvada residents want to know more about the beltway, contact me. I'm happy to come out and make a presentation so you can hear the other side, then make up your own mind.

Too bad Broomfield residents didn't ask more questions - maybe they wouldn't be stuck with a toll road they didn't need. It's not too late, Arvada!

Rob Medina
CINQ - Citizens Involved in the Northwest Quadrant
www.GoTheBetterWay.org
info@GoTheBetterWay.org
720.261.2058

All of you are so pious in expressing your opinions. However, I live in Aurora and during Romer's regime, vote was taken on tax added to auto registration to build E470 to relieve congestion through city areas. It passed and Romer than added another tax. Those 2 auto taxes are still charged, but I don't remember any such tax added on SW side of metro area to build 470 from I-70 on west around to I-25. That was built entirely by federal gas funds with matching 20% from State funds, to my knowledge. Correct me if I am wrong. That portion does not have tolls, but E-470 does from I-25 on south, to where it rejoins I-25 on the north. I really don't care how beltway system is completed, but lets get it done. Even with T-Rex the congestion through middle of metro area is out of control. On any matter introduced, majority of metro citizens see Boulder, Golden, and others close to CU as obstructionists. Could it be because there are so many elitists living there? Duh!

Rob,
Way to clear up the facts from fiction with your one sided opposing view. That is real objective.

Actually, it looks like Rob has presented the facts as they are. If i'm not mistaken, I haven't seen any numbers or facts supporting the super-highway and I have seen a lot of rhetoric about obstructionist non-sense.

Frank- not all roads will have the same traffic patterns. This super-highway will do nothing to ease traffic congestion in the Denver Metro Area.

Instead of pouring money into a super-highway that won't be used, lets work on 36 or I-25...

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