By Age-Friendly Carbondale
In last week’s installment, we began a discussion of jaywalking. If pedestrians need to cross a street and the nearest safe crossing is three minutes away, most people will cross where it’s convenient. No amount of education or law enforcement will change this. Last week, we discussed the popular “jaywalk” crossing at Nieslanik. This week we’ll tackle Dolores Way, and next week we’ll finish the jaywalking part of this series with a discussion of Weant Boulevard, Lewies Lane and Keator Road.
Bracketed by a bank and a large bike and ski shop where it meets 133, Dolores Way is almost a quarter mile from the nearest signalized intersection. It’s also the only vehicle entrance to unincorporated Satank, which houses numerous retail and manufacturing businesses (including Double Diamond Moving & Storage), private homes, a new apartment complex and two schools. Directly across 133 is La Fontana Plaza with several shops, two restaurants and Rio Grande Trail access with multiple growing retail businesses to the south. Like Nieslanik, Dolores Way is an open invitation to jaywalking.
Many people have advocated for a safe crossing at Dolores for over a decade. Tamar Mattorano, a Satank resident since 1963, has documented every call, petition and meeting with elected and appointed officials. She has repeatedly voiced concerns about the dangers of near misses between vehicles and pedestrians. “There is no break in south or northbound traffic. Cars turning south from Dolores onto 133 often speed through the intersection to beat the next wave of traffic,” she stated.
It’s not surprising that Tamar is just one of many people who told us they witnessed cyclists and pedestrians jaywalking and navigating through traffic gaps to cross the street. Walking to a signalized intersection to get from Satank to La Fontana Plaza and the increasing number of businesses to the south adds nearly half a mile to a pedestrian’s trip.
This dangerous “jaywalk” crossing is highlighted in the 2013 Access Control Plan, the 2022 Comprehensive Plan and Safe Routes to Schools. The issue has involved various agencies, including RFTA, CDOT, the Garfield County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) and Carbondale’s Board of Trustees. In 2013, BOCC Chair John Martin said, “There is a safety issue on Dolores Way, and it’s [Carbondale Community] School. That takes precedence over private drive access for RFTA. We need to make sure our priorities are in place.”
RFTA had different priorities and access to the bus complex that would have allowed traffic from Dolores to meet 133 at the Village Road light. CDOT since refused to install a traffic light, citing Dolores’ proximity to the Village Road light and its potential to impede traffic on 133. Also in 2013, officials tentatively agreed to address the problem with a roundabout at La Fontana Plaza. This solution was, however, not incorporated in that year’s Access Control Plan. Here we are, 11 years later: more people, more traffic, same problem.