HomeMy WebLinkAboutEntrance to Aspen Reevaluation Letter 9.5.2025
CDOT Region 3 TransportaƟon Director Jason Smith
222 South 6th St., #317
Grand JuncƟon, CO 81501-2769
September 5, 2025
RE: Entrance to Aspen ReevaluaƟon
Dear Mr. Smith:
The City of Aspen intends to move forward with the remaining elements of the preferred
alternaƟve to the Entrance to Aspen Project and formally requests approval and coordinaƟon
from the Colorado Department of TransportaƟon (CDOT) to have Jacobs Engineering conduct a
re-evaluaƟon of the August 1998 Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) and Record of
Decision (ROD). Those remaining elements of the preferred alternaƟve (the “Project”) were
ranked as the highest transportaƟon priority in Pitkin County in the recent effort to update
CDOT’s Long Range Plan and 10-year-plan with the Intermountain TransportaƟon Planning
Region
On May 28, 2025, the Pitkin County Board of County Commissioners adopted ResoluƟon #047-
2025 acknowledging that it is in the best interests of the ciƟzens of Pitkin County to endorse the
exisƟng Record of Decision for the Entrance to Aspen and to iniƟate the reevaluaƟon of its
supporƟng Environmental Impact Statement.
On July 22, 2025, the Aspen City Council adopted ResoluƟon #104, Series 2025, direcƟng staff to
pursue a re-evaluaƟon of the FEIS and ROD for the Project, and ResoluƟon #105, Series 2025,
approving a change order for Jacobs Engineering to iniƟate the work to re-evaluate the 1998 FEIS
and ROD. This process is esƟmated to take approximately 15 months to also include public
engagement and explore Project refinements to opƟmize and bring design standards to today’s
requirements.
The 1998 ROD is 27 years old and includes the results of a community process developed more
than 30 years ago. Nevertheless, the purpose and need for the Project and the Project elements
analyzed through the NEPA process and approved in the 1998 ROD are the same. These are:
Realignment of Owl Creek Road and BuƩermilk Road to create a combined intersecƟon
Replacement of the Maroon Creek Bridge north of exisƟng bridge
Roundabout at Maroon Creek Road
A realignment of State Highway 82 between Maroon Creek Road Roundabout and Main
Street in Aspen through the Marolt-Thomas open space to include a general-purpose lane
in each direcƟon and two exclusive bus lanes one in each direcƟon that would remain in
place unƟl funding for a light rail (LRT) is available – LRT is a future component of the PA
A cut and cover tunnel allowing for trail and wildlife connecƟons of the realigned SH 82
in the Marolt-Thomas Open Space
ConstrucƟon of a new Castle Creek Bridge on the alignment through Marolt-Thomas open
space
Conversion of the roadway and bridge between Cemetery Lane and North 7th Street to a
local road only
An open space corridor connecƟng Marolt-Thomas Open Space to the Aspen Golf Course,
created by converƟng the abandoned porƟon of highway 82 between Cemetery Lane and
the roundabout into open space
Incremental TransportaƟon Management Program
Two future parking faciliƟes at the Aspen Airport and BuƩermilk Ski area
Over the past 25 years, CDOT, Aspen and other regional partners have increased transit
connecƟvity, implemented TransportaƟon Demand Management measures including paid
parking, constructed the Maroon Creek Bridge and the roundabout, and realigned Owl Creek
Road. The major remaining pieces of the ROD that have not yet been implemented are the
realignment of State Highway 82 and construcƟon of a new Castle Creek Bridge for a new
entrance to Aspen.
As you know, Jacobs Engineering conducted a hands-on bridge evaluaƟon through the City of
Aspen in fall 2023 and CDOT conducted an inspecƟon of the bridge in September of 2024, both
of which confirmed that the Castle Creek Bridge remains within the ‘fair’ category and notes
evidence of considerable deterioraƟon of its components. The inspecƟon showed needed deck
repairs, substructure deterioraƟon, needed girder replacement, and other evidence of the
bridge’s age. CDOT did clarify that despite the age and condiƟon, the bridge is sƟll safe for
highway use.
In a leƩer dated February 13, 2023, CDOT in collaboraƟon with the FHWA Colorado Division
noted that “when the exisƟng Castle Creek Bridge needs to be replaced the 1998 ROD Preferred
AlternaƟve will be constructed.”
Jacobs is conducƟng the re-evaluaƟon with addiƟonal steps to solicit public feedback with the
goal of construcƟng the most opƟmal design of these remaining elements of the Project. The
purpose of this leƩer is to request CDOT’s approval and coordinaƟon for Jacobs to re-evaluate
the Project as the iniƟal effort to acquire necessary agency approvals.
It should be noted that the city is self-funding this reevaluaƟon, and no monetary request is
being made of CDOT for this re-evaluaƟon scope of work.
The City of Aspen is extremely appreciaƟve of the informaƟon that CDOT and FHWA have
already provided in service to this effort. We look forward to our conƟnued work on this
important regional project, and CDOT’s response to the City’s request for its approval and
commitment to coordinate with Jacobs Engineering.
Sincerely,
Rachael E. Richards Kelly McNicholas Kury Alyssa Shenk
Mayor Chair Mayor
Aspen Pitkin County Snowmass Village
Board of County Commissioners
AƩachments:
Pitkin County Board of County Commissioners ResoluƟon #47 Series of 2025, Endorsing the
reevaluaƟon of the Entrance to Aspen Record of Decision and its SupporƟng Environmental
Impact Statement
hƩps://records.pitkincounty.com/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=507779&dbid=0&repo=LFRecords
City of Aspen ResoluƟon #104, Series 2025, direcƟng staff to pursue a re-evaluaƟon of the
Environmental Impact Statement and the Record of Decision for the Entrance to Aspen:
hƩps://records.aspen.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=2261471&dbid=0&repo=LFRecords
City of Aspen ResoluƟon #105, Series 2025, approving a change order to the contract between
the City of Aspen and Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc. authorizing the City Manager to execute
said contract on behalf of the City of Aspen, Colorado:
hƩps://records.aspen.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=2261472&dbid=0&repo=LFRecords
Jacobs Engineering ReevaluaƟon Scope of Work
C: CDOT ExecuƟve Director Shoshana Lew
CDOT Region 3 Central Program Engineer Roland Wagner
CDOT Region 3 Planning and Environmental Manager David Cesark
FHWA Environmental ProtecƟon Specialist Lindsay Edgar
FHWA Program Improvement Engineer Elizabeth Cramer
FHWA Program Delivery Team Leader/Region 3 Area Engineer Julian Gonzalez
City of Aspen Special Counsel Anne Sibree
City of Aspen City AƩorney Kate Johnson
City of Aspen Interim City Manager Pete Strecker