Thornton staff outline process for permanent road closures; Glen Eagle residents seek relief from school-related cut-through traffic

Brett, a city staff member, introduced a presentation on the authority and process for permanent closures of city-owned streets and then turned the briefing over to Daryl Olsen, Thornton's traffic engineer, who reviewed legal constraints, process steps and a Glen Eagle Estates case example.

Olsen told the council the city has general authority to change street layout and close city-owned connections, but closures can conflict with approved plats and the city's development design standards (cited in city code section 18-6-677). He said a permanent closure of an existing roadway connection is considered a matter of significant impact and that a public hearing pursuant to city code section 2-54 should be held; any vacating of right-of-way would require an ordinance adopted by council.

Using Glen Eagle Estates and the adjacent Villages at Riverdale as an example, Olsen described how recently opened schools…