Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Transportation Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
County wins $2.6 million HSIP grant to reconfigure Smith Hill and Lazy Glen intersections; IGA with CDOT set for public hearing
Summary
Pitkin County secured a $2.6 million Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) grant to reconfigure the Smith Hill (Smithway) and Lazy Glen intersections on State Highway 82, including a Michigan left (reduced-conflict U-turn) at Smithway. The Board set the intergovernmental agreement with CDOT for a public hearing on Aug. 13.
Pitkin County commissioners voted to set a public hearing Aug. 13 on an intergovernmental agreement with the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) that accepts a $2.6 million federal Highway Safety Improvement Program grant for intersection work on State Highway 82.
County Engineer Andrew Knapp told the board the grant pays for reconfiguring the Smithway and Lazy Glen intersections. The Smithway reconfiguration would use a reduced‑conflict U‑turn design commonly called a Michigan left, which Knapp and CDOT engineers say will reduce broadside collisions. “I know every time I drive through there, I almost have my foot hovering over the brake,” Knapp said, arguing the change would reduce severe crashes.
Why it matters: County staff said the intersections have an adverse crash history; HSIP funding is intended to reduce injuries and fatalities. The county had budgeted $300,000 of local funds in support of the project design and identified $200,000 as matching funds to improve the grant application’s competitiveness; $100,000 of that was already used for design work. CDOT will administer the federal funds and staff reported CDOT has the awarded fiscal‑year 2028 funds.
Staff said the proposed configuration was chosen after evaluating other options, including a roundabout. Knapp said a mainline roundabout would require a much larger footprint, greater right‑of‑way and environmental impacts and higher cost than the Michigan‑left solution, and that CDOT preferred the latter for near‑term safety benefit.
Interim measures: Knapp told the board CDOT will post the next crossover upvalley as “no left turn/no U‑turn” to reduce a makeshift Michigan‑left movement that had created conflicts between decelerating traffic and vehicles using the crossover. Commissioners pressed staff to pursue any feasible interim safety mitigations before construction.
Next steps: The board voted to publish the IGA and hold a public hearing Aug. 13. If approved, staff said the county will continue final design and coordinate construction timing with CDOT.
