Carbondale BikePed commission narrows MAP work to pilot projects, schedules April traffic counts

Members of Carbondale’s BikePed Commission spent much of their meeting discussing how to move from planning into tangible work on the town’s MAP implementation list and agreed to focus near-term efforts on pilot traffic‑calming projects and low‑cost safety improvements.

The commission, which advised trustees and staff on implementation steps, coalesced around two items from a longer 12‑point checklist included in the meeting packet: 4a (pilot tactical projects such as painted roundabouts, raised crosswalks and temporary bike facilities) and 7 (low‑cost maintenance and safety measures). Kevin (town staff) told commissioners, “I would think probably mid April” was realistic for placing traffic counters, and later said, “Data is the first thing we need.” Commissioners said they want before‑and‑after speed counts to evaluate the effect of pilot installations.

Why it matters: the MAP plan identified numerous intersections and corridors for safety and multimodal improvements, but commissioners and staff said limited staff time and town resources make prioritization essential. By narrowing immediate work to pilot projects and inexpensive, town‑funded fixes, the group aims to demonstrate visible progress this summer while building a checklist to guide longer projects.

Most important facts: commissioners asked staff to collect vehicular speed and volume data beginning in mid‑April and to limit pilots so effects are measurable. Members said Hendrick Drive and Eighth Street are logical test locations; Chris (trustee liaison) said Hendrick and Eighth “are…we're perfectly happy to start there.” Staff also said the town can test infrastructure changes at multiple locations — staff estimated up to six sites could be measured this season — and that pedestrian and bicycle count technology likely won’t be available before late spring, so initial monitoring will focus on vehicle speeds and counts.

Discussion and next steps: commissioners debated process and formation of small workgroups to flesh out locations and pilot methods. The group agreed it is acceptable to meet in subgroups of two commissioners plus outside volunteers (such as Age Friendly Carbondale) for focused brainstorming, provided meetings are publicly noticed consistent with open‑meetings rules and minutes are kept. Patrick (town staff) reiterated the need for accessible public meeting locations and recommended taking minutes even for small‑group sessions.

CDOT, Highway 133 and other contexts: Commissioners also discussed longer‑range items tied to Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) work on Highway 133, including roundabout placements and possible Industry Way connections across the river. Kevin and other members said some design questions remain unresolved with CDOT; a speaker noted that CDOT has issued a permit allowing an acceleration lane to continue into a planned roundabout. The commission asked that staff surface those CDOT discussions to trustees as the commission refines MAP implementation options.

Project scope and measurement: staff recommended focusing on locations where speed reduction can be measured this season and reserving more complex mode‑shift evaluations (bike and pedestrian counts) for later after acquiring appropriate counting technology. Commissioners discussed the influence of visible monitoring equipment on driver behavior and agreed to try to make counting equipment as unobtrusive as possible.

Crosswalks and near‑term town work: commissioners raised several specific town locations. Kevin said a proposed crosswalk near City Market would be sited between the store’s two entrances, approximately 20–50 feet north of the sidewalk that runs from the building toward the highway. Commissioners also noted routine repainting of faded crosswalks is an annual town activity and urged focus on higher‑priority items that would not otherwise be scheduled.

Public engagement: Age Friendly Carbondale offered to assist with breakout workshops; commissioners and staff said outreach and a clear public message about pilot goals (safety, multimodal access and measurable speed reduction) will help frame summer pilot work and solicit community feedback.

What was not decided: no formal vote or ordinance was adopted during the meeting. Commissioners did not finalize exact pilot treatments or a complete prioritized list of MAP items; they instead set the near‑term aim of identifying locations and beginning vehicle data collection by mid‑April so tests can be implemented and evaluated over the summer.

What’s next: staff will coordinate public notice and logistics for small‑group work and counters, confirm available data collection technology, and report back to the commission at the April meeting with proposed locations and measurement plans. Commissioners expect to use the pilot results to inform larger MAP items in later months.