US 6 West/SH 139 Access Management Plan held open house meeting at Fruita Civic Center

Colorado's state highways are a valuable resource and major public and private investment according to materials handed out at the open house held June 24 and 25 at Fruita's Civic Center. As pointed out at the meetings, "All users of the state highway system should have the ability to move freely, to travel on a safe highway system, and to expect the efficient expenditure of public funds.

The reasons for such a plan include aids in the management of the investment to:

"Protect the public health, safety and welfare.

Maintain smooth traffic flow. 
Maintain the highway storm drainage.

Protect the function of state highways while considering state, regional, and local needs and interests."

The photos that are included in this site give the timeline for the public to know when public input is asked for, a map of the access study area, a close up of Loma area, of particular interest to the individuals studying the maps and a possible, future area which could give access of the area to the north of I-70, to that highway.

This Access plan is being developed now. A trial draft will be presented to the public for review and then modified, based on public input. After glitches are worked out, the plan will be formally adopted through an agreement between CDOT, Mesa County, the City of Fruita and the City of Grand Junction.
Various types of access include, right-in, right-out, a 3/4 movement, full movement.

Management methods will create some access elimination, (access to local properties though secondary roadways, consolidation of the number of access locations where vehicles ma enter or exit the highway, reduction of the number of conflict points); some access conversation with median treatment,(Elimination  of some or all turning movements, reduction of the number of conflicts between left turning and through vehicles on the highway); access relocation and access consolidation,( Alignment opposite approaches, creation of a more familiar intersection design);
Access consolidation, (Consolidate adjacent access points into one location).

To stay involved in this process there is a comment form available.

Contact the study team.

Alisa Babler, 970   683 6274,

alisa.babler@dot.state.co.us

Ken Simms, 970 24 1830

ken.simms@mesacounty.us

Ken Haley (Fruita), 970 858 8377

khaley@fruita.org

Jody Kliska, 970 244 1591
jodyk@ci.grandjct.co.us

It is also noted, thanks to Pat Bittle, Loma,  who has thorougly researched the topic, that there do exist roads whose right-of-ways have been abandoned by the County years ago, although these roads still are mapped as if they are still active. There will have to be some new maps published to take care of this problem.

Watch this site for further information as I receive it. Go to Highway Access Management Plan in the index.