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Week of March 16, 2023
JEFFERSON COUNTY, COLORADO
A publication of
JeffcoTranscript.com
VOLUME 39 | ISSUE 34
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And they call the thing rodeo
Colfax Avenue safety improvements could wrap by 2024 BY ANDREW FRAIELI AFRAIELI@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Wilson and participants explained. The March 11 event was a full rodeo but only lasted a day. Contestants competed in a slack in the morning, which featured all contestants, Wilson explained. Then, 10-12 contestants were randomly selected to rope and ride again at 4 p.m., when the bulk of the spectators were expected. For instance, 50 barrel racers signed up to compete in the morning’s slack, and then 12 ran later in the performance. This way, Wilson explained, the spectators get a taste
Since 2015, there have been 729 crashes involving pedestrians or cyclists in Lakewood — 28 resulted in deaths, according to Colorado Department of Transportation data. Busy Colfax Avenue is a particularly dangerous area and a focus of a city effort to improve safety for pedestrians and drivers alike. A crash occurred on the stretch between Wadsworth and Sheridan boulevards every other day from 2015 to 2019. The timeline for improvements meant to reduce crashes is coming together. The project’s design will be 100% complete this year, though permits have already been issued, with some construction underway. The goal is to complete everything by 2024. “This segment of Colfax is just not safe for pedestrians and drivers, the statistics bear that out,” Lakewood’s Comprehensive Planning and Research Manager Roger Wadnal said in a March 6 study session. “The issue is primarily pedestrians getting hit by vehicles, and vehicles crashing into other vehicles because of the condition of the streets.”
SEE RODEO, P2
SEE SAFE, P3
Trent Johnson practices his roping outside the arena as he waits for his events to start.
Contestants enjoy wintertime rodeo at Jeffco Fairgrounds BY CORINNE WESTEMAN CWESTEMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Lakewood’s Mikayla Wilson practically grew up at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds, roping and riding in the county’s rodeo team with friend Joey Quintana. So, because Jeffco hadn’t hosted a rodeo at the fairgrounds in more
than five years, they decided to host one of their own. After more than six months of planning, more than 200 contestants and hundreds of spectators turned out for the March 11 Winter Rodeo at the fairgrounds. The Mountain Valley Rodeo Company hosted contestants from all over Colorado and surrounding states. While Colorado’s rodeo season typically starts in April, Wilson said, “We did this one as the winter rodeo to get people ready for the season and bring something back to Jeffco.” Not only was the time of year unique, but the schedule was too,
PHOTO BY SARA HERTWIG
INSIDE: VOICES: PAGE 12 | LIFE: PAGE 14 | CALENDAR: PAGE 17 | SPORTS: PAGE 22
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2023
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