Transcript Wheat Ridge
WHEAT RIDGE
Jefferson County, Colorado • Volume 29, Issue 33
February 7, 2013
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A Colorado Community Media Publication
ourwheatridgenews.com
Options aim to streamline beltway C-470 Coalition nears decision on funding By Glenn Wallace
gwallace@ourcoloradonews.com Plans to improve the west side of the Denver metro area’s 470 beltway system could include an express lane. The C-470 Coalition is expected to make decision today on how to fund proposed improvements to southern sections of C-470. The Jeffco commissioners received a status update on the C-470 Coalition work, along with one about the county’s own “western” beltway study during their Jan. 29 meeting. Douglas County commissioners, along with Jefferson County and other stakeholders, started the C-470 Coalition in 2011 with the goal to develop and implement
improvements to the C-470 corridor that would make the freeway safer and less congested. The coalition developed an interim goal of providing one additional lane of traffic in both directions from Interstate 25 to Kipling Street. The coalition has three main options its considering to pay for the $200 million needed for those new lanes: make the new lanes “Express Toll Lanes,” make all of C-470 into toll lanes, or use taxes (sales tax or property tax) inside an “area of Benefit.” Jeffco Transportation and Engineering Director Kevin French said the likely consensus from the coalition members is that the express toll lane option is both the easiest to achieve (built by 2017), and would be the most acceptable to the public once built. “It would give drivers the option, whether or not to use the toll lanes,” French said, adding that studies looking at similar ex-
press lanes show commuters would use the faster lanes an average of four times a week. French said the coalition had done public surveys to see which funding method would be preferred, and found tolling of any sort, typically scored low. “The most-approved option really isn’t on the table … wanting someone else to pay,” French said. Once the first segment’s work is complete, the coalition is tasked with looking at the second segment of C-470, from Kipling to I-70. French also gave an update on a $700,000 county-only study, taking a macro-look at the western half of the 470 beltway. Jeffco Commission Chair Donald Rosier, District 3, said the expense of the study had been criticized. “There’s pieces of the road that haven’t even been studied, or looked at, so we’re in danger of having all the pieces but not see-
ing the big picture,” Rosier said. French said that his department has proposed using $190,000 of the study funding to carry out “a good public input, and marketing plan” to gauge awareness and support for the beltway in general, as well as to see what funding methods might be preferred to pay for future roadway development. District 2 Commissioner Casey Tighe cautioned that the county should keep an open mind about funding possibilities, including looking at taxation. “Tolling doesn’t have to be the answer,” Tighe said. French said the first part of the study should be complete by June. Phase two would involve traffic analysis and cost estimates. He said the total cost is still expected to be $700,000 and that the funds would come from money already earmarked for parkway/beltway development.
Democrats roll out gun-control package Opponents see liability measure as ban By Vic Vela
vvela@ourcoloradonews.com Democratic state lawmakers on Feb. 5 unveiled a gun-control legislative package, which in part calls for required background checks for all gun buyers and strict liability for owners and sellers of assault weapons. But the ideas aimed at curbing gun violence, which were announced by leaders of the General Assembly’s controlling party during a morning press conference inside the state Capitol, were immediately met with stiff opposition by gun-rights advocates. Democratic leaders — who were joined at the event by people whose lives have been affected by gun violence — announced eight pieces of “gun safety” legislation, which they said is needed in the wake of shooting massacres that continue to make headlines around the country. “As a civilized society, we cannot stand back and wait for another Columbine, another Aurora,” said House Speaker Mark Ferrandino, D-Denver. Some of the efforts announced Tuesday came as no surprise — gun-control legislation has been high on the list of priorities for Democrats this session. But perhaps the bill
POSTAL ADDRESS
that will cause the greatest amount of ire for Republicans and gun advocates is one aimed at creating strict financial liability for makers, sellers and owners of assault weapons. Senate President John Morse, D-Colorado Springs, who will sponsor the Assault Weapon Responsibility Act, said his bill will make assault weapons makers, sellers and owners “liable for 100 percent of the damage” caused by “military style” assault weapons that are used in the commission of crimes. “The sickness of violence is spreading through America like a plague,” Morse said. Morse insisted that the legislation would not constitute a ban on assault weapons, and that it would not impact handguns, bolt action rifles and shotguns. But Morse’s bill was met with ridicule by conservatives. “That’s a frightening prospect,” said Sen. Greg Brophy, R-Wray. “I can’t believe how extreme that is.” Brophy quipped that the ban is a “clever,” back-door way of banning assault weapons because it would create an environment where gun makers would stop manufactur- Senate president John Morse talks in the west foyer of the state Capitol during a press conference on a comprehensive ing their products out of concern for being gun safety plan Tuesday. Photos by Andy Carpenean held financially liable, if those weapons get in the wrong hands. Brophy said that holding essentially every It’s unknown at this time how many of party associated with an assault weapon li- convenience store and then gets drunk and the bills will end up being supported by the able is akin to “holding Coors and 7-Eleven causes a drunken-driving accident. liable” when someone robs beer from a Dudley Brown, executive director of Rocky Democratic Party’s leader, Gov. John HickenMountain Gun Owners, said Morse’s bill is “a looper, who did not attend the Feb. 5 event. Eric Brown, Hickenlooper’s spokesman, Jane Dougherty, functional ban” on assault weapons. He also said that people who commit gun crimes said in an emailed statement: “The goversister of Sandy Hook “should be held accountable the same way” nor supports universal background checks Elementary School as people who commit crimes with knives or and is open to a discussion about magazine psychologist Mary limits and other ideas designed to keep guns other types of weapons. Sherlach, right, talks The legislative package contains other out of the hands of dangerous people.” in the west foyer As for Morse’s bill, the governor’s office types of gun control efforts. Rep. Rhonda of the state Capitol Fields, D-Aurora — whose son was shot to intends “to carefully study the liability legduring a press death in 2005 before he was scheduled to tes- islation proposed by Sen. Morse and appretify in a murder trial — is sponsoring two bills ciate his effort to put a creative idea on the conference on a that would require background checks for all table.” comprehensive gun Hickenlooper was scheduled to meet gun buyers, as well as a ban on high-capacity safety plan Tuesday. magazines used in certain types of weapons. with the president of the National Rifle AsRelatives of victims “They have no place in our communities sociation Feb. 7, in a meeting that was set up of the Aurora theater and they have no place in our streets,” Fields prior to the lawmakers’ press conference. shootings last July Democrats feel the public is on their side said of ammunition-feeding devices that acin this debate. Certainly, they have the suphold photos of their cept more than 10 rounds of bullets. Other Democratic bills would address port of at least a few people who lost loved lost loved ones mental health issues; keep domestic violence ones in recent gun violence tragedies. standing behind One of them is Jane Dougherty, a Denoffenders from possessing guns; require inDougherty. person training for those who seek concealed ver resident whose sister, Mary Sherlock, a psychologist at Connecticut’s Sandy Hook carry permits; and take other actions. Count Brophy and Brown among those Elementary School, was gunned down durwho are staunchly opposed to all the efforts ing the mass shooting that occurred there in December. put forth by Democrats Tuesday. “She lost her life running toward a gun“None of these ideas that (Democrats) were talking about today will make anybody man, armed with an assault weapon, an AR-15,” Dougherty said at the press confersafer,” Brophy said. Brown said that he intends to pound the ence. “Assault weapons are weapons of war. proverbial pavement in opposition to Demo- They belong on the battlefield. They have no place in a home. cratic efforts’. “We must do better,” she continued. “We “We’re going out in legislators’ districts … and tell gun owners, `This is what (lawmak- must make changes. We are here to tell our Printed on recycled newsprint. elected leaders: Enough!” ers) are doing to your rights,’” he said. Please recycle this copy.