Carbondale commission narrows 2026 traffic‑calming pilot list and prioritizes Village Road safety fixes

Commissioners in Carbondale narrowed a potential list of 2026 traffic‑calming pilot projects to a smaller set of streets and agreed to form a subcommittee to walk the corridors and develop concepts that staff can test this spring.

Public commentators highlighted immediate safety concerns on Village Road. Nikki Dawson, chair of Age Friendly Carbondale, said crash‑data and recent walk audits show repeated collisions at the Village Road/Highway 133 intersection and heavy summer bicycle traffic around the Raft Bus station; she urged a 4‑way crosswalk, signal timing that allows pedestrians and bicyclists to clear the intersection, a speed study near the Giannetti Park bulb‑out and pruning of blue spruce trees that are encroaching on a six‑foot sidewalk. "We recommended that there should be a 4‑way crosswalk there," Dawson said.

Susan Ray, who lives at the Village/Surrey corner, reinforced the need for crosswalks on all four corners, added that a handicap parking space is missing near the park, and called for better curb‑cut enforcement where cars block accessible access. Commissioners said those concerns are timely given the long list of candidate projects and asked staff to prioritize Village Road in the site visits.

On broader pilot planning, commissioners discussed a menu of lower‑cost, testable solutions this year — modular raised crosswalks, restriping, curb bulb‑outs, chicanes and short no‑parking treatments — and said large permanent redesigns (for example, reengineering Sopris or removing parking to create space for permanent two‑way bike lanes) are unlikely this year without trustee buy‑in and budget allocations. Staff noted modular raised crosswalk pieces are available for short‑term testing and that last year’s projects used limited funds and phased implementation.

Commissioners also discussed a mid‑block raised crosswalk near Papino’s/Main Street after hearing about a recent pedestrian hit; the short‑term suggestion of moving a bike rack to improve sight lines was offered as an immediate mitigation. The group agreed to (1) assemble a small walking subcommittee to develop site concepts, (2) work with staff on feasibility and budget, and (3) return with a prioritized short list at the April meeting.

Next steps: commissioners and staff will convene subcommittee site walks, Kevin (staff) will assess capacity and cost constraints, and the commission will re‑examine pilot priorities in April. Several recommended short‑term actions (raised crosswalk west of Crystal; painted crosswalks; signage) are on the prioritized list for testing this summer.