Keeping public interest in balance

SNOWMASS VILLAGE Balancing the needs of a growing resort with the physical constraints imposed in a narrow valley is at the forefront of two transportation projects currently under review.

In order to accommodate a new traffic roundabout at the busiest intersection in Snowmass Village, a retaining wall must be built to shore up the steep slope near the entrance to the Snowmass Center.

Likewise, if the Aspen/Pitkin County Airport wants to expand its runway layout to meet Federal Aviation Administration safety standards, it will have to encroach upon a city of Aspen open space parcel for a retaining wall.

Building on steep terrain seems a given as development swallows many of the remaining flat spaces in the upper Roaring Fork Valley.

Its a function of our topography, said Lee Barger of SGM, an engineering firm in Glenwood Springs representing the town of Snowmass Village in the roundabout project. There arent a lot of flat spaces around.

That includes the section of Brush Creek Road where the roundabout would be sited. To provide a flat bench for the traffic circle requires the roads approach be made steeper, up to a 10 percent grade at one point.

And expanding the upper access to the roundabout at Kearns Road would trigger the need for at least one retaining wall.

Anne Martens, public works director for the town, said this week, In order to install the necessary elements, such as bus stops, medians, sidewalks, a secondary access to the Conoco site, crosswalks and geometry of the roundabout, some type of retaining wall is necessary for the roundabout at both the Point parcel and in the southeast corner.

The roundabout is one of the developer mitigation requirements tied to the 2004 Base Village agreement. Originally targeted for completion by 2007, the roundabout stalled when Base Village was upended by foreclosure, receivership and finally, reacquisition by Related Cos.

A retaining wall would also be key to the Aspen/Pitkin County Airports runway relocation plan thats currently under public review. A 2,500-foot section of Owl Creek Road would need to be moved if the Airport Layout Plan goes forward.

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Keeping public interest in balance