[BikeLongmont] West Union annexation comments

[Richard Masoner]

On the agenda for tomorrow's city council meeting is discussion about
the "West Union" annexation. The property owners along Weld County
Road 1 from 17th Avenue south to the Great Western Railroad want to
develop their property with a mix of low- and medium-density
residential with some mixed-used/commercial in there.

Development there will result in the widening of Road 1 into something
a little more usable for bicyclists from 17th to the railroad. Road 1
intersections at 17th & 9th will become signalized.

9th Avenue would be extended east across Road 1 then curve south to
intersect with Deerwood Drive/Road 24.5.

The property owners' concept drawings show a greenway along Spring
Gulch from Road 1 to the railroad. The proposed greenway is 300 feet
across.

Questions and thoughts:

1. Are grade-separated crossings along Spring Gulch at Road 1 and Road
26 or 24.5 reasonable? Grade seperation at Road 1 seems almost
essential to me, especially for children getting to Fall River and
Middle School #7.

2. What about connecting the proposed greenway with the Union
Reservoir rec area?

3. I'm thinking a path along the west shore of Union Reservoir would
be good, especially if there's a connection across Road 1 to Jim Hamm.

4. With 1400 residential units proposed, I think the collectors as
shown will become speedways. Traffic calming should be designed in
from the beginning.

RFM