Town to study Highway 6 safety, redevelopment

The Palisade Planning Commission is kicking off a community process to create a vision for future improvements and redevelopment along the Highway 6 Corridor from Palisade High School to the Colorado River and the connections to I-70, Downtown and Riverbend Park.
In the fall of 2011 a Palisade couple contacted the Town staff about their observations and concerns for safety along the highway. This included High School and Elementary School access, bicyclists and pedestrians sharing space with motorists and significant traffic during special events. Staff brought the concern forward to the Town Board of Trustees with a recommendation to seek solutions to these safety concerns. Staff also recommended that we study potential improvements in the entire corridor even though there are no funds available at this time.
The Board has supported a look at the Highway 6 corridor for both more” simple” fixes as well as long-term accommodation of growth. This process will seek input from the community and have multiple means for citizens to review and comment.
The plan will consider roadway cross-sections accommodating motorists, pedestrians, bicyclists and landscaping, intersection control, access to Palisade High School and Taylor Elementary School, access to Riverbend Park and festival parking, entryway features, directional signage, recommendations for redevelopment opportunities, and cost estimates and potential funding sources.
In the next several months, the Planning Commission will be seeking input from the community through a series of stakeholder meetings, focus group discussions, surveys and public open houses. In addition, the Town’s website will host information on the plan as it moves forward. The resulting Plan will provide the blue-print for future improvements as funding becomes available.
The Town will announce meetings and open houses in the Palisade Tribune as well as at Town Hall as they get scheduled.