County considering traffic evaluations on county roads

Logan Dailey
Posted 3/5/21

he Goshen County Commission convened in the Goshen County Courthouse on Tuesday morning, March 2, for their regular meeting.

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County considering traffic evaluations on county roads

Posted

TORRINGTON – The Goshen County Commission convened in the Goshen County Courthouse on Tuesday morning, March 2, for their regular meeting.

Goshen County resident Gretchen Wollert expressed concerns with high speed and dangerous traffic near her residence. Wollert said she had noticed exponential traffic growth on Road 84, north and west of Torrington. She said she had noticed the increase in traffic the previous year and into the summer of 2020. 

Wollert was unable to speculate the cause of the increase in traffic but expressed concern over the amount of traffic and the number of speeding vehicles. She described the road as a new “superhighway,” due to the number of vehicles now using that road for transport. 

Wollert asked the commissioners to consider placing a speed limit sign on the road to slow motorists as they traverse the road. 

Commissioner John Ellis pointed out the issue was a county-wide problem, and said he was aware of several places throughout the county where similar issues had been brought up. Ellis said he would like to have the issue looked into and see if it was possible to put enforceable speed limits on the county road. 

Wollert pointed out Road and Bridge Superintendent Val Hankins had placed two “slow” signs at the location in an effort to slow traffic. However, the signs have been largely ineffective because they are unenforceable by law enforcement. 

Ellis said he believed most county roads were set by statute at 55 miles per hour, with some exceptions. He asked County Surveyor Bob Taylor, who was also present at the meeting, what the estimated cost to conduct a traffic evaluation at the location would be. Taylor told Ellis there had been past evaluations which cost the county around $3,000. 

Commissioner Justin Burkart asked Wollert if she had any thought as to the cause of the uptick in traffic on the road. Wollert said she didn’t know but speculated it could be because motorists are avoiding driving somewhere else. Ellis added to this, speculating the possibility of trucks avoiding the port of entry. 

In other news, the commission approved the road and bridge report submitted by Taylor and County Planner Gary Childs, and two separate subdivision plots. One subdivision plot was for the FAF North Subdivision, north of Torrington, while the second was for the PNC Miller subdivision on Highway 154, about a mile from Highway 85, on the east side of the Miller feedlot.

Taylor and Childs also informed the commission of two other projects they were working on. They added they were watching Sheep Creek Road very closely and were conducting traffic evaluations while they monitored the situation with the road due to road damage issues, which they say occurs on a lot of the roads in Goshen County with spring thaws and no good base. 

The commissioners were also informed by Taylor the four corners project could be done soon. There were complications in the project stemming from the death of involved parties and their newly established estates, but they said they don’t foresee any further issues. 

Goshen County Clerk Cynthia Kenyon presented requests for the approval of earnings reports from County Court Clerk Brandi Correa and Kenyon’s offices. The reports were approved unanimously.

In addition, the commissioners approved a vendors’ list and bills report submitted by Kenyon and the request for two employee bonds, also submitted by Kenyon.

Goshen County Attorney Eric Boyer submitted a resolution to appoint a special prosecutor for a term of one year to a specific case. The matter was approved. 

Lynette Saucedo appeared before the commissioners asking them to sign a memorandum of understanding for the Comprehensive Community Coalition Grant. The grant was approved, and the commissioners signed the document.

The next meeting of the Goshen County Commission will be Tuesday, March 16, 2021, at 9 a.m. in the Goshen County Courthouse.