A Grave Injustice.

The current plan for the bike path on Gold Run and Tenderfoot is wrong on so many levels.

1. As a current owner who walks both parts of those roads frequently, I must say I have never been concerned for my safety from traffic... cars or bikes. The only area of concern for personal safety that I have ever had is when walking down the steep portion of Tenderfoot when walking downhill from Lake Dillon Drive.

2. It has been proposed that residents and guests from Dillon Yacht Club park in the Town of Dillon parking lot and walk the half mile to their homes. I believe this is a much more serious safety concern! Not to mention the unreasonable distance, the steep hill we will be forced to walk is often covered with snow, ice, or gravel. Not to mention that people don't always come home from work in the sunny afternoon when risks are less. What about families? Yes, people with children do live and work here. What about residents who may have an injury or other limitation that keeps them from safely walking this distance to get to their own home?

3. Isn't there a conflict of interest if the city is concerned about alleged safety concerns for a few cyclists at the greater risks of a larger number of hard-working tax payers who are being denied reasonable access to their own homes?

4. Some of these units are actually second homes which are rented out as vacation rentals. As an owner who has spent money and much effort to improve and update our unit, and have been renting our unit since January, I speak with a good knowledge of the tax revenues we collect, for the state as well as for the Town of Dillon. I am quite certain, guests will not be choosing to stay in a condo that requires a dangerous walk to their front door. Good-bye tax revenues.

5. There are only a 19 homes on Gold Run Circle, which translates to a small number of cars driving on this road. The temporary solution that has been given is to make this road one way. That would be an excellent permanent solution. Car traffic in one lane. Recreational traffic in the second lane. This save millions of tax payer dollars because the road is already there. This does not eliminate the parking for Dillon Yacht Club homeowners. Approximately 150 people stand to lose parking at their own home, for the convenience of the 19 homeowners who may have to travel an additional 40 seconds if Gold Run Circle is one-way.

6. It has been brought to my attention that the Environmental Impact study has never been done. I believe this too is a serious concern.

This project has been pushed quickly and quietly through. I believe there may be a perceived lack of interest by the fact that there have not been more owners at the meetings. This is not lack of concern. As a homeowner, I was indeed notified of 2 Town Council meetings that we were encouraged to attend, however because these meetings are on Tuesdays at 6:30 most of the owners on the Front Range are unable to get there in time for the meetings. Letters arrived the day before the second meeting confirming the beginning of the project in great detail. In other words, a done deal even if the 'final vote' had not taken place yet. I was so committed to attend the Information Town Meeting this past Saturday that I left Littleton at 2:00 on Friday afternoon so that the snow would not prevent my attendance. After 13 hours in the car, on the road, or in a parking lot in Idaho Springs, I finally made it back to Denver at 3:00 A.M. to over a foot of snow in my own driveway. I was more than willing to sit on I-70 until the westbound road reopened, but that was not an option when police officers tell you that you are going back down the mountain.

This sounds like the interests of a few privileged people in the position of power are overrunning the rights and needs of the public they have been elected to serve. This is a grave injustice.

-Susie Rawlings