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Jude Sandvall

The Voice of Aurora: Complete the widening of I-225 with FasTracks work

From the Aurora Sentinel, Colorado is like any other government, a massive bureaucracy slow to turn once momentum has begun. Still, the state has long shown a penchant for rising to the call and exhibiting a pluckiness indicative of life in the West.

It is those attributes that have made it illegal to slander broccoli, an effort to protect the farmers in the state, and to lead the nation in requiring an open and accessible government. In Colorado, when the chips are down, its residents and leaders are not.

That's the attitude needed to keep the state from wasting millions of increasingly rare taxpayer dollars in how and when it builds new light rail tracks along the Interstate 225 corridor and eventually widen that highway.

Currently, the Regional Transportation District and the Colorado Department of Transportation are looking at how RTD will expand light rail from Parker Road at I-225 north to near I-70. The expansion is part of the heavily-funded FasTracks program adopted by voters about four years ago.

Both RTD engineers and their counterparts from the state agree that it would be cheaper, more convenient and easier for I-225 to be widened to six lanes at the same time light rail is built in the median. There's no doubt that the vastly overused highway is in need of widening. State officials have planned for and promised the widening for decades, always agreeing instead that there were more pressing needs elsewhere in the state. And that's happened again.

RTD is now trying to create a plan to install light rail in advance of the widening, losing out on a host of economic and practical benefits of building the entire system out, similar to how it was done on the T-REX project.

Someone needs to intervene because this makes no sense. The widening of I-225 has been "on the books" for almost as many years as the highway has been paved. It's been on the "go list" for decades, waiting only for funding. In the meantime, countless other metro area projects have moved ahead.

A state as remarkable as Colorado doesn't have to see its transportation department implement this much waste. Someone needs to find a way to do what it takes to find the funding now to complete the widening of I-225 from essentially East Alameda Avenue to Parker Road.

Aurora has long been a good soldier for the past few decades, paying for its own interchange while other metro-area communities didn't have to, and waiting and waiting for its turn while helping pay for others that always seemed to move ahead. It's time to reward Aurora for that patience and reward all state taxpayers with a prudent plan.

Development plans detailed for light rail areas in Aurora

From the Aurora Sentinel,

AURORA | The city's new stretch of light rail may be surrounded by high-rise apartments, pedestrian-friendly plazas and other mixed use developments, according to planning officials.

At an initial public workshop session April 3 held at North Middle School, representatives from Aurora's planning department paired with lead designers from an Oregon-based urban design firm to present preliminary station area plans for a future RTD line. Read on... http://www.aurorasentinel.com/main.asp?SectionID=8&SubSectionID=8&ArticleID=18849

Southshore wins “National Masterplanned Community of the Year” competition

Southshore, a waterside community in southeast Aurora, has been named the "National Masterplanned Community of the Year," by the National Sales & Marketing Council of the National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB). Developed by John Laing Homes and Village Homes, Southshore is the first Colorado community to win this coveted designation. Located near E-470 and Smoky Hill Road, Southshore hosted last year's Parade of Homes. "Aurora's proud to have Southshore, the National Masterplanned Community of the Year, in our great city," said Aurora Mayor Ed Tauer. "Southshore's not just great houses. It's the 21st century model for bringing people, open space, entertainment and great shopping together in a vibrant package." Susan Peterson, general manager of Laing/Village, LLC, the developer of Southshore, was thrilled the community received such high honors. "We're all still on Cloud Nine. We especially appreciate the city of Aurora's partnership and support in our development. I think if you talk with any of our residents, you'll appreciate why they love living at Southshore, " Peterson said.

Aurora Colorado Lightrail Public Workshops

The city of Aurora will be holding three workshops this year so they can hear what you want around the new lightrail stations as they are constructed. The first public workshop will be held on Thursday, April 3, 6 - 8:30 p.m. at North Middle School 12095 Montview Boulevard Aurora, CO 80010. More details can be found here: http://www.auroragov.org/stellent/groups/public/documents/article-publication/036299.pdf

City condo prices: Sky's the limit

City condo prices: Sky's the limit, an article from The Denver Post, reports that even as the metro area is in the middle of a housing slump, developers of downtown condominium projects are raising their prices. Dee Chirafisi of Kentwood City Properties said, "It's typical of any project to raise pricing as units sell. It really reinforces the value for the early investors who got in months ago. They have some instant equity, and they know the pricing is heading in that direction rather than the developer doing discounts." One reason for price increases on new projects are unexpected costs for building the project, leaving the developer no choice but to raise prices. Another reason is when the market allows it, which seems to be the case with downtown condos. According to Ken Miller, a broker with Kentwood City Properties, Denver real estate is in better shape than Detroit, Las Vegas or Miami. He said, "When you're the No. 1 activity center, sports center and cultural center, you're somewhat immune to fluctuations in the market."
http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_8709780