County road placements, improvements, and maintenance keep our people moving. Growth can be guided by virtue of new road placement or positive improvements, be it near a municipality or in isolated unincorporated areas. Emphasis on a natural open space atmosphere can be designed into new or improved road locations with innovative architecture using the unique beauty of its location. With the newly paved Cottonwood Pass Road, CR 306, to open soon, another gate will allow access our great county. 

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A Chaffee County relationship with the Colorado Department of Transportation, CDOT, impacts everyone. State highways 24, 50, 285 and 291, from north to south and east to west, bring increasing amounts of tourists and travelers to and through Chaffee County. The intersections of these highways are in near capacity stages on many weekends and weekdays throughout high tourists seasons.

 

CDOT and Colorado are looking to dissipate Front Range traffic and travel to rural areas. County roads, like 162 to Mt. Princeton Resort, are experiencing substantially more wear and tear. Chaffee County, with the transportation Advisory Board (TAB), in conjunction with CDOT, can apply for state and federal grants with prioritized projects. Chaffee County can begin planning for simple and informative local signage, highway striping requests, promoting wide shoulders for bike use, and safety emphasized intersections. With growth of ATVs, bicycles, and soon to be other modes of recreational travel, county roads will need to balance the increased use from all factions. 

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These examples can market our unique private and public destinations and events, in addition to the GPS "A to B" travel guide. 

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As a member of the Salida Airport Board, aviation improvements at both Chaffee County airports should try to complement each other similar to the directional runways which offer opposite landing directions pending weather issues.  UAS or Drones, are a growing technology and business that both airports can unilaterally continue to keep apprised of current laws and technological advances. Additionally, emergency helicopter service is beneficial to entire county at both locations.