Nominations and Awards Across Durango

Durango transit director Sarah Hill is recognized as transit champion of the year by the Colorado Association of Transit Agencies. West Park Avenue is now home to new traffic calming measures to address issues of speeding through the neighborhood and make sure your favorite small businesses and people are nominated for the Durango Rocks, Durango Chamber of Commerce Award before the nomination window closes. You’re watching the Local News Roundup brought to you by Kroegers Ace Hardware and Ute Mountain Casino Hotel. I’m Wendy Graham Settle. The Colorado Association of Transit Agencies, has recognized Durango Transit Director Sarah Hill with their transit champion of the year award. The award recognizes the contributions of individual and agencies in Colorado with outstanding projects and programs, or those who have made notable contributions to transit. Hill has been active in bringing public transit to local and rural areas around Durango. And Durango Transit recently received a grant that will assist with the transition towards renewable energy used in its vehicles. Hill’s nomination highlighted her efforts both locally and on the national stage in advocating for public transportation in rural areas and the way she works with other rural transportation networks to help further their own goals, as well as her work as director of Durango Transit. To learn more about the Colorado Association of Transit Agencies, visit coloradotransit.com. For more information about Durango Transit, visit durangogov.org/transit. Drivers going past West Park Avenue may have noticed some new white paint and new flex polls called delineators along the avenue. The delineators and paint are part of a traffic calming measure to create a temporary curb extension, with the goal of slowing traffic through the neighborhood. Traffic calming measures are measures that reduce the negative effects of motor vehicle use, improve conditions for Non-Motorized street users, and help alter driver behavior for a safer driving experience. The measures were installed due to neighborhood concerns that drivers were speeding through the area. A Speed Study showed that about 21% of drivers through West Park Avenue were speeding. In-town speed limits are 25 miles per hour unless marked otherwise. In addition to the delineators and white paint, a new crosswalk with an 88 compliant ramp will be installed at the intersection of West Park Avenue and Alamo Street. The measures are temporary, but are expected to remain in place until a redesign of West Park Avenue. Reevaluations of the delineators and temporary curb extension will be done later this fall to determine its effectiveness. Residents with questions are encouraged to email multimodal@durangogov.org. Do you know a local business or individual who deserves recognition for the work they are doing in the community? It’s not too late to nominate them for the Durango Rocks, Durango Chamber of Commerce Award. Nominations are due October 31st by 5 PM. The nominations include Business of the Year, Woman of the Year, Citizen of the Year, Entrepreneur of the Year and many more. See the categories and nominate your picks at durangobusiness.org. That’s it for this week’s Local News Roundup. I’m Wendy Graham Settle.

‍