Motorists should expect another round of Exit 6 closures on eastbound I-70 this week and potentially next week as part of the ongoing $700 million Floyd Hill reconstruction project at the Memorial Tunnels.
Drivers should expect 20-minute traffic delays, though traffic may vary.
Important reminders for drivers:
with the cable car.
When the cable
car is open,
it’s going
to be 100
percent
visible
In addi-
tion, we’re
going to have
press events and
VIP parties. So far,
–
ciaries of a lot of good media
support. People are aware of
our project. The least of our
concerns is how we market it.
not a huge concern of ours
right now.”
July, the Mighty Argo
Continued from page 1
developers hired
Army-style Black
hope to have a soft open-
ing ahead of Memorial Day
Weekend. That will give us an
opportunity to work out any
kinks and get our staff up to
speed before we’re slammed
during the summer season.
Hawk helicop-
ters to airlift
and related
parts for the
project across
Russell Gulch
to the Upper and
Lower Terminals.
* * *
Once the project is com-
plete, visitors will be trans-
lower Argo Station terminal
to Miner’s Point at the Upper
Terminal. The new facility at
the top will include a 300-per-
son concert and event venue,
food truck areas, a bar, rest-
rooms, and observation decks
with views of the mountains
west of Idaho Springs.
When the Mighty Argo Ca-
ble Car is set to open, McFar-
land said he doesn’t believe
there will be any problems
getting the word out that it’s
open for business.
As an example, he said
groups like the Colorado
Mountain Bike Association
(COMBA) attracted thousands
of cyclists to Idaho Springs
when the Trek Trail system at
Virginia Canyon Park opened
near the Upper Terminal last
fall. “They announced on a
Wednesday in late September
that the park was going to
open. That Friday, 100 riders
showed up in town. Those rid-
ers went home and posted [on
their social-media accounts].
had 1,000 riders downtown.
There were another 1,000 rid-
has gone viral. I believe the
same thing is going to happen
* * *
Central City and Gilpin
County played roles in the
Mighty Argo project in 2025.
The project received permis-
sion from both governments
to store some of its gondola
cars and related equipment
on a lot along the Central City
Parkway last spring. The stor-
age lot is in unincorporated
Gilpin County, but the project
developer needed to use the
parkway to haul equipment to
and from the site.
Visitors will also see gold-
colored gondola cars built
to pay tribute to the region’s
historic mining era. Some
passenger cars will have glass
bottoms, allowing people to
look down to the treetops
during the journey to the top.
Other cars will be equipped to
transport mountain bikes and
their riders from the Argo Sta-
tion to the Upper Terminal.
Construction on the Argo Station “Lower Terminal” is continuing
through the winter.
Photos courtesy of the Mighty Argo project
The Upper Terminal will also
provide access to more than 16
miles of trails developed by the
Colorado Mountain Bike As-
sociation (COMBA), known as
Treks Trails at Virginia Canyon
Mountain Park.
“Ultimately, we think it
will grow to attract between
500,000 and 700,000 visitors
a year, though it will be much
lower in the first few years,”
McFarland previously esti-
mated.
During the second week of
The Colorado Department
of Revenue’s gaming office
in Gilpin County has closed
because it is moving to a new
location.
from its former location in a
historic Central City school
building on Lawrence Street.
Richman Street (lower Dory
Hill Road).
With the major holiday
season in the rear-view mir-
ror, CDOT resumed work on
its $700 million Floyd Hill
construction project this
week.
air quality – and that people
remain in their vehicles dur-
ing the traffic stoppages.
According to the division
spokesperson, there is an
additional benefit to having
the office in Black Hawk, the
largest casino city in Colo-
rado. “Additionally, there is
hoteling space available on an
as-needed basis for Division
of Gaming staff,” a division
spokesman said.
The front of the new gaming
division office is Ameristar’s
Richman Beer Garden, which
offers entertainment, bever-
ages and limited food items
during the warm-weather
months. The several-story
building that will be used by
the state was once the Rich-
man Casino, which closed
around 2006 after it was
acquired by Ameristar. Prior
to that time, Ameristar was
called Mountain High Casino.
I-70 lane closures
Expect daytime, right-lane
closures on eastbound and
westbound I-70 between
County Road 65 (Exit 248)
and Hidden Valley (Exit 243)
this week for construction ac-
tivities and punch-list items.
Eastbound I-70 is expected to
be closed between 7 a.m. and
noon tomorrow (Friday, Jan.
9).
The new office will open on
Thursday, Jan. 15, for casino
workers renewing their state
licenses. The gaming division
is no longer in Central City
and will be at 100 Richman
Street in Black Hawk. Corre-
spondence should be mailed
to their new addressed: P.O.
Box 778, Black Hawk, CO
80422.
As a result, a section of I-70
between Homestead Road
(Exit 247) and the Veterans
Memorial Tunnels will be
closed for 20-minute periods
on Mondays through Thurs-
days between 9 a.m. and 3
p.m. A CDOT spokesperson
said the work will support
bridge construction and
straighten roadway curves
to improve safety and sight
distance. “Stay the course
on I-70 – there is no detour
route. Plan for delays up to 45
minutes as each traffic queue
clears. All work is weather-
dependent and subject to
change,” the spokesperson
said.
Michael J. Phibbs, senior
director of the Department of
Revenue’s Specialized Busi-
ness Group, which includes
gaming, previously stated that
the organization wanted to
leave Central City due to the
building’s age. “Our existing
facility has reached a point
where it requires significant
repairs and upgrades. The
building’s aging infrastructure
poses continuous challenges
State documents showed
the gaming division planned
to spend $322,950 on tenant
improvements at 100 Rich-
man Street, a building owned
by the Ameristar Casino Re-
sort Spa (Penn Gaming). The
state also is spending up to
$172,000 to relocate the office
In addition, expect a day-
time closure of the eastbound
I-70 off-ramp to Homestead
Road (Exit 247) for fence in-
stallation between 7 a.m. and
3 p.m. tomorrow (Friday).
Those taking Exit 247 will be
detoured to the El Rancho
exchange (Exit 251) and redi-
rected westbound on I-70.
The local gaming division
office move was announced in
July 2024. The new office will
house the department’s crimi-
nal investigators, compliance
investigators and licensing
staff in the building at the
junction of Highway 119 and
to our daily opera-
tions and compro-
mises our ability
to effectively serve
the public and our
employees.”
Flagging operations
Motorists should expect
potential delays for flagging
operations between 7:30 a.m.
and 5 p.m. this week on U.S.
40, with work concluding
tomorrow (Friday) afternoon.
Crews will be near the high-
way near the U.S. 6 inter-
change and Tonn Valley Drive
for hillside access and utility
work.
While the planned closings
are scheduled to last 20 min-
utes, motorists could expect
delays of up to 45 minutes as
eastbound and westbound
lines clear. As a result, some
late-afternoon closings could
take until 4 p.m. for traffic to
return to the posted speeds of
45 miles per hour.
Lan-Yap Cafe
proinstaprint@msn.com
heartbroken. Things are noticeably quiet without the music,
jokes and laughter that inevitably filled our home.
the community has meant a tremendous amount to all of us
and provided some heartwarming moments during this difficult
time.
first-class manner, and for inviting friends and family to share
their stories, memories and photos.
more.
years.
the musical tribute to
BBQ on April 11 and 12.
for Jimmy will be held
this summer “when the
the beer is cold.
gameplan for future growth
business leaders don’t own
a crystal ball and cannot predict
the future. However, most would agree that un-
less one or two new casinos and additional hous-
ing units are constructed within the next several
years, Central City’s future financial outlook
could seem quite bleak.
heart of Central’s Historic Downtown Gaming
deteriorating. The municipally owned water sys-
tem needs significant upgrades. The Central City
volunteer firefighters and seeks to relocate from
its outdated fire station on Lawrence Street.
casinos over the past two years have resulted in
reduced tax income. If any of the gaming estab-
lishments were to close—or if the potential threat
of iGaming gains approval in Colorado—the city
might be compelled to further cut its services
and staff or request that residents approve an
increase in property taxes.
leaders are planning to take the high road when
considering the future – one that will lead to
renewed prosperity. Mayor Jeremy Fey has
repeatedly announced that he envisions Central
music and the arts.
mayor and aldermen, the Business Improvement
ity, plan to contribute up to $150,000 to create a
new long-range Comprehensive Plan for the city
over the next 12 to 18 months.
authorities contributing to the upcoming plan, it
may also receive input from the city’s Commu-
nity Development department and the Planning
Commission.
lations and simplify the process for developers
looking to build new housing projects or casinos.
authorized the Community Development Depart-
ment’s request to seek a $112,000 grant from
the Colorado Department of Local Affairs, which
would assist the city in overhauling and updating
its Comprehensive Plan. The city, BID, URA, and
with creating the new Comp Plan.
and authorities are expected to hire an outside
consultant specializing in developing plans that
could facilitate increased casino, commercial,
and residential growth in the city of nearly 700
residents.
in February by Alexsandr
ture). Sheykhet, who also informally
suggested a Monarch-sized casino resort in the
has developed previous comprehensive plans
that included preserving historic buildings, such
as those in Central City. His presentation to city
leaders two months ago covered the introduction
of new housing villages around the city, along
with revitalizing the mostly vacant storefronts
in the heart of the Historic Downtown Gaming
District.
for HWC Investors, which issued $45.2 million
in bonds to the Central City Business Improve-
ment District to finance the Central City Parkway
in 2003. In 2018, HWC released a report that
criticized the lack of development in Central’s
historic Downtown Gaming District.
which fund most of the city’s budget, and the
lack of work on preserving historic buildings and
infrastructure in the community. Porter, who
collaborates closely with the BID, stated that
new Comprehensive Plan.
enhance the Main Street area. Last fall, it and
the Main Street Central City organization funded
the installation of temporary LED lighting in the
downtown area to brighten it at night. While the
experiment is set to conclude next month, the
two groups are exploring the possibility of in-
stalling new, permanent lights on buildings along
Main Street to make it more inviting for visitors.
been the need for increased parking near Main
sinos. In April 2023, BID Executive Director Joe
mending that they collaborate with groups to
convert the Sauer-McShane building on Spring
time, an architectural sketch indicated that the
building’s exterior would be preserved.
be built for $16 and $20 million, accommodat-
ing 280 to 320 vehicles. Glass-enclosed overhead
walkways are included in the plans for garage
users to access Main Street or some of the nearby
casinos.
parking for visitors have taken place, city lead-
ers have yet to take any action. When the city’s
a discussion on how Central can enhance Main
improvements that could help attract more hous-
ing, casinos, and commercial development.
Organizations and members who might work on future Central City Comprehensive Plan update
local businessman Chairman board member
local realtor member
* – Regularly-elected local official, including local council, school board or county position.
+-Elected to a Special District board by a limited number of property owners and lease holders
within that taxing jurisdiction.
(A) – Appointed by city council to serve on an Authority or city commission.
While construction continues along the $700
million CDOT I-70 Floyd Hill project, the
nearby Clear Creek Greenway Trail has been
closed for several months.
during weekday hours between 7 a.m. and
5:30 p.m. Drivers accessing westbound I-70
can avoid the closure by traveling east on U.S.
40 or I-70 to Lookout Mountain and taking the
on-ramp to the interstate.
escape
ramp en-
trance.
CDOT said
some lane
restrictions
will occur at
various times
at both project loca-
tions. The new escape ramp project is expected
to be completed in late May or early June.
With spring approaching, CDOT is seeking
input on alternative trail access from those
who use the trail. The state asks trail users to
participate in an online survey at www.budd.
ly.481yqZb. The survey will close on Friday,
Feb. 23.
Projects between Floyd Hill and Den-
ver
Meanwhile, two other CDOT projects be-
tween C-470 and Floyd Hill continue to im-
pact traffic between Floyd Hill and C-470 in
Golden.
Photo courtesy CDOT.
A section of the trail remains closed between
U.S. 6 (Exit 244) and the Hidden Valley-
Central City Parkway (Exit 243) during road
construction and utility work. CDOT said the
work is expected to last until later this spring.
However, users should expect ongoing trail
impacts and closures through spring 2027.
The one-mile part of the trail will remain an
active construction zone and is considered un-
safe for multi-use travel, although other parts
of the trail will remain open.
This week and next, parts of I-70 and
U.S. 40 near Genesee will be subject to
closing so CDOT can continue construc-
tion of a $10 million wildlife underpass
along the interstate.
Project overview
The $700 million I-70 Floyd Hill project will build a
third westbound I-70 travel lane, which will function
as an Express Lane, to improve the current two-lane
bottleneck heading down Floyd Hill westbound. The
new toll lane will begin near the top of Floyd Hill west-
bound and will be a fly-over lane that will end near the
Veterans Memorial Tunnels.
The closures are scheduled between
7 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Mondays through
Fridays through Feb. 17. Drivers ac-
cessing U.S. 40 eastbound can detour
around the closure by using eastbound
I-70 to the Lookout Mountain exit.
Westbound drivers cannot take the exits
at Genesee and Mount Vernon Road.
• Constructing a missing two-mile section of the
frontage road between Evergreen and Idaho
Springs.
Utility work in the vicinity
This week, construction crews continue to
conduct utility work between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m.
on U.S. 6 at the U.S. 40 junction and the U.S. 6
on-ramp to westbound I-70. The area is below
Floyd Hill and near the Two Bears taproom.
• Building an eastbound I-70 extended on-ramp for
slow-moving vehicles. Improving traffic flow and
access at interchanges and intersections within
the project limits.
The wildlife underpass area has
been ongoing for months near the top
of Genesse Hill and is expected to be
completed this spring. On unannounced
days, the left lane, heading westbound,
is closed to accommodate the work. Mo-
torists should read the orange construc-
tion signs heading up I-70 from Morri-
son to learn if the work may impact the
traffic flow.
• Improving sight distance on roadway curves.
Improving the Clear Creek Greenway trail. Imple-
menting environmental mitigation to create safer
wildlife movements and improve air and water
quality and stream conditions an d recreation.
I-70 ramp closure
The Homestead Road on-ramp to westbound
I-70 – at the top of Floyd Hill – will remain
closed through Friday, Feb. 16, although
weather may play a factor in the reopening
plans.
Driver cautions
CDOT said motorists should expect narrower lanes
and shoulders, reduced speed limits as low as 45 mph
and increased truck traffic entering and exiting the work
zones. All construction activities are weather-dependent
and subject to change. During construction, the exist-
ing I-70 travel lanes will remain open in each direction
during peak daytime travel hours. Lane closure hours
for the duration of construction will vary based on the
season, day of the week, number of lanes being closed
and travel direction.
Motorists near the top of Floyd Hill on U.S.
40 should continue west on U.S. 40, travel
down the hill and use the U.S. 6 interchange to
access westbound I-70.
The larger project includes rebuilding
the eastbound emergency truck escape
ramp between Mt. Vernon Road (Exit
256) and the Morrison exit (Exit 259).
There will be overnight double-lane clo-
sures on eastbound I-70 in the vicinity.
The emergency ramp has been closed
for weeks.
Highway 6 restrictions
Along Clear Creek Canyon (Highway 6),
ongoing, single-land closures are planned
from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. between mile points 267
and 271.5. The restrictions will continue today
through Friday, Feb. 23, according to CDOT.
• The escape ramp work will include:
Project sections
The Floyd Hill project is divided into three sections.
The East Section is from the west of Evergreen to mid-
way down Floyd Hill near the Black Hawk interchange
(Exit 244). The West Section is from near Exit 243
(Central City Parkway) to the Veterans Memorial Tun-
nels near Idaho Springs. The Central Section is from
the middle of Floyd Hill through Exit 243 (Central
City/Hidden Valley exit). The east section began this
spring and continues through June 2026. The West
section is expected to start this fall and will conclude
in the fall of 2027. The Central section has begun and
will continue into 2028. The East part of the project
includes installing two new traffic roundabouts along
Highway 40, at County Road 65 and Homestead Road.
Flagmen control traffic during some of the daytime
work.
• New signage.
The planned restrictions are part of the
ongoing Peak to Plains Huntsman Gulch trail
project that began last year in Jefferson Coun-
ty, between Highway 119 and Golden.
• Larger barriers between the ramp
and the steep embankment.
• Additional cameras.
New I-70 Golden closure
Westbound I-70 near Golden will experience
random lane closures until later this month
• New ramp lighting.
• A new design intended to allow late
entry for truckers who miss the
Construct crews
installing rebar on
wall along Floyd Hill.
For information on the Highway 6/Clear Creek
Canyon project being conducted by Jeffco, visit www.
jeffco.us/P2P . Phone information is available at 720-
893-0403. The email address is peak2plains@gmail.
com. For real-time travel information, visit www.
COtrip.org.
Projects between Floyd Hill and Den-
ver
Rock-blasting work restarted along I-70
Floyd Hill yesterday (Wednesday), with the
next blasting scheduled for Valentine’s Day,
Wednesday, Feb. 14. In addition, another new
project announced along the interstate near
Golden also may impact travel between Gilpin
and Clear Creek Counties and the metro Den-
ver area.
CDOT
said some
lane re-
strictions
will occur
at various
times at
both project
locations. The new
escape ramp project is expected to be com-
pleted in late May or early June.
Meanwhile, two other CDOT projects
between C-470 and Floyd Hill continue
to impact traffic between Floyd Hill and
C-470 in Golden.
This week and next, parts of I-70 and
U.S. 40 near Genesee will be subject to
closing so CDOT can continue construc-
tion of a wildlife underpass along the
interstate.
Photo courtesy CDOT.
CDOT’s blasting next week along Floyd Hill
will stop traffic on I-70 for 20 minutes. When
blasting occurs, motorists should e xpect a
traffic hold and up to 45 minutes of delay.
A series of airhorn signals will precede each
detonation to warn people in the area. No al-
ternative routes are advised during the traffic
stoppages.
The early-February closures are
scheduled between 7 a.m. and 5:30
p.m. Mondays through Fridays
through Feb. 17. Drivers access-
ing U.S. 40 eastbound can detour
around the closure by using east-
bound I-70 to the Lookout Moun-
tain exit. Westbound drivers can-
not take the exits at Genesee and
Mount Vernon Road.
Project overview
The $700 million I-70 Floyd Hill project will build a
third westbound I-70 travel lane, which will function
as an Express Lane, to improve the current two-lane
bottleneck heading down Floyd Hill westbound. The
new toll lane will begin near the top of Floyd Hill west-
bound and will be a fly-over lane that will end near the
Veterans Memorial Tunnels.
I-70 travelers should know that narrow-
er lanes and shoulders continue to be in
the $700 million project work zone near
Floyd Hill. The transportation department
recommends that motorists follow posted
speed limits and don’t drive distracted.
Slowing down and allowing extra space
between the vehicle ahead of you is ad-
vised.
• Constructing a missing two-mile section of the
frontage road between Evergreen and Idaho
Springs.
The wildlife underpass area has
been ongoing for months near the
top of Genesse Hill and is expected
to be completed this spring. On
unannounced days, the left lane,
heading westbound, is closed to
accommodate the work. Motorists
should read the orange construc-
tion signs heading up I-70 from
Morrison to learn if the work may
impact the traffic flow.
• Building an eastbound I-70 extended on-ramp for
slow-moving vehicles. Improving traffic flow and
access at interchanges and intersections within
the project limits.
Nearby, construction crews continue
working along Highway 40 near the Floyd
Hill/Beaver Brook interchange and at the
highway’s junction with County Road 65.
New roundabouts are being built in both
areas on the north side of I-70. Motorists
are advised to watch for traffic signs and
potential temporary detours.
• Improving sight distance on roadway curves.
Improving the Clear Creek Greenway trail. Imple-
menting environmental mitigation to create safer
wildlife movements and improve air and water
quality and stream conditions an d recreation.
The larger project includes re-
building the eastbound emergency
truck escape ramp between Mt.
Vernon Road (Exit 256) and the
Morrison exit (Exit 259). There will
be overnight double-lane closures
on eastbound I-70 in the vicin-
ity. The emergency ramp has been
closed for weeks.
Driver cautions
CDOT said motorists should expect narrower lanes
and shoulders, reduced speed limits as low as 45 mph
and increased truck traffic entering and exiting the work
zones. All construction activities are weather-dependent
and subject to change. During construction, the exist-
ing I-70 travel lanes will remain open in each direction
during peak daytime travel hours. Lane closure hours
for the duration of construction will vary based on the
season, day of the week, number of lanes being closed
and travel direction.
Highway 6 restrictions
Along Clear Creek Canyon (Highway
6), single-land closures are planned from
5 a.m. to 7 p.m. between mile points 267
and 271.5.
The planned restrictions are part of the
ongoing Peak to Plains Huntsman Gulch
trail project that began last year in Jef-
ferson County, between Highway 119 and
Golden.
The escape ramp work will in-
clude:
Project sections
The Floyd Hill project is divided into three sections.
The East Section is from the west of Evergreen to mid-
way down Floyd Hill near the Black Hawk interchange
(Exit 244). The West Section is from near Exit 243
(Central City Parkway) to the Veterans Memorial Tun-
nels near Idaho Springs. The Central Section is from
the middle of Floyd Hill through Exit 243 (Central
City/Hidden Valley exit). The east section began this
spring and continues through June 2026. The West
section is expected to start this fall and will conclude
in the fall of 2027. The Central section has begun and
will continue into 2028. The East part of the project
includes installing two new traffic roundabouts along
Highway 40, at County Road 65 and Homestead Road.
Flagmen control traffic during some of the daytime
work.
• New signage.
New I-70 Golden closure
Westbound I-70 near Golden will experi-
ence random lane closures until later this
month during weekday hours between 7
a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Drivers accessing west-
bound I-70 can avoid the closure by trav-
eling east on U.S. 40 or I-70 to Lookout
Mountain and taking the on-ramp to the
interstate.
• Larger barriers between the ramp
and the steep embankment.
• Additional cameras.
• New ramp lighting.
• A new design intended to allow late
entry for truckers who miss the
escape ramp entrance.
For information on the Highway 6/Clear Creek
Canyon project being conducted by Jeffco, visit www.
jeffco.us/P2P . Phone information is available at 720-
893-0403. The email address is peak2plains@gmail.
com. For real-time travel information, visit www.
COtrip.org.
Drilling soil nails into hillside along Floyd Hill with traffic moving on Interstate 70.
City is what we need. We need to
put our positives on something
everyone can agree on – not
quarreling on a project that we’re
not sure of.”
whole thing would’ve been costly.
I think that if there had been a
vote, it would’ve gone down. It
would’ve been a waste of our time
and money for a pilot program. I
think it’s a good decision to save
the money and stuff.”
ken voted against it. However,
the council hit the brakes on the
program recently, saying they
were busy dealing with the city’s
2024 budget and other matters.
At the time, they predicted that
discussion of the program would
resume in the early months of the
new year.
Senior Reporter
A controversial plan allowing
Off-Highway Vehicles to travel
along Central City streets won’t
happen anytime soon. At least,
not in 2024.
Fey said, “My hesitation in
backing down – so to speak, for
lack of a better term – was that
some people would see it as a
sign. It would be seen that if the
council made a decision they
disagreed with, they would only
have to come to the council or
have conversations on the street,
and we would reverse that [deci-
sion]. I didn’t want to set that
precedent. I hope the people –
especially
the Pros-
pector’s
Run folks –
won’t look
at this as a
conciliato-
ry measure.
It’s not that
we’re back-
ing down
from what
our opin-
ions have
been – we’ve just got bigger fish
to fry than whether we should
have side-by-side [vehicles] in
town.”
Alderman Todd Williams said,
“I would like to add that I ap-
preciate the conversations I’ve
had – both positive and not-so-
affirmative conversations – about
the whole program. Mr. Mayor, I
appreciate the time we’ve spent
talking about it, and I think we’re
in agreement on where we are
right now with it.”
Mayor Jeremy Fey said a pro-
posed pilot OHV program, which
had been eyed to begin this
spring, is no longer on the table
before the council. He announced
during the council meeting on
Tuesday night, Feb. 6, that sev-
eral other economic-related mat-
ters are a higher priority.
Since the discussion of the OHV
program surfaced last summer,
several residents turned out
to protest the idea. Aiken and
Enloe suggested at the time that
the proposal should be put to a
vote by residents. Residents who
opposed the plan said they were
concerned that trucks hauling
OHVs by trailer to the national
forest north of the city would
lead to speeding, noise and safety
issues for those who live along
Eureka and Lawrence streets.
While the short agenda indicat-
ed the council meeting wouldn’t
last long, a question about the
OHV program by resident Zane
Plzek led the council to slow
down the meeting and explain its
previously unannounced explana-
tion about stopping the effort.
Fey offered
the final word
on the sub-
ject, “I often
tell my four
girls that
wisdom is not
the ability
to get out of
trouble but
to avoid it
altogether.
The last thing
I ever wanted
to do was to put the residents –
or anyone – or the tourists on
these vehicles in harm’s way. I
didn’t want to bring conflict. That
really was the end of decision-
making for me. I wouldn’t want
to put any resident who would
be up in arms about it in a place
where they think they’d have to
confront a wrongdoer on a vehi-
cle. It wouldn’t be a healthy thing
to do. That’s one thing I wanted
to avoid – conflict.”
“It’s not that we’re
backing down from what our
opinions have been – we’ve
just got bigger fish to fry than
whether we should have side-
by-side [vehicles] in town.”
Several residents who de-
nounced the proposal told the
council they were nearly struck
by speeding vehicles traveling
up Eureka Street toward the U.S.
Forest Service lands. Among
those who voiced opposition were
Plzek and other Prospector’s Run
residents, whose HOA is near the
upper end of Eureka.
Fey gave a detailed explanation
of why the council is abandoning
the OHV plan for the foreseeable
future. He said he had discussed
the pilot program with aldermen
Kara Tinucci and Todd Williams,
who voted last August to move
ahead.
— Mayor Jeremy Fey
“It wasn’t an easy decision to
make,” said Fey about postpon-
ing the plan for the foreseeable
future. “We have decided to table
the issue for now and not move
ahead with the pilot program.”
Some opponents cited a similar
situation in the southern Colo-
rado town of Silverton. Residents
there voted to ban OHVs from
community streets in 2021. How-
ever, several businesses said the
ban caused them to lose revenues
from visitors and asked for an-
other vote. In October, residents
again rejected the concept of per-
mitting OHVs in the community.
“To anyone who’s in favor of the
program, please call on me. There
were some people and busi-
nesses who were excited to see
what those results could be. Let’s
talk about it. At a future date, if
there’s a strong sentiment from
the residents or businesses, we’ll
reconsider it. For now, the coun-
cil has made the decision – and I
think [aldermen] Marsha [Enloe]
and Jeff [Aiken] would concur
– that it’s not worthy of further
consideration at
this time.”
“I want to be clear that our
decision was not based on a clear
understanding that it’s not the
right thing to do, one way or the
other,” continued the mayor. “We
just formed a Downtown Devel-
opment Authority and an Urban
Redevelopment Authority. We’re
looking at economic development
around this town. Not everyone
may be on the same page, but
nobody knows if the program
would’ve had a net positive or net
negative. The three of us believed
that it would be positive, and
that’s why we voted that way. We
don’t know. We do know that
further development in Central
Last fall, Fey, Tinucci and
Williams voted to move ahead
to study an OHV pilot program
for 2024, while Enloe and Ai-
Even neighboring Black Hawk
weighed in against the plan
last fall. Mayor David Spellman
warned that his city’s police
would immediately issue
tickets to any OHV that
ventured off Central City
streets into Black Hawk.
Feb. 28, noon. The Febru-
ary book is Brit Bennett’s
The Vanishing Half. The
New York Times bestsell-
ing author of The Mothers
is a stunning novel about
twin sisters, inseparable as
children, who ultimately
choose to live in two very
different worlds, one black
and one white. Copies are
available at the circulation
desk.
Library Director
Saturday Night
Movie: Wonka — Rated
R, 1 hour, 56 minutes,
Saturday, Feb. 17, 5 p.m.
Based on the extraordinary
character at the center of
Charlie and the Chocolate
Factory, Roald Dahl’s most
iconic children’s book and
one of the best-selling
children’s books of all time,
Wonka tells the wondrous
story of how the world’s
greatest inventor, magi-
cian and chocolate-maker
became the beloved Willy
Wonka we know today.
Sam Howard is an award-winning fine
art railroad photographer who combines
incredible Colorado landscapes with the
rich history of mountain railroading.
Viewing his photographs, one can almost
experience the sounds, smells, and beauty
of the treasured West.
Howard photographs all over Colorado,
where steam engines on the narrow gauge
are still king.
His favorite
location is
the Durango
Silverton Nar-
row Gauge
Railroad. He
prefers the
autumn season
when snow
blankets the
high moun-
tain peaks,
enhances the
spectacular en-
vironment, and
complements
the power of
the trains. His
photos trans-
port the viewer
to a time long
gone.
Library Services —
Free Tax Help, Friday,
March 8, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
In partnership with Mile
High United Way and Tax
Help Colorado, Benefits in
Action will once again be
visiting the Gilpin Library
to provide free tax help to
those who earned $64,000
or less last year. This year
will be a one-day tax clinic
in which staff from Ben-
efits in Action will help
residents complete and file
their 2023 tax returns. No
reservations are needed to
attend. Just show up and
bring the required docu-
ments. Please visit www.
gilpinlibrary.org for a list
of documents to bring to
the session.
Family Movie Mati-
nee: Wish — Rated G, 1
hour, 35 minutes, Friday,
Feb. 23, 4:30 p.m. Bring
the kids for free popcorn
and a movie as we watch
a family-friendly film in
the meeting room. Wish is
about a young girl named
Asha who wishes on a star
and gets a more direct
answer than she bargained
for when a trouble-making
star comes down from the
sky to join her.
Lunch Hour Book
Discussion — The Van-
ishing Half, Wednesday,
Courtesy photo
