Re: \u201cFixing Federal<\/a>,\u201d Jan. 18 news story and \u201c$806M highway expansion proposed to fix chokepoint<\/a>,\u201d Jan. 19 news story<\/p>\n After reading Sunday\u2019s article on CDOT\u2019s Federal Boulevard plan, and Monday\u2019s article on Interstate 270, I had to laugh at the irony of the reality we are all living with. I am a lifelong resident of north Denver. Former Mayor Federico Pe\u00f1a imagined a \u201cGreat City.\u201d He got the people, he got the airport, he got the businesses, we got the taxes and we got the congestion. No one thought to build highways or major arterial streets to get people from point A to point B.<\/p>\n I have traveled to many large cities (Chicago, San Diego, L.A.) where there are not only multiple highways, but also large arterial streets such as Santa Fe Drive (from I-25 south) to help take the burden off the more congested streets that run through residential neighborhoods (Federal Boulevard, Sheridan Boulevard, Wadsworth Boulevard, etc.)<\/p>\n The Denver area has this Pollyannaish dream that every person will bike or walk to their destination. Look around you, CDOT. People drive more now than ever, and there are more people than ever. Denver does not have the transportation infrastructure to support the people. The horse left the barn a couple of decades ago. Now CDOT\u2019s answer is to make Federal Boulevard \u201cslimmer\u201d and fix the small piece of highway that exists in 270. The I-70 \u201cfix\u201d proved that the congestion is here to stay. You can only put 5 gallons of stuff in a 5-gallon bucket. Denver\u2019s bucket is overflowing and has been for years.<\/p>\n Don Gonzales, Denver<\/em><\/p>\n Re: \u201cShifting Alameda plans create PR nightmare for Johnston<\/a>,\u201d Jan. 19 news story<\/p>\n On the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI) website, it says safety is a top priority. The initial Alameda redesign with one lane of traffic in each direction plus a turn lane, for three lanes total, gave priority to safety. The new design retains four lanes of traffic, two in each direction with turn pockets. It stretches the imagination to think that this will be just as safe.<\/p>\n I have attended neighborhood meetings, and it appears unanimous that residents prefer the original, three-lane plan. I find it hard to accept Mayor Mike Johnston\u2019s insistence that some voices don\u2019t matter more than others. Changing a well-vetted design at the last minute speaks louder than words.<\/p>\n Bob Walker, Denver<\/em><\/p>\n Re: \u201cState Democrats aim for major TABOR change as session opens<\/a>,\u201d Jan. 15 news story and \u201cCity reckons with ruling, faces $42M fiscal hole<\/a>,\u201d Jan. 19 news story<\/p>\n Once again, the politicians start their year off with another try at getting rid of TABOR. What happened to Lakewood last week is a perfect example of why TABOR needs to stay in force. The state politicians have nickel-and-dimed TABOR for years. Chipping away at it, reclassifying what they call their tax increases, to other than a tax increase(i.e., a fee).<\/p>\n They just don\u2019t get it. The checks are not why people keep voting to keep TABOR, it is the restraint that it imposes on them. The checks are a byproduct. There has never been a politician who won\u2019t spend every one of our dollars that they can get their hands on. TABOR is our last line of defense.<\/p>\nChipping away at TABOR: Different legislative year, same goal<\/h4>\n