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Estes Park Awarded Grant to Help Cut Traffic, Improve Air Quality

Bradley Gordon
/
Creative Commons

The town of Estes Park is getting some help from the U.S. Department of Transportation to help ease traffic congestion for visitors to Rocky Mountain National Park.

Colorado Senator Michael Bennet announced a $3 million grant to design and build a new transportation hub at the Estes Park Visitor Center.

Estes Park Mayor Bill Pinkham says the award will make visiting Rocky Mountain National Park an even better experience for tourists.

“One of the purposes of this grant is to improve parking and reduce congestion; and also to help reduce emissions, because - as you know - we get literally millions of visitors up here every year. So from that standpoint it’ll be a big help.”

The project will add about 300 additional parking spaces, and will encourage visitors and residents to use the shuttle system to reach downtown and access the park.

Choosing a design for the hub is one of the next steps, and Pinkham says they will solicit the public’s input as they proceed. A timeline for the project hasn’t been announced yet.

As the host of KUNC’s new program and podcast In the NoCo, I work closely with our producers and reporters to bring context and diverse perspectives to the important issues of the day. Northern Colorado is such a diverse and growing region, brimming with history, culture, music, education, civic engagement, and amazing outdoor recreation. I love finding the stories and voices that reflect what makes NoCo such an extraordinary place to live.
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