April 23, 2024 |
Photo – Paved walkway – Courtesy Ayres Associates
The company hired to create the Saratoga Transportation Alternatives Master Plan will hold one more public meeting before they present their findings to the town.
Last Year, the Saratoga Planning Commission hired Denver-based OV Consulting to design a plan for new and improved pedestrian access throughout the town. The project is funded through a $200,000 Wyoming Department of Transportation grant.
Since that time, representatives from OV Consulting have been gathering information about the town’s walking infrastructure through tours, in-person meetings, and an online questionnaire.
OV Consulting promised to hold three public forums as part of the Saratoga Transportation Alternatives Master Plan, or STAMP, creation process. Two of the meetings have already occurred: one on September 15th, 2023, and the other on January 17th of this year. Both were sparsely attended, which could be interpreted as a lack of interest in spending tax payer dollars on the issue.
During the April 16th Saratoga town council meeting, Public Works Director Emery Penner asked residents to attend the third, and final, STAMP public forum, on Monday, May 6th. Penner said the Wyoming Department of Transportation is likely to agree to partner with the town on sidewalk improvements along Highway 130.
Penner said WYDOT plans to repave Highway 130 sometime in 2030.
The public works director said the May 6th public forum is not the last step in the process. Data collected during the final meeting will be incorporated into the finished Saratoga Transportation Alternatives Master Plan. Penner said he believes that OV Consulting owner Chris Vogalsang will attend the May 7th town council meeting to present his preliminary findings.
Penner said Vogelsang will take all the information gathered over the past year and present a more complete version of the STAMP at a later planning commission meeting.
OV Consulting has suggested creating a paved walkway from the Hobo Hot Springs across the North Platte River to Veteran’s Island, installing sidewalks along Elm Street from the two schools to the library, and building a sidewalk to Valley Foods, on the south side of town.
