Fraser approved over $775,000 in asphalt paving for three roads on Wednesday in a cost-sharing agreement with Grand County with the hope of completing the projects this year.
Portions of three roads, County Roads 72 and 8, as well as Eisenhower Drive, were identified for asphalt replacement by the town due to failing pavement. Originally, the projects were bid by Grand County with the understanding that the cost would be split based on average daily traffic counts.
However, the traffic count for CR 72 that the county proposed using, which outlined a 20% cost share for the county, took place during the state’s Stay at Home Order, so Town Manager Jeff Durbin suggested a new traffic count be conducted.
“There was nobody open in May is the problem,” Durbin explained.
The Fraser board agreed with Durbin that a new traffic count would be best and Commissioner Rich Cimino, who appeared at the town hall meeting, said the Board of County Commissioners was willing to start a new traffic count as soon as possible.
The town and the county will split the cost of work on CR 8 at 40% and 60% respectively, while the work on Eisenhower drive will be 100% Fraser’s cost.
Fraser’s board also agreed to use the bid Grand County received, which outlines $776,814 for the scope of the three projects. Fraser will contract the work and Grand County will reimburse the town its share.
“We don’t have time to go back and rebid this … and this was a competitive bid,” Durbin said. “The roads are in really bad shape, so we’ve got to do something about them.”
The projects include paving CR 8 from the new bridge to US Highway 40, the intersection of Highway 40 and Eisenhower Drive and CR 72 from Highway 40 to Johns Drive. Durbin said the goal is to get started paving as soon as possible.
In other business:
- The board approved an intergovernmental agreement with Winter Park and Granby on a shared building services, which outlines concurrent building and construction codes across the three towns. Winter Park will be responsible for the shared building agency, which will provide plan review, building permitting, inspection and administrative services to Fraser and Granby at a fee.
- In an effort to increase housing in Fraser, the board approved a minor subdivision of a lot on Ferret Lane. The lot owners, Stephen and Michael Brack (Fraser assistant town manager), outlined a plan to split their lot into two and building a single family home on one lot. Stephen Brack said the second lot may see a duplex or another single family home built, but he only submitted a building plat for the single family home on the first lot, so no plans are final. Neighbors shared concerns about parking for the two lots and the proposed increase in density to their street. However, the board noted that the Bracks’ proposal met or exceeded the town’s requirements for parking, snow storage, lot space and density. It was approved unanimously.