DENVER-
Lawmakers on Thursday killed the latest bill dealing with a proposed private toll road on the Eastern Plains after residents said it didn’t do enough to protect their rights.
This is the third year residents have been lobbying on legislation related to the 210-mile road that developer Ray Wells wants to build from north of Fort Collins to south of Pueblo. They vowed to return to the Capitol again but it’s not clear yet what they’ll be asking for to solve the latest problem.
This year, their main concern was that area property values were falling because of disclaimers Wells’ Prairie Falcon Parkway Express had sent out declaring that their property was within the 3-mile corridor where the road would be built.
Those notices were required by a bill passed last year, and supported by many residents, to establish more guidelines for how private toll roads are built. This year’s revised bill would have voided the notices sent out to residents, but would have prevented people from being able to sue claiming that the filings hurt their property values.
Karen Shipper of Elbert County said no one should be asked to give up their right to sue. Because of last year’s bill, she fears that nothing can be done to force Wells to either build the road or abandon the plans and clear the cloud over people’s properties.
“They can basically squat on their term in perpetuity,” said Shipper, who lives within the 3-mile corridor. It was narrowed from 12 miles by last year’s bill.
Robert Thomasson, a road opponent whose property is no longer in the proposed corridor, said last year’s bill still prevents the road from being built until Wells can prove to the state that it’s needed and passes environmental studies.
“It’s not a slam dunk,” he said.
With the state strapped for money for new roads, Thomasson said road opponents can’t argue against all toll roads but they can raise concerns that specific ones don’t meet the state’s needs.
