What’s old is new again, as U.S. 36 — known affectionately to many old-timers as the Denver-Boulder Turnpike — preps for its next phase. Like it did once before, the highway will include some tolling. Earlier this week, the Colorado Department of Transportation selected a contractor to begin the first phase of a makeover of the highway, which will run from Federal Boulevard to 88th Street in Louisville. Among other things, the $311 million project calls for widening the highway to add express lanes in each direction for buses and high-occupancy vehicles (they would be tolled for single-occupant cars). A second phase will extend the new features to Boulder. In an era of spotty government funding for transportation projects, this is an outstanding example of public-private partnerships and the regional cooperation that’s necessary to get them moving.
Lessons from Columbine. Every one of the echoes of the Columbine High School tragedy leaves a mark on the psyche — the Virginia Tech massacre, the Platte Canyon High School hostage situation, and now the Ohio school shootings. One observation in the latest horror is that the people of Chardon, Ohio, were prepared. And the lessons they had absorbed had their roots in the 1999 Columbine shootings. The students and teachers of Chardon had practiced lockdown drills and other procedures that may have kept the shooting from being worse. There is small solace in that.
Hickenblooper. While introducing Lt. Gov. Joe Garcia to a group of school children this week, Democratic Gov. John Hickenlooper called Garcia a “sex star.” As it turns out, “sex symbol” + “rock star” = “oops.” Next time, we’d suggest that the governor simply think of Snoopy, and go with “Joe Cool” in making the intro.
Short Takes is compiled by Denver Post editorial writers and expresses the view of the newspaper’s editorial board.
