Time Machine: 30 years ago, Vail ponders a new, more European alternative to the four-way stop
20 years ago
July 17, 2003
The 1,232-acre Dotsero Crater Fire was declared under control by firefighters, the Vail Daily reported.
A prescribed burn that occurred in the late 1980s was credited with helping to suppress the blaze, the Daily reported.
“At the time of the prescribed burn, the vegetation in the area was a mix of pinon, juniper and sagebrush,” the Daily reported. “The objective of the prescribed fire was twofold: to improve the forage conditions for livestock and wildlife; and to improve the watershed, the release said. The burned-out area, however, had come back as grass and forks. Indeed, it reduced fire behavior.”
30 years ago
July 20, 1993
The Vail Town Council heard a proposal to replace the four-way stops at the Main Vail and West Vail interchanges with modern roundabouts.
Quoting transportation engineer Leif Ourston, the Vail Trail on July 23, 1993, reported that the proposal could increase traffic flow through the intersections while reducing accidents.
Support Local Journalism
“They’re small and they are slow,” Ourston said of roundabouts. “That’s why they succeed. And even if you do have an accident the cars are only doing 8 mph, so there is little damage.”
Ourston cited statistics from foreign nations who have adopted the roundabouts, saying that accidents have decreased by as much as 75 percent where roundabouts have been installed in France, the Trail reported.
40 years ago
July 22, 1983
Supporters of an effort to change the name of the town of Avon to Beaver Creek said the controversial proposal won’t be on the ballot until the town’s general election in May 1984, at the earliest, the Vail Trail reported.
The push for a name change lost momentum at a Town Council work session in June when opponents showed up to protest the idea, the Trail reported.
“Most of the council members appeared to either oppose the name change or refrain from any action until a petition was presented,” the Trail reported. “The proposal created a stir locally and attracted publicity from the Denver media when it was brought at a May work session”
Vail Associates “strongly opposed” the name change, the Trail reported, and so did Avon’s mayor, Allen Nottingham.
50 years ago
July 20, 1973
The July 8 rescue of a 17-year-old hiker on Mout of the Holy Cross was heralded as an “extraordinary performance,” the Vail Trail reported.
A member of the eight-person party from the Colorado Mountain Club of Denver reported that Richard E. Boss and Ronald J. Dillon had fallen while descending the chute of the cross, and Boss had been buried and killed while Dillon, 17, was left stranded on the mountain.
A member of the rescue party was lowered from a helicopter onto the rock face of the snow field where Dillon was lying, injured, the Trail reported. Dillon was loaded onto the helicopter and transported to Vail Valley Medical Center while another member of the rescue party searched for Boss’ body. The body was later found and lowered by rope down the mountain and the helicopter returned and removed his body.
60 years ago
July 19-20
The third-annual Eagle Flight Days festival took place in Eagle, featuring a parade, barbecue, dance, and the Little Britches Rodeo presented by the Eagle Chamber of Commerce.
The parade was set to assemble at City Park, the Eagle Valley Enterprise reported on July 11, 1963, with an excess of 20 entries including a yoke of oxen, borrowed from Jack Oleson of Minturn, and a 1917 Model T Ford entered by Mr. and Mrs. J.A. Skiles of Burns.
Mike Osif of M & B Photo in Glenwood covered the Little Britches Rodeo and Flight Days parade and celebration and put his pictures on display in the window of the Eagle Leather Shop, the Eagle Valley Enterprise reported on July 25, 1963.
Shortly after Saturday’s rodeo, the moon partially eclipsed the sun at about 2:20 p.m., and the Eagle Valley Enterprise warned people not to look directly into the sun during the eclipse.
“Ordinary sunglasses or smoked glass do not provide sufficient protection against permanent damage to the eye caused by infrared rays of the sun,” the Enterprise reported.
