Prospect Road and Prospect Lane Crossing Improvements

A neighborhood meeting was held at Bennett Elementary School on January 15, 2026. Fourteen residents attended in person or online.

Concerns and questions

• Benefits of the proposed crossing
  • Bikes can cross in one place for both directions.
  • Crossing facilitates using the north side sidewalk over the south sidewalk which is narrow with no buffer.
  • Bus riders using the nearby bus stop will benefit from the crossing.
  • Traffic on Prospect is too fast and should be slowed down, and the proposed crossing could slow traffic.
  • The crossing at Shields is more difficult than this crossing will be because there are turning lanes to cross too. As a parent, this option seems safer.
• Expected users of the crossing
  • Suggestion that the Whitcomb crossing be improved instead of adding a new crossing at Prospect Lane, because Whitcomb connects directly to Meridian. From this location, access to campus is circuitous.
    • Response: This isn’t just for campus access. Several options were considered. The Whitcomb and Shields crossings are further apart than our guidelines recommend for crossing spacing. The crossing at Shields is uncomfortable for people accessing Bennett Elementary.
  • Kids ride the bus to Bennett Elementary School so they don’t walk.
    • Response: We want them to have the opportunity to travel how they want to go.
  • Who will use this crossing to access Spring Creek Trail?
    • Response: Residents in housing on the north side of Prospect accessing Spring Creek Trail. Travelers on Spring Creek Trail may find this crossing more direct than going further east to go west.
• Pedestrian and bicyclist safety
  • Drivers drive very fast through even when there are blinking red lights such as Prospect and Heatheridge.
    • Response: The proposed half signal has full red, no blinking phase. City staff will looking into phasing changes to the signal at Prospect and Heatheridge to have a solid red during the flashing hand.
  • This crossing will encourage people to walk on insufficiently maintained sidewalks (snow and ice in winter).
    • Response: Streets does additional clearing at crossings to provide access to push buttons.
  • Bicyclists on Prospect Lane won’t have dedicated space.
    • Response: Very low traffic streets are comfortably shared between bikes and motor vehicles.
  • How can bicyclists be taught how to use the facility safely? Do incoming CSU students get educated on safe bicycling?
    • Response: Safe Routes to School and guided rides will be done in this area. CSU hosts We Ride tours with incoming students, Rams Ride Right volunteers stop people and educate them on safe riding behavior.
  • Drivers will not comply with right-turn-out only restriction.
    • Response: The critical time is when people are walking and biking in the crossing.
• Noise, pollution, and nuisance
  • The crossing will exacerbate problems associated with CSU events such as intoxicated pedestrians. Request for more police presence.
  • The crossing will slow traffic which will increase traffic congestion which will increase pollution in the neighborhood. Does the City monitor air quality?
    • Response: We will look into that.
  • Drivers park in Spring Creek Trail parking area and park illegally on the trail.
• Impacts of the crossing on drivers
  • Concern about frequency of stops on Prospect Road.
  • Restricting turn movements could impede access for the residents on the corner of Prospect Road and Prospect Lane.
    • Response: There are similar configurations at other intersections that work.
  • Drivers need to turn left to get into the neighborhood.
    • Response: There were 14 left turns total during both peak hours of traffic counts. Whitcomb and Shields should be able handle that volume of turning movements.

Additional questions

• How are projects chosen? When are decisions made? Why haven’t recommendations from the subarea plan that was a section of the West Central Area Plan been implemented?
  • Response: During planning processes, with additional opportunities for feedback during implementation. Recommendations from the West Central Area Plan have not been funded.
• Can the south sidewalk be improved?
  • The south sidewalk is an identified need. Our Pedestrian program doesn’t have sufficient funding for a project that large.
• Complaint: Abandoned irrigation equipment NW corner of 1601 Sheely Dr.
  • Response: Staff will look into this.