Opinion: America, see how Inclined we are
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- Created on Sunday, 23 January 2011 00:58
- Written by Nathan
Photo by member Bob Kane
By BARRY NOREEN, THE GAZETTE
A community-wide solution to the Manitou Incline is at hand, as early as sometime this spring.
The Incline accommodates an estimated 500,000 hikers and runners a year. Its physical challenge, involving an elevation gain of about 2,000 feet in just under a mile, is not for everyone, but it is truly a wholesome part of our identity. The vision of thousands — from Olympic athletes to graying baby boomers — trudging up that demanding staircase is a great image for the city to have.
January photos from the Incline
The “old” Manitou Incline involved riding in a car up the steep grade so one could get a view. The Pikes Peak Highway and an increase of those willing to hike Barr Trail made the Incline obsolete and it was discontinued.
What remained was a staircase made of railroad ties. Instead of falling into disrepair, the Incline now has more visitors than ever.
Trouble is, they’ve all been trespassing on land owned by the Cog Railway, which in turn is owned by The Broadmoor hotel, and the parking lot at the foot of the route is owned by Colorado Springs Utilities.
Credit is deserved all around. Let’s start with Manitou Springs, whose officials have led a series of public workshops designed to gauge public support for various aspects of the plan. Many Incline visitors have parked along Ruxton Avenue and near the Iron Springs Chateau, and the parking problem is real for Manitou.
Eventually Manitou will settle on fees for the parking. The revenue will be used to maintain the parking lot, as well as Ruxton and Hydro Street, which carry all the traffic going to the Incline.
Some of the money will be spent maintaining Barr Trail and the Incline itself.
The Broadmoor worried that someone would get hurt on the Incline and sue. Because of the agreement, there’s no such liability. Colorado Springs and Manitou soon will ink an intergovernmental agreement.
Later on, the U.S. Forest Service will issue a special use permit and voila — a nettlesome controversy will be resolved.
“It can be a positive thing,” Manitou Planning Director Dan Folke said. “We ought to turn it into an amenity.”
Amen, and if it means there will be no free parking, that’s fine, because the users are the ones who will be paying. There will be no more trespassing, no more legally dubious collection of parking fines by Manitou.
Also credit Colorado Springs Councilman Scott Hente, who ramrodded the issue from the bigger city’s side of the table.
Hente said, “this was so hard to do because of the legal and ownership issues. The Cog has been very supportive.”
Yes, the public-private deal could not have happened without The Broadmoor.
Thus everyone who is so Inclined wins.
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