Contrary to statements in the front-page “Western Beltway” article in the Sept. 19 Golden Transcript, the landmark agreement between the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and Golden specifically guards against any diversion of regional commuter traffic onto our city side streets.

To set the record straight: The May, 2013 agreement CDOT/Golden agreement very clearly states that the existing lanes on U.S. 6 and Highway 93 will not become managed or tolled lanes. There is no doubt about this part of the agreement.

The agreement further provides that U.S. 6 will not be widened to add additional lanes unless and until specific congestion triggers are reached that our traffic studies show would be a t least several decades away.

The potential of diverting traffic on to Golden streets to avoid paying a toll was actually one of the reasons that Golden signed the agreement with CDOT that insures that current free lanes remain free.

It is the CDOT/Golden agreement that controls the future of the U.S.6/Highway 93 corridor in Golden. In fact, it was incorporated in full in the illustrative documents for Jefferson County’s WestConnect study.

We work with the county on many issues and we appreciate the county’s look at larger-scale transportation planning. The city, however, will continue to rely on our community’s resolve and our landmark agreement with CDOT to prevent managing or tolling existing lanes on U.S. 6 and State Highway 93.

Marjorie Sloan

Golden mayor