by CDR Program Manager Daniel Estes

Colorado’s transportation system is at a pivotal moment. With a rapidly growing population, increased demand for recreational access, and the need for sustainable, multimodal solutions, the state’s infrastructure is under pressure like never before. Projections indicate the state’s population could rise to 8 million by 2050 —and in 2022, Denver drivers spent an average of 54 hours in traffic.

The challenge now is how to meet the diverse needs of drivers, cyclists, pedestrians, and transit users while preserving Colorado’s natural beauty and fostering long-term economic growth.

At CDR Associates, we are uniquely positioned to help agencies and communities across the state navigate these challenges. As facilitators, we play a critical role in building consensus among the many voices involved in shaping the future of Colorado. Two of CDR’s current projects underscore the evolving nature of Colorado’s transportation network and the need for ongoing, strategic collaboration: The I-70 Floyd Hill Project and the Jefferson County Clear Creek Trail Master Planning effort (formerly known as the “Peaks to Plains Trail”). 

Floyd Hill—a notorious bottleneck between Evergreen and Idaho Springs—has long been a source of frustration for commuters and travelers alike. With traffic congestion, sharp curves, and limited opportunities for passing, this stretch of road has proven difficult for both drivers and freight carriers, especially during peak travel times. The Floyd Hill Project addresses these issues head-on, aiming to significantly improve traffic flow, safety, and access for all types of travelers, from private vehicle users to cyclists and public transit passengers. 

At CDR Associates, we are proud to be part of this transformative project. Our role focuses on facilitating the Context Sensitive Solutions (CSS) process, a collaborative and inclusive approach designed to ensure that community values, environmental concerns, and transportation needs are all addressed throughout the planning, design, and construction phases. As facilitators of the Technical Teams and Project Leadership Team, we work to ensure that all perspectives are considered, and that solutions are developed in a way that balances the interests of multiple user groups and impacted parties, including drivers, cyclists, pedestrians, environmental advocates, local businesses, and communities along the corridor. 

Similarly, our work on the Clear Creek Trail project (formerly the “Peaks to Plains Trail”) is a testament to CDR’s commitment to enhancing multimodal access across the state. The Clear Creek Trail is an ambitious effort to create a 65-mile route connecting the Colorado Front Range to the Continental Divide, providing both recreational and commuter opportunities for cyclists and pedestrians. The Clear Creek Greenway, part of the mountain segment of the Clear Creek Trail, exemplifies the tangible connection between the Floyd Hill project and the Clear Creek Trail initiative, as both projects are integral to improving connectivity and access in the region. CDR’s role on the Clear Creek Trail has been multifaceted, including supporting strategic planning efforts for a multi-jurisdictional coalition of stakeholders, as well as supporting decision-making related to branding and wayfinding.

As of this writing, several segments of the Floyd Hill project have already commenced with construction, while the most technically complex section, the Central Section, is slated to begin in the coming months. We at CDR look forward to supporting CDOT, the Floyd Hill Project Team, and Clear Creek Trail stakeholders in delivering lasting solutions for Colorado’s transportation future.

by CDR Program Associate Patrick Teese

CDR has long enjoyed strong relationships with mediators and other stakeholders in Sri Lanka, where a well regarded national mediation program supports communities through local challenges. Our team recently worked with local organizations to update the program’s training approach and is proud of our continued role in its further development and expansion.

Our efforts to update and improve existing training materials and approaches built on content from 2009 and 2023 and incorporated insight from the Mediation Training Officers (MTOs) responsible for the hands-on delivery of the training to public mediation program’s newest mediators.

Check out the summary of our latest work:

by CDR Program Manager Laura Hickey

The Colorado Forest Collaboratives Network (CFCN) completed is annual Forest Collaboratives Summit in La Plata County in September. Organized by CFCN Coordinator Katie McGrath Novak and CSU CCC intern Priscila Santos Urteaga, the event focused on “Scaling and Sustaining Local Impact;” speakers and topics highlighted the successes of place-based collaboratives while recognizing the challenges of aligning goals and opportunities across local, regional, state, and national levels—a topic CDR is well acquainted with.

CDR Program Manager Laura Hickey shares how projects, pedagogy, and passion all dovetailed at the event:

Projects

This year, the Colorado Forest Health Council prioritized the creation of a Forest Resilience Planning Guide, an initiative facilitated by CDR. The Forest Health Council serves as a volunteer stakeholder body, providing a collaborative forum to advise the Governor, through the Executive Director of the Department of Natural Resources, and the Colorado General Assembly on various issues, opportunities, and threats facing the state’s forests. The guide will assist local agencies, large landowners, and place-based collaboratives in better coordinating forest management strategies and leveraging resources to mitigate and recover from common disturbances across counties and Tribal nations in Colorado. During the Summit, Laura facilitated three small group discussions focused on how the guide can enhance collaborative capacity and inform state programs and policies. The creation of the Forest Resilience Planning Guide exemplifies the State’s commitment to fostering coordination among local agencies and landowners, enabling them to collaboratively address common disturbances. 

Pedagogy

Day three of the Summit showcased CDR’s legacy of facilitation and conflict management capacity-building. Melissa Bade and Laura Hickey led a half-day training session for participants from academia, government, and non-profit sectors. The training began with reflections on the benefits of collaboration in forest management, allowing participants to share insights about the value of shared learning, nimble implementation, and achieving goals that would be impossible to tackle alone. Ultimately, these experiences underscored the importance of enhancing collaborative capacity, emphasizing how effective teamwork can lead to improved outcomes for Colorado’s forests and the communities that depend on them. By strengthening these skills, stakeholders can navigate conflicts more effectively and foster a more inclusive approach to forest management, ensuring the long-term health and resilience of our vital ecosystems.

Passion

Before joining the CDR team, Laura spent five years researching the relationships between forest ecosystem structure, function, and resilience after various disturbances. At CDR, she has found a natural fit in convening natural resource stakeholders from diverse sectors to navigate the multifaceted issues posed by climate change, wildfires, and ecological threats—all while building collaborative capacity along the way. By harnessing shared knowledge and enhancing teamwork, we can work toward developing comprehensive, tailored resource management solutions that benefit the environment, local economies, and communities alike.