** Special Notice Regarding the Highway 133 Culvert Washout **

(Last Updated 6/1/23 at 7:00 am)

Chamber's Current Best Estimated Date of Highway 133 Repair: June 15 to June 29 (still to early to know for sure)

Update 6/1/2023 at 7:00am from Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade:

We have 120 days from the start of the closure (May 2) in which to conduct the surveys, compile results, and if the results meet the SBA EIDL criteria, then forward to the Governor’s Office. He would then declare an economic disaster to the SBA. We have set an internal deadline of June 16 to collect any surveys, to enable that the rest of the process fits within the 120 day timeline.

Here is the link to the survey: https://forms.gle/vtGu2Q4QYNGak5J47
 
Below are some key details about the form:

• Filling out this form is NOT a guarantee of funding assistance.
• Filling out this form is NOT a completion of an application for an SBA EIDL Loan. 
• There is a process for the Economic Injury Disaster Loans to become open and available, this is the first step in collecting information. There are several other internal State steps to complete before EIDL Loans could be available. 
• This form is for finding out the number of businesses impacted and experiencing economic losses due to this incident.
• This form is for finding out how many businesses might be interested in applying for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan. 
• The SBA Economic Injury Program is a low-interest loan for businesses within an SBA-declared disaster area, and NOT grant assistance.
• For more information on SBA Economic Injury, visit their website - HERE. 
• Agriculture businesses are NOT eligible for EIDL Loans (ex: wineries, ranchers, crop growers). We recommend they reach out to Farm Services Agency, CSU Extension Agent and/or USDA in your area.
• The incident start date is May 2, 2023.

I would be happy to jump on a call with you or anyone else in the area to go through the process and answer any questions you may have.

Cheers and thinking of you all during this run off season,
Wendy & Kat

Wendy Stewart Martinez

Southern Rural Opportunity Representative
Remote Worker
Pronouns: She/Her/Her

Update 5/30/2023 at 11:30am from CDOT.  Here is a 5/26/2023 update from an email from the CDOT Communications Manager Elise Thatcher.  

Traffic Impacts week of May 30-June 2 

Drone image captured by the CDOT survey team of the CO 133 roadway failure

• Engineering crews continue work on the engineering of the temporary bridge. The image above is drone footage captured by the CDOT survey team of the Colorado Highway 133 roadway failure. 

• Contractor partner, R.L. Wadsworth, is the same contractor that built the Gunnison River bridge on Colorado Highway 92 between Delta and Hotchkiss last year. The temporary bridge for CO 133 will be assembled with 18 truckloads of parts that are sourced from locations nationwide.

• Bridge parts are anticipated to arrive the first week of June. CDOT continues to negotiate details and the schedule with contractor partner, R.L. Wadsworth, with the goal of having work completed as soon as possible. The temporary bridge will allow CO 133 to reopen to motorists.

• CDOT will continue the free shuttle service on Tuesday, May 30 following the Memorial Day holiday weekend. The shuttle service will run Tuesday, May 30- Friday, June 2 next week. Schedule times are departure from Paonia at 5 a.m., 6 a.m. and 7 a.m. Shuttles will depart Carbondale at 5:30 p.m., 6:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. The Paonia pick up location is at Paonia Town Park. The Carbondale drop-off and pick-up location is at the RFTA Carbondale Park & Ride. CDOT will continue to evaluate the shuttle service schedule and whether changes are needed for the service to be useful for commuters. An updated schedule will be shared in time for the week of June 5.

https://www.kvnf.org/show/rain-shine/2023-05-25/rain-shine-cdot-update-on-highway-133

• Anticipated Travel Impacts

• Once the temporary bridge is in place and CO 133 is safely reopened for the traveling public, there will be a lowered speed limit of 40 mph. Commercial motor vehicle traffic will be restricted to 85,000 lbs and 11-foot width.  (Chamber added the emphasis)

CDOT Free Shuttle Service Schedule

Beginning Wednesday, May 24, CDOT will run three free shuttles, Monday-Friday, to assist commuters needing transportation from the North Fork Valley to the Roaring Fork Valley. The Paonia pick up location is at Paonia Town Park. The Carbondale drop-off and pick-up location is at the RFTA Carbondale Park & Ride. Shuttle service will not run on Monday, May 29 in observance of the Memorial Day holiday. The free shuttle service is available due to the road damage and safety closure on Colorado Highway 133 north of Paonia.

Schedule times are below for Wednesday, May 24-Friday, May 26 and Tuesday, May 30-June 2. An updated schedule will be shared in time for the week of June 5.

Want to know some of the parties involved in the Highway 133 Culvert Repair?

• Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT)

• Ralph L. Wadsworth Construction out of Utah and Fredrick, Colorado.

• County Commissioners of Delta, Gunnison, and Pitkin Counties

• Delta County Commissioner Wendell Koontz of District 3 which houses the North Fork Valley

• Emergency Services of Delta, Gunnison, and Pitkin Counties

• Rep. Marc Catlin, R-Montrose

• Delta County Livestock Association

• Town of Paonia and Mayor Mary Bachran

• North Fork Valley Creative Coalition

• Valley Organic Growers Association

• KNFV, DC Independent, High Country Spotlight, Colorado Sun, and other area newsparpers in Montrose, Pitkin, and Gunnision counties are covering the repair as well as the economic impact to North Fork Valley ranchers, farmers, hotels, restaurants, etc.

• The North Fork Valley Chamber of Commerce continues to monitor the situation on behalf of our Members, many or whom are being impacted.

Hwy 133 Update 5/26/23 at 5:00pm: 

kstewart@deltacountyco.gov Direct: 970.874.2004 | Work Cell: 970.712.3605 

DeltaCountyCO.gov/EM | Facebook.com/DeltaCountyOEM

The Chamber applauds the efforts of the Town of Paonia / Mayor Bachran, The North Fork Valley Creative Coalition, VOGA and others, who are mounting a letter/email campaign to reduce the time for re-opening the highway.  Here is the Creative Coalition's link to send a letter. The Chamber's position is that CDOT is making best efforts to reopen Highway 133 as quickly as possible given the safety contraints required.

CDOT appears to have made the 133 repair its highest priority and the shortest path to a mostly full reopenning is underway and could occur between June 15 to June 29. 

The Chamber conservatively estimates a drop of 20% to 30% in revenue to North Fork Valley businesses in total while Hwy 133 is closed.  The Chamber notes that some businesses that rely on 133 traffic or travel it to deliver product to Glenwood Springs, Aspen, Carbondale, and I-70 / front range customers may see beyond a 50% reduction in revenue while the highway is closed.  See Delta County Emergency Services Kris Stewart's information below for SBA Loans due to the closure.

This washout will have a significant economic impact on the North Fork Valley until it is repaired.

The North Fork Valley Chamber of Commerce, a dba company of the Hotchkiss Chamber actively maintains this website with the last update on June 1, 2023.

This site is to communicate with our Chamber Members. This site is NOT a Tourism Site.
Please visit the Chamber's Newly Revised Tourism Site at NorthForkValley.net

• The Chamber is pleased to announced that 2023 Membership Renewals and New Membership revenue has exceeded the approximate $5,000 received in 2022.  The Chamber expects to exceed 2022 revenue by 15% to 30%. 
   
• The Chamber has implemented a COVID and Other Recovery Initative (CORI) that provides temporary Newsletter and NorthForkValley.net listing status to North Fork Valley Businesses that were previously Crawford and Paonia Chamber of Commerce Members.
   
• The Chamber will be granting temporary web and newsletter Limited Listing Status to North Fork Valley Businesses that are 2023 Members of Delta Area Chamber of Commerce, the North Fork Valley Creative Coaltion, VOGA, West Elks EVA, The Learning Council, Western Slope Slow Foods, Western Slope Conservation Center, Kids Pasta Project, and others. The temporary Limited Listing Status will run at least until the end of July.  Chamber Members will continue to enjoy Full Detailed Listing Status.
     
• Motions passed at the May 18, 2023 Regular Meeting:

1. ​The Chamber voted to continue the weekly eNewsletter at a contracted cost of $65 per newsletter consistent with the 2022 newsletter editor fees.  
2. The Chamber voted to create a Chamber After Hours Meet & Greet standing committee with Board Director Alex Lidget Lammers as the Chairperson of the Committee.  A $250 budget for the first event was set with speaker and location to be determined.

• "Keep making downtown looking nice."
• "Focusing on merging the 3 NFV Valley Chambers."
• "Networking Events!"
• "Coalescing under a unified Chamber representing the North Fork Valley."
• "Move forward on building a substainable Valley-wide Chamber with Hotchkiss wing or foundation."
• "Continue core day to day efforts."
• "Combine Hotchkiss-Crawford-Paonia into a North Fork Chamber."
• "Focus on promoting new business - restaurants in Hotchkiss & area."
• "Focus on Hotchkiss, not the other towns!"
• "Supporting its Local Business getting their name out."
• "Beautifying Main Street."
• "Promote the NFV and help business thrive." 

Handy Links to this site's pages and the Chamber's NorthForkValley.net Tourism Site.

• Quick Links to the North Fork Valley Chamber's Members (work in progress)
• May 2023 North Fork Valley Event List (On the NorthForkValley.net website)
• Latest and previous North Fork Events Newsletter (On the NorthForkValley.net website)
• Subscribe to the North Fork Events Newsletter
• North Fork Valley Chamber / Hotchkiss Chamber In the News

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