2021

CLEAR CREEK MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

Final Report October 2021

P a g e | 2

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 3

RECAP OF THE 2021 SUMMER SEASON ………………………………………………………………………………….. 3

Economy ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 4

Public Health Restrictions ……………………………………………………………………………………………… 4

Weather.……………………………………………………………………………………………………….………………. 4

City Expenses Related to Clear Creek Management..………………………………………………………. 4

SAFETY AND WATER MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES …………………………………………………………………… 5

Water Safety ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 5

Water Rescue Operations …………………………………………………………………………………………….… 7

Safety Equipment ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 8

CLEAR CREEK TRAIL MANAGEMENT ……………………………………………………………………………………….. 10

PARKING & TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT …………………………………………………………………………………….. 10

COMMUNICATIONS & MARKETING ………………………………………………………………………………………. 11

BEHAVIORAL RULES AND ENFORCEMENT ……………………………………………………………………………... 12

Enforcement ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 12

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT …………………………………………………………………………………………. 13

CLEAR CREEK SURVEY FEEDBACK …………………………………………………………………………………………… 14

STRATEGIES FOR FUTURE CONSIDERATION …………………………………………………………………………… 15

APPENDIX A ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 18

P a g e | 3

This Report is intended to recap the City’s efforts related to management of the Clear Creek corridor

for the 2021 summer tourism season as well as summarize observations and data collected

throughout the summer by City staff.

This report follows the 2021 Clear Creek Management Strategies: Mid-Summer Report issued on July

26, 2021. That report should be referenced for discussion of the specific strategies identified for

implementation in 2021. In summarizing the entire summer season, this report will offer narrative,

observations, and data, collected throughout the season that reflect on the effectiveness of the

various strategies. It will also provide recommendations on additional areas for review prior to the

2022 summer tourism season.

OVERALL RECAP OF THE 2021 SUMMER SEASON

Following on the heels of a strong first half, the 2021 summer tourism season has turned out to be

one of the busiest in recent memory. A rebounding and robust local economy, the loosing of COVID-

19 public health restrictions, and ideal summer weather, have all contributing to a strong tourism

season in Golden.

Introduction

P a g e | 4

ECONOMY1

The local Golden economy has quickly bounced back from the downturn associated with the COVID-

19 pandemic. The most recent sales tax revenue reports (August collections) indicate a strong local

economy, including in downtown Golden.

Overall, sales tax revenue is up 30.8% for the month when compared to 2020. Compared to the same

month in 2019 (pre-pandemic), sales tax is up 12.6%. Downtown Golden sales tax revenues are up

42.6% compared to 2020 and up 10.3% compared to 2019.

In those sectors that are strongly influenced by travel and tourism, sales tax revenue has gained

impressively. Revenue associated with general merchandise is up 29.3%. Sales tax associated with

restaurants is up 51.99%. Revenue attributable to accommodations is up 84.4%.

PUBLIC HEALTH RESTRICTIONS

The Jefferson County Public Health Department (JCPH) loosened mask and public gathering

restrictions in May as JCPH entered level “Clear” on the COVID-19 public health guidelines dial,

essentially a situational monitoring stage lasting throughout the summer season. Locally, the City of

Golden lifted its Declaration of Local Emergency in June. Throughout the summer, as increasing

number of individuals received vaccinations against COVID-19, the public at large seemingly grew

more comfortable with gathering in groups and going about their lives in a more normal fashion.

IDEAL WEATHER FOR OUTDOOR RECREATION

Summer 2021 was a relatively hot and dry season, which contributed to individuals seeking outdoor

recreation opportunities, including those that allowed for relief from the heat.

From a weather perspective, in the 99 days

between Memorial Day (May 31) and Labor

Day (Sept 6), a total of 75 days (75.8%)

recorded a temperature of 85 degrees or

higher; 55 days (55.6%) have had a high

temperature of 90 degrees or more, and 6

days (6.1%) saw highs of 100 degrees or

more.2 Generally, warm temperatures fell on

weekends throughout the summer when activity is at its busiest levels.

CITY EXPENSES RELATED TO CREEK MANAGEMENT

Historically, City expenses related to Clear Creek management activities are dispersed throughout the

City’s general fund budget, spanning multiple different departments. While those expenses have

been minimal over the years, they have grown commensurate with the increase in resources needed

to manage growing activity in the corridor.

1 August 2021 City of Golden Monthly Sales Tax Report 2 Data as reported from the metro area’s official weather observation site at Denver International Airport via Weather.com.

Source: 9news.com

Warmest Summers on Record in Denver

Average Temperature Year

1 76.3 2012

2 75.0 2020

3 74.6 2021

4 74.5 2006

5 74.5 1934

P a g e | 5

During 2021, the City initiated several new or enhanced efforts in an attempt to address key issues

related to recreational and visitor impact in the Clear Creek corridor. As noted above, these efforts

do not come without a cost, however.

The table below summarizes direct costs (e.g. labor and equipment) deployed during 2021 that were

dedicated to Clear Creek management. The summary below does not include staff time of various

senior management personnel that was spent on planning, directing, reviewing, and organizing the

implementation of the various activities related to the City’s efforts. In 2021, the City spent a total of

$348,021 on creek management activities.

2021 Activity

One-time Capital Cost

Operational Costs

Technology

Analytics Project Implementation $236,500

Police Department

Patrols (Officers, Rangers, Code Enforcement) $78,149

Equipment (Message boards, E-bikes, etc.) $11,965

Public Works

Pavement Markings $1,802

Traffic Control (9th Street) $526

Parks & Recreation

Ambassador Program $9,514

Maintenance (trash, restrooms, repairs, etc.) $7,942

Fire Department

Monitoring Activity $1,413

Rescue Operations $210

TOTAL $238,302 $109,719

SAFETY AND WATER MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

WATER SAFETY

Perhaps one of the biggest changes related to safety made in 2021 was the implementation of a flag

warning system related to water conditions in the creek. This system was implemented based on 1)

the Clear Creek Working Group’s discussion; 2) previous experience in performing swift water

rescues; and 3) consistency with Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office safety measures, which govern in

unincorporated areas of Clear Creek just west of Golden city limits.

P a g e | 6

Flags are displayed based on flow conditions (feet3/second) as follows:

Double Red (Complete Closure to all Users) is based on unsafe conditions as a result of flow, debris

in water, water temperature, contaminants, and other emergency and public safety factors. This

condition is declared at the discretion of the Chief of Police.

Large flags and the warning system signs are displayed at the following

locations: Ford Street bridge, Washington Avenue bridge, Billy Drew

Bridge (Illinois St), Pedestrian Bridge at 6th Avenue, and the creek beach

area. Additional signs were added in the corridor in July to add to the

overall visibility of the system.

The flag warning system has generally been received well by the general

public. Both Park Rangers and Creek Ambassadors report positive

interactions with members of the public regarding this new warning

system and there is a greater awareness of safety related to water

conditions.

The Golden Police Chief is responsible for declaring the conditions under which the creek operates3.

During the 99-day summer season, Clear Creek operated under Level Red for 23 days until June 23rd,

at which time water flows dropped consistently below 900 CFS. Level Yellow was in place from June

23rd to July 13 and then again on August 4th and 5th, for a total of 22 days. Level Green totaled 54

days.

3 As a practical matter, the warning flag system is not changed from Red to Yellow, for example, at the first flow dip

below 900 CFS. Instead, the flow rate must consistently be below 900 CFS for the level to move from Red to Yellow.

Since the CFS flow in the creek typically ebbs and flows on a daily basis, especially early in the season, when the

change is made from Red to Yellow, the actual flow rate is likely to be fluctuating somewhere between 700 CFS and

900 CFS throughout the day.

WARNING SYSTEM Water Flow (Ft.3/Sec.)

Warning Color

0-299 Green

300-899 Yellow

900+ Red

Flag system installed at Washington Avenue bridge

P a g e | 7

Commercial tube rental operations began in earnest on June 19th and continued for the duration of

the summer season (indicated by bold dates), totaling 80 days. Daily water safety conditions during

summer 2021 were as follows:

23 out of 99 days (23.2%)

22 out of 99 days (22.2%)

54 out of 99 days (54.5%)

WATER RESCUE OPERATIONS

The Golden Fire Department is the primary agency responsible for conducting water rescues within

Clear Creek. To better understand the effect that this warning system has on the safety of Clear Creek

users and swift water rescue operations, in 2021, the Golden Fire Department began tracking creek

conditions at the time rescue operations take place.

During the 2021 summer season, a total of six rescue operations were performed along the creek

within the municipal boundaries of Golden. Details of these rescues are as follows:

GFD RESCUE OPERATIONS IN CLEAR CREEK

Date Time of

Day Location CFS

Flag Color

Comment

June 5 11:38 am Near ball fields 700 Adult flipped tube and reported missing. Later found walking creek path.

June 5 2:08 pm Near Dam on Clear Creek

670 Child in water; reported went over dam. Child found safe.

June 20 4:59 pm Near Gold Apartments

549 Adult reported stuck on river after leaving shoreline. Person self rescued & GFD was cleared.

June 22 12:41 pm Near RV Park 504 Adult flipped inner tube and stranded on shore; made verbal contact with Park Rngr; GFD assisted extrication with ropes.

July 9 12:04 pm Near Vanover park

305 GFD made contact with tubers on land and escorted them for medical evaluation. No injuries.

August 6 3:17 pm 1300 10th Street (near whitewater park)

216

Male child (age 10) reported floating face down in creek. Bystanders pulled child out of water to safety. Child was breathing and alert when GFD arrived on scene. Parent refused add’l medical attention.

Source: Golden Fire Department

P a g e | 8

While the majority of creek rescues (4 out of 6) in 2021 occurred while the warning system was at

Level Red, rescues were still performed during Level Yellow and even Level Green, indicating that the

water can be inherently dangerous at any condition, especially for younger individuals. It should also

be noted that, in addition to emergency rescue operations performed by the Fire Department, Golden

Park Rangers have documented 62 instances of assisting individuals related to water safety or water

rescues.

SAFETY EQUIPMENT

Personal flotation devices (commonly known as PFD) and personal protective equipment (PPE) for

water recreation typically come in the form of life vests, inflatable arm bands, and helmets. Prior to

the start of the summer season, there was significant discussion amongst the Clear Creek Working

Group whether PFD/PPE should be mandated or required. Ultimately, the Chiefs of Golden’s public

safety departments determined that such devices should be encouraged and highly recommended,

but not mandated.

From July 29th through September 6th, City staff collected information and data related to tubers in

the creek and the level of PFD/PPE worn by tubers in the water. A total of 21 observation days were

recorded in 30-minute intervals and data collected by City staff that included day/time, total tubers,

tubers with PFD/PPE, temperature, and water flow. As data was collected, City staff observed

individuals typically in one of the following states:

▪ Not wearing or carrying any visible PFD/PPE

▪ Carrying, but not properly wearing, visible PFD/PPE

▪ Wearing some for form or combination of PFD/PPE

For purposes of data collection, individuals were identified as either wearing PFD/PPE (any form), not

wearing PFD/PPE, or improperly carrying PFD/PPE (e.g. attaching a life jacket to the inner tube).

Data recorded during the 21 observation days is summarized in the table below:

TUBER PFD/ PPE OBSERVATIONS

Golden Temp

DIA Temp

Creek CFS

Total Tubers

Tubers with PFD

Tubers w/o PFD

Tubers with

improper PFD

Percentage of PFD

compliance

Average 81F 85F 120 154 34 120 1 31%

Ranges of each data point:

High 90F 96F 285 321 91 264 5 92%

Low 72F 74F 96 25 4 2 0 6%

P a g e | 9

City staff analyzed the data to determine if relationships exist that could inform future policy direction

regarding tuber safety and the overall use of the creek by tubers in general. It is worth noting that

human behavior is difficult to statistically predict and the confidence of our conclusions is somewhat

limited by the sample size. Nevertheless, based on the data collected and City staff observations over

the 21 days, it is reasonable to conclude:

▪ A positive relationship exists between higher temperatures and the number of tubers

regardless of the day of the week. While that seems intuitive, it is interesting that there

appears to be a stronger relationship based on the temperatures at Denver International

Airport than those in Golden (Golden is generally recognized to be slightly cooler than the

rest of the metro area). This would support the notion that higher temperatures in Denver

drive people to seek relief at higher elevations near the foothills and, in particular, Clear

Creek.

▪ No confident relationship exists between the rate of water flow (CFS) and the number of

tubers wearing PFD. The water rate decreased as the season went on, yet the use of PFD by

tubers did not either increase or decrease with changes in the flow rate.

▪ A negative relationship exists between the total number of tubers and the PFD usage. As the

number of tubers on the creek increases, the percentage of those users wearing PFD falls.

PFD compliance was generally higher on weekdays than weekend which is when use of the

creek was lower.

▪ Total volume of tubers using Clear Creek has historically been captured by observation and

estimate which tended to vary greatly depending on who was being asked and their

perception of what constitutes “busy” or “crowded.” The data collected during the height of

the tubing season establishes a baseline average rate of tubers using the creek at 154 in 30

minutes or, expressed differently, 308 tubers per hour or 5.1 tubers per minute. This of

course does not capture all of the activity along the banks of the creek or on the trails adjacent

to the creek. The highest rate observed was 642 per hour (10.7/minute); with the lowest

being 50 per hour (0.8 per minute).

▪ Another point of general debate has been the degree to which tubers wear PFD/PPE. Again,

this historically was captured by observation and, depending on the observer, often relayed

as “nobody wears a life vest” or “everybody was wearing a life vest” or “about half and half.”

The data collected establishes a baseline average of 31% of tubers were recorded as wearing

PFD/PPE during the 10.5 total hours of data collection. Lastly, it is worth noting despite no

specific data available to confirm, that staff observed younger individuals (those in their

teenage years or younger) were the most likely to be wearing PFD/PPE, especially if they were

tubing alongside an adult.

Appendix A of this report includes the raw data collected from the 21 observation days.

P a g e | 10

CLEAR CREEK TRAIL MANAGEMENT

Significant actions taken in 2021 regarding trail management included:

▪ Directing tubers to utilize the north side

of Clear Creek for the purpose of

avoiding conflicts with other users,

namely cyclists, who were directed to the

south side trail. Temporary directional

signs were installed at strategic locations

throughout the corridor.

▪ Directing tubers to utilize the

Washington Avenue bridge underpass to

avoid creating traffic congestion at street

level.

▪ Improved pedestrian crossing on Ford Street from Vanover Park to Water Street. A painted

crosswalk and centerline sign prominently mark the crossing on the south side of the

intersection.

PEAKS TO PLAINS TRAIL OPENING

On August 25th, the Peaks to Plains trail segment immediately west of Golden opened to the general

public. This trail segment connects Golden (at US Hwy 6) west to Tunnel 1 in the Clear Creek canyon and

is part of a larger 60+ mile project connecting the front range metro area to the mountains. The opening

of this particular segment is expected to grow in popularity in future years, particuarly with cyclists riding

through Golden to reach regional destinations to the east and west.

PARKING & TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT

In order to reduce the impact of visitor traffic to the corridor on local residential neighborhoods, the

City of Golden focused its 2021 efforts on controlling access to the 9th Street Neighborhood and

directing traffic to alternate free parking options. Electronic message boards were utilized during

peak times to direct traffic to parking areas on the east end of the 10th Street corridor. Directions to

free parking options were included on the Clear Creek Information website. Additionally, the Golden

Police Department provided enhanced parking enforcement in the 9th Street Neighborhood.

Generally, 9th Street neighborhood closures were implemented at the conclusion of the Golden

Farmer’s Market (approx. 1:00 p.m.) and closures lasted through the weekend. Vendors to the

Golden Farmer’s market were given access to the City’s snow lot at 11th Street & Illinois.

P a g e | 11

The City received some positive feedback from residents of the 9th Street neighborhood indicating

the neighborhood was not inundated with cars as in past years. However, it was noted that much of

the traffic that might have otherwise circulated in the neighborhood was confined to 10th Street,

creating additional burden on the already heavily travelled street. The City received some negative

feedback from 10th Street residents indicating typical issues associated with heavy user volume (i.e.

blocking of driveways, congestion, etc.)

COMMUNICATIONS & MARKETING

Utilizing an established Visit Golden platform, a creek information web portal was established in 2021

to provide resources for visitors interested in tubing in Clear Creek. It included information regarding

water safety, rules, restrictions, where to locate free parking, and more. The website included the

current water warning flag color and an explanation of the warning flag system.

The newly established creek information webpage received significant visitation throughout the

summer season. Specific data collected is summarized below.

▪ During the 3-month summer season, the creek information webpage was visited a total of

18,341 times, with an average time viewing the page of 2 minutes and 16 seconds.

▪ Most webpage visitors located the site through a search engine, although numerous methods

of locating the page were utilized: Organic search (77.05%); Direct (10.18%); Referral (7.49%);

Paid Search (4.08%); Social Media (1.02%); Not collected (0.18%).

▪ Top Locations from which webpage visitors searched for the site: Denver (34.15%); Lakewood

(9.08%); Dallas (5.41%); Aurora (3.40%); and Arvada (3.08%).

P a g e | 12

In addition, signs throughout the corridor related to creek safety and creek flows were posted in

English and Spanish, in an effort to make rules and regulations clear to non-English speakers.

Temporary directional signage was installed to assist visitors, cyclists, and others, in navigating the

Clear Creek corridor. The City Manager’s Office is recommending a significant expenditure in 2022

and 2023 related to wayfinding signage throughout downtown, including the Clear Creek corridor.

This improvement would provide consistency in messages and appearance for those unfamiliar with

the area.

BEHAVIORIAL RULES & ENFORCEMENT

The role of park rule enforcement primarily falls to the Golden Police Department’s eight (8) Park

Rangers, supplemented by patrol from sworn police officers. Park Rangers were deployed seven days

per week between 9:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., with a heavier presence on weekends. Park Rangers

generally work on foot in a specified sector. In 2021, Park Rangers began using environmentally

friendly e-bikes to more efficiently and effectively patrol the corridor and to be able to more quickly

respond to concerns.

Also, beginning in late June, the City hired four (4) Clear Creek Ambassadors through the City’s Parks

and Recreation Department, whose mission was to assist visitors with directions, information about

Golden, creek education, and friendly rule reminders. Ambassadors generally worked weekend days

(i.e. Friday-Sunday) and were stationed near the Billy Drew Bridge and beach area.

Lastly, related to enforcement, the Golden Fire Department assigned an inspector to work

Wednesday through Saturday in part to assist with parking citations within their area of authority,

namely fire lane and hydrant violations.

ENFORCEMENT

Overall enforcement activity consists of responding to calls for service, making self-initiated contacts,

and the issuance of citations, where necessary. Park Rangers are strongly encouraged to make self-

initiated contacts, seeking compliance and education first, over punishment. Rangers are encouraged

to issue citations particularly to repeat offenders, yet retain a significant amount of discretion on

whether a citation is appropriate tool for dealing with the situation at hand.

The following summarizes Park Ranger enforcement activity in 2021, both contacts/ calls for service

and citations:

P a g e | 13

PARK RANGER ACTIVITY: CONTACTS/ CALLS FOR SERVICE & CITATIONS

Type Number % of Total Citations % of Total

Smoking 448 12.9% 4 0.7%

Dogs off Leash Law 518 14.9% 0 0.0%

Alcohol 1,174 33.7% 35 6.5%

Water Rescue 62 1.8% 0 0.0%

Grills/BBQ/Fires 143 4.1% 3 0.6%

Parking 470 13.5% 495 91.8%

All other Park Rules 670 19.2% 2 0.4%

TOTAL Contacts 3,485 539

Source: Golden Police Department

From the above data, Park Rangers issued citations on 15.5% of all calls for service (539 out of 3,485)

or about 1 out of every 6 contacts made. Parking and alcohol violations made up the vast majority

of citations issued. Approximately 82% of the contacts made were self-initiated by Park Rangers, with

the remaining 18% constituting calls from service received through Jeffcom 9-1-1 dispatch.

As to time of year, the following shows the distribution of calls and citations throughout the summer:

CONTACTS/CALLS FOR SERVICE & CITATIONS BY MONTH

10.5

May June July August September

Contacts/Calls 128 956 1,285 864 252

Percent 3.7% 27.4% 36.9% 24.8% 7.2%

Citations 5 81 245 158 50

Percent 0.9% 15.0% 45.5% 29.3% 9.3%

Citation Type

Parking 4 76 235 135 45

Other 1 5 10 23 5 Source: Golden Police Department

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

With the increased volume of people utilizing the Clear Creek corridor, trash and the overall

cleanliness of the corridor, including restrooms, continues to be an issue. City staff typically collects

trash twice daily on weekends within the corridor. While generally this frequency may be sufficient,

it has been noted that during extremely busy times, such as the Independence Day weekend, trash

receptacles are often overwhelmed.

P a g e | 14

Additionally, it has been noted that current restroom capacity can also be overwhelmed, causing

cleanliness issues. In late summer, the City of Golden identified a contracted cleaning service in order

to provide more frequent cleaning.

CLEAR CREEK FEEDBACK

Beginning August 11TH and lasting through September 13th, the City of Golden

solicited feedback from residents and visitors related to their experience in

the Clear Creek corridor. Access to the survey was online and a link to the

survey was posted on the City’s website. Signs throughout the Clear Creek

corridor broadly advertised the survey. Additionally, information regarding

the survey also appeared in the September edition of the Golden Informer.

The survey asked a total of 17 questions aimed at understanding what elements of the corridor were

successful, which elements needed improvement, and the behavioral trends of creek users.

A total of 1,372 survey responses were received by the close of the survey. Of those that responded

to the survey, 996 (72.6%) were from residents of Golden. The remaining responses, 376 (27.4%)

were from visitors to Golden.

In general terms, more than half (55.5%) of respondents had visited the creek corridor on the

weekend. Residents of Golden were more likely to visit the creek corridor for its trail while visitors

to Golden were more likely to visit the corridor for water activities. Visitors to the corridor had a very

high satisfaction with their experience, while residents expressed a greater degree of dissatisfaction.

Overall, results were positive but there exists a clear divide between what the residents and visitors

want and expect of their experience in the corridor.

The following questions asked respondents to provide a rating on a scale of 1 (negative experience)

to 5 (positive experience):

CLEAR CREEK CORRIDOR EXPERIENCE

Average Rating from Golden Residents

Average Rating from Visitors

Average Rating from All Respondents

Q Overall Rating of the Clear Creek Experience

3.5 4.7 3.8

Q Overall Rating of Public Restroom Facilities

3.3 3.8 3.5

Q Overall Rating of Signage in the Clear Creek corridor

3.8 4.3 3.9

Q Overall Rating of Availability & Cleanliness of Trash Receptacles

3.5 4.4 3.7

Q Overall Rating of the Availability of Parking

3.1 4.2 3.4

P a g e | 15

Other questions probed more specifics. Among the most common responses were:

Q: Factors that make the Clear Creek Corridor a positive experience:

▪ Ease of creek access.

▪ Prominence and location of adjacent trails.

Q: Factors that make the Clear Creek Corridor a negative experience:4

▪ Large crowds

▪ Trash/Litter

▪ On-water activities

▪ Rude crowds

▪ Lack of enforcement

Q: Do people coming to visit the Clear Creek corridor spend money in downtown Golden:

▪ 69.4% of respondents indicated that they did spend money in downtown Golden.

▪ 70% of Visitor respondents indicated that they spent money in downtown Golden.

▪ 65% of Visitors that spent money in downtown Golden spent more than $50.

▪ 31% of Visitors that spent money in downtown Golden spent more than $100.

Q: How do tubers supply their tube:

▪ 46% of tubers rented a tube from a Golden rental company.

▪ 43% of tubers supplied their own tube.

▪ 5.3% of tubers bought a tube in Golden.

▪ 5.8% of respondents that participated in tubing did not specify.

STRATEGIES FOR FUTURE REVIEW AND CONSIDERATION

Throughout the course of the 2021 summer season, City staff engaged in continuous weekly review

of observations and data collected throughout the season. As part of that effort, staff developed a

list of additional strategies that the City should review and consider for future implementation to

address specific identified issues. This section highlights these potential strategies (in no specific

order of importance).

1. Additional consideration should be given to measures that enhance bicycle safety and reduce

speed in the corridor. It was observed that faster moving e-bicycles often created conflicts

with slower moving pedestrian traffic. Electronic bicycle rentals have become more prevalent

and the Peaks to Plains trail will likely generate additional regional traffic. Measures could

include:

a. Establishment of a bicycle dismount zone in conflict prone areas.

b. Posting and enforcement of speed limits for bicycles.

4 These factors were mainly identified by Golden residents. Visitors mostly indicated that nothing contributed to a negative experience.

P a g e | 16

2. Consideration should be given to the utilization of Conservation Trust Fund dollars for

maintenance and cleanup of Clear Creek. This funding could assist the City with more

frequent trash collection and cleanup efforts.

3. Consideration should be given to the establishment of a fee on the rental of tubes. Much of

the management activities and related City costs are specifically connected to tubing activity

on Clear Creek. This fee could potentially help fund current and additional Clear Creek

management strategies.

4. An assessment of Clear Creek rescue data should be conducted and consideration should be

given to whether CFS levels associated with the warning system require an adjustment in

future years.

5. An evaluation should occur of existing parking regulations in the Clear Creek corridor and a

determination of whether additional parking regulations, parking fees, or parking prohibitions

are needed, particularly in the 10th Street corridor.

6. Throughout the summer, it was noted that volume of activity was at some of the highest

levels experienced in recent years. Consideration should be given to measures that regulate

the overall number of users in the Clear Creek corridor. Such measures could include:

a. Restrict tubers to odd or even calendar days to limit volume on the creek and allow

for more passive use days.

b. Implement a reservation system a prohibit of maximum cap of users at any give time.

7. Consideration should be given to improving water safety by prohibiting multi-chamber

vessels (i.e. air mattresses) that don’t meet certain safety standards.

8. Consideration should be given to mitigating trash and environmental degradation by

prohibiting cups, bottles, and other canisters from being utilized while in the water. It was

noted that empty cans and water bottles are often found floating along creek banks.

9. Review pedestrian crossings at Ford Street & Water Street and Washington Avenue at the

Visitor’s Center crossing to improve safety and overall traffic flow. It was often noted that

pedestrians crossing at these locations can cause traffic backups along N. Washington and

Ford Street. Measures could include:

a. Crossing guards during peak times.

b. Eliminating the northbound Ford Street left turn lane onto Water Street.

c. Constructing pedestrian refuge island at Ford & Water.

10. Create a cost center in the City’s annual budget related to Creek management and

enforcement to better track overall costs to the City.

11. Consideration should be given to constructing a hardened tube take out point at Vanover

Park. Vanover Parks has experienced degradation along the creek due to the volume of users.

12. An assessment of more effective enforcement strategies should be conducted. On numerous

occasions, City staff noted enforcement challenges due to overall volume of corridor users,

outright and open disregard for rules and regulations, and difficulty of enforcing rule

violations that occur in the water. Among items for consideration should include:

a. Number of City personnel required to effectively enforce regulations.

b. Type of City personnel that are assigned enforcement responsibilities. Currently

enforcement falls to season Park Ranger personnel. Perhaps uniformed Code

Enforcement Officers might represent a more effective strategy.

P a g e | 17

13. One of the things noted frequently by those that were issued alcohol citations is the lack of

such a prohibition in similar settings in nearby areas, such as Denver and Englewood. As such,

consideration should be given to:

a. Additional education efforts to visitors regarding alcohol regulations.

b. Evaluation of whether Golden regulations should be consistent with other similar

recreational areas. In other words, should the focus of City enforcement be on

possession of alcohol or on behavior caused by over consumption of alcohol?

P a g e | 18

APPENDIX A