Rocky Mountain News
June 27, 2008
Arvada residents sue to gain vote on tollway pact
A group of Arvada residents filed suit Thursday against the city for rejecting their petitions that sought a public vote on whether Arvada should join the tollway authority seeking to complete the metro beltway.
Arvadans for Responsible Transportation wants a referendum on repealing a recent ordinance by which Arvada became a member of the newly formed Jefferson Parkway Public Highway Authority. The suit was filed in Golden District Court.
Arvada became a member along with Jefferson County and Broomfield.
Russell Weisfield, president of the citizens group, said the clerk's reason for rejecting the petitions was "nonsensical."
The clerk's ruling said the city's membership in the authority is part of an existing contractual obligation, on which the city charter doesn't permit public votes.
But Weisfield said there is no contractual obligation to build the tollway.
The Jefferson Parkway would extend about 20 miles from the end of the Northwest Parkway to Colorado 93 north of Golden.
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