Parachute—Town leaders in Parachute believe the future is bright for the community. During a workshop last night, the board of trustees talked about ways the county can continue to partner with the town to address certain needs and projects to strengthen the local economy. Commissioner Tom Jankovsky says extending transit service to Parachute with a Hogback connection to and from Rifle would have a positive impact throughout the region in many ways, even affordable housing. He says most of the Roaring Fork Valley’s workforce commutes from western Garfield County because home prices and rentals are less expensive. Jankovsky believes a Parachute-Rifle connection would encourage and enable workers to commute by bus while taking some of the housing burden off of up-valley communities like Glenwood Springs, Carbondale and Basalt. Commissioners will delve deeper into a Parachute transit plan at the next meeting.
