A colossal problem: How Colossal Cave road has become an issue for residents in Vail

TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — The easiest way into Old Vail is exit 279 or better known as Colossal Cave Road.

But a problem drivers have experienced over the years is significant traffic delays caused by the two railroad stops along Colossal Cave.

"Between the two train tracks, which we understand, is about 80 trains a day, school buses, parents dropping off kids. The road just continues to grow," says Mark Tate, a long time resident of Vail.

Colossal Cave Road to Mary Anne Cleveland Way features two schools in the Vail School District as well as the ReSources Vail Food Bank, among many other popular stops.

Which is where the problem begins, Vail is growing exponentially.

“This part of Vail has grown by 500% so really, when you talk about the RTA, it would have been great had this been one of the top items in 2006 when they were looking at RTA to begin with,” says Tate.

The original RTA plan that went into effect in 2006 had Colossal Cave improvements on the docket.

And while the road was improved, train traffic was not included at that point.

"The solution that's been proposed, I'm not completely read up on it, but I know it involves a new road with a bridge over the train track so you can avoid that stoppage. But that doesn't really solve the problem here," says Tate.

The current Regional Transportation Authority includes an improved roadway along Colossal Cave, but would widen the road and likely knock down two historic buildings including the Old Vail Post Office.

The Vail Preservation Society is currently restoring the old post office and working to turn it into a welcome center.

JJ Lamb is the CEO of the preservation society and she says, if the RTA Next stays the same, her group will be voting no on the whole project.

"We will encourage them to vote no on RTA Next, if the name of this project and honest, transparent effort to find another location so that that location will still be there in 15 years when they go to build this project," says Lamb.

Lamb suggests finding a different place either west or east of Colossal Cave Road.

"We care deeply about safety, but we also care deeply about some of those intangibles and tangibles. So the two buildings we care deeply that this community has a sense of itself and its history, and it has this historic core to bring people together," says Lamb.

RTA Next is heading for a vote in 2025, which would succeed the original RTA and renew a half-cent sales tax to fund more projects.