As Many Cities Shut Down Construction, Aspen, Colo. Fast Tracks Projects

While many U.S. cities temporarily shut down construction sites to reduce the spread of COVID-19, the city council in Aspen, Colo., looked to fast track projects. The mountain town, which has a short construction season, planned to lift restrictions in order to boost economic activity.

The Aspen City Council agreed to allow building permits to be expedited and issued, which would potentially allow developers to work on several projects at once. But, the Council declined to extend construction hours beyond the current hours of 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

City officials expect a quiet summer, with no special events expected to take place and tourism expected to be down. Construction might be one of the few industries operating at close to full bore.

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