▁still ▁cover ▁large ▁parts ▁of ▁the ▁lower ▁valley ▁contribute ▁to ▁tour ism ▁as ▁well ▁through ▁their ▁beauty ▁and ▁through ▁events ▁like ▁the ▁Car b ond ale ▁R ode o . ▁ ▁Pot ato ▁cultiv ation ▁has ▁histor ically ▁been ▁important ▁in ▁the ▁lower ▁valley , ▁but ▁is ▁virt ually ▁none x istent ▁at ▁present . ▁ ▁Pop ul ace ▁The ▁valley ▁has ▁been ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁most ▁rapidly ▁growing ▁areas ▁of ▁Colorado ▁in ▁recent ▁years , ▁not ▁only ▁in ▁the ▁vic inity ▁of ▁Asp en , ▁but ▁not ably ▁in ▁the ▁lower ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁valley ▁below ▁Bas alt . ▁The ▁communities ▁of ▁Bas alt ▁and ▁Car b ond ale ▁have ▁served ▁as ▁bed room ▁communities ▁for ▁day ▁workers ▁in ▁Asp en , ▁where ▁high ▁property ▁values ▁have ▁increasing ly ▁stra ined ▁the ▁ability ▁of ▁low ▁and ▁middle - in come ▁workers ▁to ▁afford ▁the ▁cost ▁of ▁living , ▁though ▁the ▁aff lu ence ▁that ▁marks ▁the ▁Upper ▁Ro aring ▁F ork ▁Valley ▁is ▁gradually ▁le aking ▁into ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁the ▁Valley . ▁ ▁Many ▁employees ▁in ▁Glen wood ▁Spr ings ▁live ▁further ▁down ▁the ▁Colorado ▁river ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁same ▁ac ute ▁lack ▁of ▁afford able ▁housing . ▁ ▁State ▁Highway ▁ 8 2 ▁serves ▁as ▁the ▁principal ▁transport ation ▁ar tery ▁of ▁the ▁valley , ▁having ▁many ▁fre ew ay ▁characteristics . ▁The ▁once ▁rural ▁character ▁of ▁much ▁of ▁the ▁valley ▁has ▁been ▁replaced ▁with ▁nearly ▁continuous ▁development ▁linking ▁the ▁region ' s ▁four ▁main ▁cities . ▁Though ▁parts ▁of