Glenwood Springs City Council hears major updates to South Bridge Project

The South Bridge Project in Glenwood Springs is moving forward, with city officials presenting key updates during Thursday’s City Council work session. The project, now estimated at $84 million, aims to create a much-needed secondary evacuation route connecting South Glenwood Springs to Colorado Highway 82. While challenges remain, recent design changes have saved millions without compromising the project’s core goals.
“We cut the cost down quite a bit,” city of Glenwood Springs City Engineer Ryan Gordon said. “There were some really big elements that we cut down, like the tunnel under the runway and the bridge type that was initially designed. Our goal was to keep the flavor of the project and improve the end use while making things simpler.”
Cutting costs without cutting corners
One of the most significant cost-saving changes involves raising the road under the airport runway by 5 feet. While the original design had the road 20 feet below the runway, the adjustment has reduced excavation and eliminated the need for tall retaining walls, saving approximately $1.5 million.
“Raising it up five feet reduces the amount of material we need to remove,” Gordon said. “It’s about 2,000 fewer dump trucks of dirt to haul out.”
The adjustment also improves road safety by reducing the slope of connecting roads, making them less hazardous in winter conditions. Other cost-saving measures include scaling back lighting infrastructure to better match the area’s rural character and simplifying certain design elements to improve long-term maintenance.
The Buffalo Valley intersection is also getting a redesign. Drivers coming from County Road 154 will no longer be able to turn left onto Highway 82, a safety measure required by the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT).
“This simplifies the movements of the intersection and makes it safer,” Gordon said. “Vehicles coming around the curve or running a red light won’t risk T-bone collisions.”
Where the money Is going
Despite trimming costs, the city still faces a $20 million funding shortfall. So far, $66 million has been secured, including a $49.68 million grant from the Rural Surface Transportation program. Local contributions amount to $13 million, with about $6 to $7 million coming from reserves built over the past few years.
“Our local obligation match sits right now at $13 million,” Gordon said. “About $6 to $7 million will come from cash reserves, and the rest will be financed.”
The project’s budget includes $5 million for mobilization, which covers costs like contractor facilities and public information efforts, $4.4 million for drainage improvements, and $9.2 million as a contingency for potential design changes. An additional $10.7 million has been allocated to account for inflation, projected at 7% annually through 2026.
“We think we’ve accounted for inflation, but it’s always a variable,” Gordon said. “Construction costs are high in this area, but we feel pretty good about our numbers.”
Building a bridge, not a bypass
One of the city’s top priorities is ensuring the South Bridge doesn’t turn into a high-traffic bypass. To discourage through-traffic, the project includes several traffic-calming measures, such as a 25 mph speed limit, roundabouts, and raised crossings. Officials are also exploring the possibility of tolling the bridge, which could help manage traffic while covering long-term maintenance costs.
“We’re also looking at tolling,” Gordon said. “It’s something that has to be evaluated now during the NEPA process. Technology has advanced to the point where tolling is relatively low-cost, and it could help manage traffic.”
These measures are designed to keep the project aligned with its original purpose: providing an emergency evacuation route and improving local connectivity, not serving as an alternative to Highway 82.
A race against the clock
The city is targeting September 2025 for the completion of the final design phase, with construction expected to begin in early 2026. The entire project is estimated to take two to two and a half years to complete, depending on contractor availability and material lead times.
“There are some long lead items,” Gordon said. “Steel girders, for example, take about a year to fabricate. Traffic signals are six months to a year out. Once we have a contractor, we’ll get those items ordered right away.”
Right-of-way acquisitions are also underway, with notifications to affected property owners expected to go out in the coming weeks. The city has hired a contractor to handle the acquisition process and will work closely with property owners to ensure the process is smooth.
“This is just part of the process,” Gordon said. “We’ll work closely with property owners to make sure everything is handled smoothly.”
Relief for regional roads
Beyond improving emergency evacuation, the project is expected to reduce traffic congestion on Highway 82 and ease the strain on alternate routes like Dry Park Road, which often serves as a detour. Gordon noted that reducing traffic on these routes could save Garfield County significant maintenance costs.
“Dry Park sees a lot of use as a detour, and this project will take some of that traffic off,” Gordon said. “That’s a significant maintenance decrease for the county.”
City officials will meet with CDOT and Garfield County representatives on Feb. 4 to discuss additional funding and finalize agreements.
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