With so many transportation plans on the horizon, Glenwood Springs city staff asked council members on Thursday to prioritize projects for the coming years. 

The city Transportation Commission reviews the capital project list in advance of the budget process and recommends that the city prioritize and name that list for the process. 

In total, council prioritized five major projects, or those which total $1 million or more in cost, and four minor projects.

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Major projects

1. South Bridge funding

“We are waiting for the potential award of that $33.1 million Rural Surface Transportation Grant,” City Engineer Terri Partch said. “We expect it ahead of the election, sometime hopefully in October. We are (also) submitting a grant for $750,000.” 

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Council approved the $750,000 grant submission, with match funding being the Rural Surface Transportation Grant. Partch said the Department of Local Affairs seemed positive about potentially awarding it to the city. 

“We did receive another million dollar earmark from Sen. (John) Hickenlooper’s office to continue the project into 2023. We do need to fund the design of the project through the A&I (Acquisitions and Improvements tax) fund, and right now I don’t have a firm estimate on what that is, but I’m estimating in the range of a million dollars, hopefully less.” 

2. Installation of the 27th Street/Glen Avenue bicycle-pedestrian underpasses

“We did receive the RAISE (Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity) grant, $6 million,” Partch said. “RFTA is intending to rebid that project as soon as possible, and hopefully, we won’t need any additional funding on that through the rebid process.”

3. Full reconstruction of functional bicycle-pedestrian path from Donegan Road to Linden Street along U.S. Highway 6 and 24.

“We did make a presentation to the IMRTP (Intermountain Regional Transportation Planning Region) for $750,000, and then we’ll have funding for that project,” Partch said. “There are some calculations and balancing that they want to do with all the projects that they received in that commission, but I believe that we will probably get the full $750,000.”

4. Sixth Street reconstruction (Olive Street to Maple Street) to include on-street and separated bicycle facilities; reconfigure/reconstruct bicycle-pedestrian crossing at Laurel Avenue

Partch said $1.75 million in this year’s budget will likely be rolled over into the budget for 2023, and that the city received a $1.1 million grant from the Main Streets Program. 

5. Eighth Street reconstruction (Pitkin Avenue to Roaring Fork River bridge) to widen two lanes; center median; two 10-foot-wide shared use paths. 

“We’re at a 90% level right now; we need additional utility work, and we need to consider another potential intersection,” Partch said. “So I’d like to budget in the fund probably $300,000 for the completion of that design.

Minor projects

1. Eighth Street and Midland Avenue safety improvements: widen east-side sidewalk along Midland Avenue, Overlin Drive to Eighth Street, to full-width path; evaluate reconfiguration of merge lane to improve pedestrian safety and access.

2. Rapid flashing beacons at the Interstate 70 exit 114 westbound off-ramp; Eighth Street and Seventh Street crosswalk east of Midland Avenue; Highway 6 and 24 at Soccer Field Road by bus stop; Wulfsohn Road at West Midland; Highway 6 and 24 at County Road 135 bus stop. 

3. 12th Street (Riverside) reconstruction/repaving to remove metal bars parallel to east edge of River Trail; remove railroad rails and worn crossing pads; repair or replace damaged pavement, full length of street between trail and Pitkin Avenue.

4. 10th Street school-access safety improvements and on-street bicycle facilities; constructed bulb-outs; warning lights; reduced car parking near corners (for sight distance safety).

cballard@postindependent.com