YOUR AD HERE »

Rifle City Council workshops proposed landscaping project near Interstate-70 interchange

Blurred coffee shop interior to use as background or template

Motorists and passersby could see a refreshed gateway to Rifle along Interstate 70 in the future.

Rifle City Council last week hosted a workshop centered around the possibility of going forward with a $240,000 landscaping project. According to a presentation by Ayres Landscape Architecture, the I-70 Gateway Project would include adding a number of improvements to beautify the area’s curb appeal and improve infrastructure

If council votes to approve the project, construction will include adding new sod and irrigation, trees, grass, concrete curbs and gutters as well as several other installments to the area.



According to documents provided by the city, conceptual designs for the project originally emerged in 2010, with an initial price tag of $1.57 million. The overall consensus was to keep the design simple and allow for low water use.

In addition, city leaders would also agree on the preferred design concept — “Talus Slope.”



Following multiple public workshops, however, city leaders decided the cost was too high and the project was placed on hiatus.

In 2020 Ayres was engaged through competitive bidding and has provided a landscape design using some of the talus slope elements as well as elements from the roundabout for a design with the $240,000 project cost, city documents state.

In addition, the concept will increase the maintenance that the Parks Department currently performs at the roundabouts, city documents state. The estimated cost for this if outsourced is $3,000 per year.

City officials said they will provide further updates on project schedule and budgeting.

rerku@citizentelegram.com


Support Local Journalism

Support Local Journalism

Readers around Glenwood Springs and Garfield County make the Post Independent’s work possible. Your financial contribution supports our efforts to deliver quality, locally relevant journalism.

Now more than ever, your support is critical to help us keep our community informed about the evolving coronavirus pandemic and the impact it is having locally. Every contribution, however large or small, will make a difference.

Each donation will be used exclusively for the development and creation of increased news coverage.