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South Midland Project: Stay informed and spread the word, city says

Traffic makes its way down South Midland in both directions in south Glenwood.
Chelsea Self / Post Independent
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South Midland Project lane closures

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Wednesday 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Weekdays before 7 a.m. after 6 p.m.

Weekends could be anytime with city approval

Peak time possible with city approval

The city of Glenwood Springs wants citizens to help spread the word about the South Midland Avenue construction project.

At two public meetings Thursday with the theme Keep South Midland Moving and bookended by Kool and the Gang’s “Celebration,” staff described the project, answered questions from the public and listed several ways to keep up with what’s happening.

The South Midland Community Communications Coalition is described on the city website as “part information ambassadors, part spirit squad.” The group will meet with the construction team to talk about project progress and impacts. To participate, contact the project team at southmidlandproject@gmail.com or 970-618-5379.



Mayor Jonathan Godes gave a “message of acceleration,” asking people to help spread the word.

“Don’t rely just on [consultant] PR Studio and the city,” he said.



Acting city public information officer Hannah Klausman was appreciative of that suggestion, saying, with a flair for the pun, “There are lots of avenues to stay informed.”

Key improvements of the South Midland road construction project.

Improvements

The city’s project manager, Ryan Johnson, explained the improvements planned in the project.

First is complete replacement of the existing roadway between 27th Street and Four Mile Road, replacing the current temporary overlay that cost the city $200,000, Godes said.

A roundabout will be built at the South Midland and Four Mile intersection.

Rockfall mitigation work will include cutting into the hillside on the west side of the road and installing a soil nail wall and rockfall netting, Johnson said.

Safety improvements will be made at the Hager Lane, Cardiff Bridge Road and Three Mile intersections, “squaring them up” so they meet Midland at a 90 degree angle.

While the road is torn up Gould will be able to improve drainage and make subgrade improvements.

Utility upgrades include replacing a 12-inch water line with an 18-inch line, installing broadband conduit and making electrical upgrades as well.

Sidewalks will extend to the 27th Street Bridge.

Timeline

The city’s work will begin in early December, “Hopefully before Dec. 14,” Johnson said.

The first work in the area will be pipeline replacement by Black Hills Energy. That will start next week and run through February, said PR Studio’s Kathleen Wanatowicz, who facilitated the meeting.

The South Midland project and pipeline replacement will run concurrently starting in December.

The city project is expected to last 18 months, finishing in summer of 2022, Johnson said.

It will be a phased approach, meaning the entirety of the project area won’t be torn up at the same time.

Funding

City engineer Terri Partch said the city received five bids for the project with Gould Construction submitting the low bid at $13.2 million. City Council had a special meeting Tuesday evening to award the contract to Gould.

The project is funded by a $7 million Better Utilizing Investment to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation; approximately $5.2 million from the city of Glenwood Springs Acquisitions and Improvement Fund; a $151,750 Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) grant for rockfall mitigation; and $850,000 from Garfield County to realign intersections.

cwertheim@postindependent.com


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