The dream of an underpass beneath Camino del Rio at 12th Street lives.
“The community wants this. It’s been talked about for probably 20-plus years,” said Tim Walsworth, executive director of the Business Improvement District.
Advocates for the underpass that would connect the Animas River Trail to Main Avenue reminded three city advisory boards of all its potential benefits during a meeting Wednesday. They spoke during an open forum focused on updating the Parks and Recreation Department’s five-year strategic plan.
The underpass could improve safety, help draw people to the north end of downtown, alleviate the need for people to drive downtown and help drive spending in local shops, Walsworth said, speaking on behalf of downtown businesses.
As city staff members work on a vision for a walkable Camino del Rio through its character district plan, now is a good time to study the underpass, architect Rick Feeney said.
“I see it as a great marriage,” he said.
The city budgeted $100,000 to study the possibility of an underpass in 2017. But Durango City Council asked the Parks and Recreation Department to set the project and the money aside while the future of River City Hall and the Durango Fire Protection District Station No. 2 is undetermined, Parks and Recreation Director Cathy Metz said.
In early 2017, the fire district and Durango City Council were regularly discussing a new site for the undersized fire station near Camino del Rio and 12th Street. The negotiations reached “more or less a standstill, ” Councilor Chris Bettin said.
The fire station’s future is directly tied to River City Hall because they share a building, he said.
He said he expects clarity on the future of the fire station within several months, he told the crowd.
Metz said, “It’s not that we don’t support it. We think it is a good idea.”
But the parks and rec department will not spend money on the study without a “green light” from City Council and the city manager’s office, she said.
Other advocates urged the parks and recreation department to prioritize a planned 75-acre park in Three Springs, investments in the BMX track at Cundiff Park and outdoor pickleball courts.
Ed Zink urged the city to think about creating more community partnerships, so that more construction projects can be completed faster.
“I would encourage the city and you all on your boards to find more effective ways to embrace the enthusiasm of the community,” he said.
mshinn@durangoherald.com
Poll: Do you support the construction of a pedestrian underpass to cross Camino del Rio at 12th Street, near River City Hall?
Yes - 1172 - 65.88%
No - 607 - 34.12%
