Bayfield is replacing some sidewalks on the south side of town as part of an ongoing effort to make the town more pedestrian-friendly.
The project, which got underway in October, entails replacing more than 800 feet of sidewalk along both sides of East Mill Street.
“The sidewalks aren’t in bad condition. But over time, businesses have changed,” said Bayfield Public Works Director Jeremy Schulz. “And so some of the driveway aprons and things like that have never been repaired. That’s kind of what we’re doing with these improvements.”
He said the sidewalks on East Mill Street needed to be widened for better pedestrian access and modernized to help make the greater downtown area more accessible to people and businesses.
That stretch under construction is located between Buck Highway and Church Street, said project engineer Catherine Carella.
The project is expected to be done by Memorial Day weekend.
“We’ve noticed when there are events downtown, which they do host a lot of block parties and parades and events downtown, people walk from the residential neighborhoods just east of the project, and they walk across Buck Highway to downtown,” she said. “There’s been no sidewalk for them to walk on.”
The areas undergoing construction are 325 feet on the north sidewalk along East Mill Street and 500 feet on the south sidewalk. So far, about 400 feet on the south sidewalk is done, Carella said.
Schulz said the north sidewalk on East Mill Street will widen from 4 feet to about 5 feet. The south sidewalk on East Mill Street next to Buck Highway will be 8 feet.
New hand rails, retaining walls and seven curb ramps are also being installed to help the sidewalks become compliant with Americans with Disabilities Act standards.
“Basically, we’re trying to improve the walkability for all of Mill Street,” he said. “… So, we’ve been doing sections at a time as funding becomes available.”
The project is being partially paid for with a $150,000 Revitalizing Main Street Grant, which is state funding from the Colorado Department of Transportation. The town of Bayfield budgeted $250,000 from its street fund to cover the remaining cost, said Community Development Director Nicol Killian.
mhollinshead@durangoherald.com
