The proposed trail connection from the Animas River to Three Springs morphed again Wednesday night with the support of city advisory boards.
The Parks and Recreation and Multimodal advisory boards, in a split 5-3 vote, directed the city staff to pursue an Animas River Trail alignment that would connect at Baker Lane up to the frontage road and cross U.S. Highway 550/160 corridor by Home Depot.
Whether the trail would cross the highway via an underpass or an overpass remains undecided, but once across the highway, this alignment would connect to the Sale Barn trailhead and continue east above the highway, according to city documents. The early cost estimate is $5.7 million, said Scott McClain a parks, open space and trails specialist.
“In terms of construction of the trail we are years out,” said Cathy Metz the parks and rec director.
Now, the board has made a decision on alignment, it’s up to the staff to negotiate with property owners for easements, so the alignment could change again, said Kevin Hall, assistant director of community development.
“We might run into some roadblocks,” he said.
This alignment gained support, in part, because Escalante Drive is planned to be extended from its current terminus near Native Roots through to Walmart. Once this is complete, the frontage road can be closed to traffic. In addition, the city staff proposed evaluating underpasses at the main entrance to the middle school and one underneath the extended Escalante Drive.
Some of the board members felt this alignment balanced the concerns of both Escalante Middle School and the neighbors who live near or along River Oaks Drive.
“We have to consider the impacts on the neighborhood,” said Bill Zimsky, a parks and recreation board member.
One of the alternatives the board rejected called for the trail to circle the Escalente Middle School campus to the west, then cross the campus to pass behind Home Depot, before passing above or beneath the highway. This would have brought the trail close to a residential area.
But others felt the selected alignment near the frontage road was not the best possible cycling experience, and it could feel as though it was tacked onto a highway.
The possibility of several at-grade crossings were also of particular concern to Peter Schertz, a Parks and Recreation Board member.
“I think at-grade crossings are more than minutiae to work out later,” he said.
mshinn@durangoherald.com
