The sidewalk construction near Needham Elementary will halt in the coming weeks, and work will continue in the spring.
The Safe Routes to School project that started in September has faced delays because of the weather and shallow gas lines, said Amber Blake, transportation and sustainability director.
The city plans to install new sidewalks, ramps and landscaping along Arroyo and Columbine on the west side of the elementary school.
Partial funding for the project comes from a $291,000 federal grant. The total project cost is about $362,000, said Levi Lloyd, director of city operations.
The construction crews hope to finish as much of the project as possible along Arroyo Drive from Delwood Avenue to Columbine Drive before closing down for the winter, Blake said.
Although winter weather may make it impossible to finish the sidewalk, crews are working six days a week, 10 hours a day while the weather is good, Lloyd said. They hope to finish Nov. 25.
“They are pushing as hard as they can to get that done,” he said.
If it is impossible to finish, the crews still plan to patch the road where necessary and lay down gravel before opening it to traffic, Lloyd said.
The new sidewalks along Columbine Drive from Cottonwood Drive to Weston Drive have not been started. They will be completed in the spring, Lloyd said.
The city also plans to repave Arroyo Drive from Delwood to the Columbine intersection in the spring for about $70,000.
When the project is complete, the city will lay down mulch in the 4½ foot wide landscaping strips that separate the sidewalks from the road.
These new landscaping strips are part of the new Land Use and Development Code.
The project is not as extensive as originally planned because the city does not plan to pave the trail on the north side of the school that connects to Brookside Park. This was cut from the project because it is not on public property, Lloyd said.
mshinn@durangoherald.com
