The city of Durango is seeking bids from an engineering firm to design a Camino del Rio underpass near 12th Street, connecting the Animas River Trail with downtown Durango and making it safer for cyclists and pedestrians.
About 36,000 vehicles travel that section of Camino del Rio every day – a steady stream that only increases on holiday weekends during the tourism season. Community members have said they need a safe crossing option for cyclists and pedestrians traveling between the Animas River Trail and downtown businesses.
In response, the city began looking into creating an underpass. In mid-June, staff members entered the bidding process with engineering companies to make the crossing happen.
“Camino del Rio currently acts as a physical barrier between the ART (Animas River Trail) and downtown for pedestrians and cyclists,” said Sarah Hill, the city’s acting transportation director. “This project will address that.”
A 2019 study explored under, over or at-grade crossing options at each intersection along Camino del Rio, from College Drive to 12th Street.
The city found the safest and most feasible location for an underpass is at 12th Street. It is considering two alignments: south of Backcountry Experience at Veterans Way or at the current pedestrian-beacon crossing at 12th Street, Hill said.
The engineering firm that is selected for design will explore those two options in depth, she said. The city’s bidding process is scheduled to wrap up in August.
The project’s design is expected to be completed in spring 2022 and construction will likely start in 2023. There won’t be any construction-related traffic considerations until 2023, Hill said.
The design cost is $350,000, and the initial engineering estimate for construction is $3.7 million. Both will be funded using the half-cent sales tax passed in 2015 and grant funding.
“The main reason for this project is to provide a safe and accessible connection between the heavily-trafficked ART and downtown,” Hill said. “There are few safe opportunities for pedestrians and cyclists to safely cross Camino del Rio.”
smullane@durangoherald.com
