Anna Stonehouse/The Aspen Times
Construction season begins today as the right of way opens for workers to dig underground for the next several months.
There are around two dozen public and private projects being coordinated by the city’s engineering department.
“It’s going to feel busy this year for sure,” said Pete Rice, senior project manager for the city. “There are a few areas in town where impacts are close together. City engineering is keeping a close eye on all right-of-way projects to ensure that construction mitigation plans are followed and impacts to the public are minimized.”
One area that will see significant impacts is the intersection of Spring and Main streets, as well as North Spring leading onto Rio Grande Place, which will be the east route for access to the parking garage.
Starting today and going through April, Rio Grande Place will be closed to traffic from Mill Street as construction crews complete utility work to serve the new city office building being constructed in that area.
Beginning in May, the Rio Grande Place street closure will be shifted east and will be closed from the east side of the parking garage entrance at Founders Place.
Access to the parking garage is anticipated to remain open via North Mill Street on the upper ramp.
During that time, the city will be making improvements to the Spring and Main pedestrian crossing, which includes rapid flash beacons, extended curbs to improve sightlines of cars coming around Original Curve, ADA improvements and city stormwater infrastructure.
Rice said if traffic impacts become too much with the parking garage detour, the city will hold off on the intersection improvements.
Drainage work on the newly constructed Castle Creek Bridge will require a lane closure and the use of Power Plant detour this spring.
Also in that area, landscaping and other improvements will be done in the Hallam Street corridor.
Construction of the Castle Creek Trail is anticipated this spring, which will allow a safer passage to school campuses for cyclists and pedestrians.
There are three locations where a total of 45 workforce housing units are being built in a public-private partnership — 488 Castle Creek Road, 802 W. Main St. and 517 Park Circle.
King Street will be torn up for drainage improvements and installation of sidewalks.
A new sidewalk along Bleeker Street leading to the Yellow Brick School also is slated to get done in the coming months.
“I think that is an important connection,” Rice said.
The city also will be doing annual concrete improvements around town, which includes sidewalk, curb and gutter repairs and replacements, as well as utility work.
And, of course, there also is annual roadway and bike lane striping.
Work in the downtown core is on the fast track because construction in the right of way is only permitted between April 1 and May 31, and again from Labor Day to Nov. 1. Outside of the core, work can be done through November.
There are 10 private construction projects that are anticipated to impact right of ways, which in addition to the city’s work will keep things busy around Aspen, said Raquel Flinker, the city’s right of way project manager who is in direct communication will all of the points of contact.
“It’s nice to get them in the same room to coordinate,” she said.