New Connect Initiative Recreation Trail and
Underpasses Open To The Public

Montrose, CO — The City of Montrose is pleased to announce that mainline portions of the new Connect Initiative Recreation Trail are complete, and both reaches of the trail are open to the public.

Once warmer weather allows in the spring, some additional work will take place to install a final decorative concrete face at the West Main underpass as well as anti-graffiti coating on both underpasses. This coating will cover up existing graffiti and allow for easy removal of any future graffiti that may occur. Some additional cleanup and landscaping work will also be taking place alongside the trail over the next few months.     

The Connect Initiative trail project adds 2.25 miles of recreation trail to the city’s trail network and includes underpass crossings of Townsend Avenue and West Main Street, the city’s two busiest roadways. With these missing links constructed, the city’s trail network is now continuous from the Montrose Community Recreation Center all the way north to the Colorado Outdoors project, with only two street crossings: one at the Ogden/Woodgate roundabout and the other on Rio Grande Avenue.

“GOCO’s Connect Initiative grant program has allowed us to do exactly that,” City Engineer Scott Murphy said. “With the completion of this project we have made great strides in safely connecting our population centers to the heart of our park system and Community Recreation Center.”

The original price tag for construction of the project was approximately $3 million; however, construction costs are trending favorably and the project is expected to come in approximately $200k under budget. Despite the project’s large price tag, the out-of-pocket expense for the City of Montrose is only $350,000. This is due to a $2 million grant awarded to the city through Great Outdoors Colorado’s (GOCO) Connect Initiative as well as contributions from other community partners totaling approximately $450,000. A notable contribution of $355,000 from the Montrose Recreation District, along with donations from Montrose County, Montrose Urban Renewal Authority, Valley Food Partnership, Colorado Health Foundation, Montrose Community Foundation, Montrose Recreation Foundation, Black Hills Energy, and the Gates Family Foundation, have all helped to make this project a reality.

After a several-week closure in the spring to finish the anti-graffiti coating and decorative concrete wall, a grand opening celebration will be held and will include a fun-run and free admission to the Community Recreation Center along with a celebratory barbecue, games, and prize giveaways for participants. The public will be notified through future press releases once an event date is set.

Any questions regarding the project may be directed to City Engineer Scott Murphy at 970.901.1792.

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