A portion of the Animas River Trail from the northern end of Santa Rita Park to the DoubleTree Hotel at 501 Camino del Rio will be closed for eight months beginning in March for trail improvements.
The closure will begin on Monday and last through October, according to a project description on Engage Durango. The city plans to mark an alternative route with signage and directional arrows from west College Drive to the southern end of Santa Rita Park.
The Whitewater Park at Santa Rita Park will remain accessible during the trail closure, the city said.
City Parks, Open Space, and Trails Design Manager Rachel Hart said on Engage Durango that the pedestrian bridge over the Animas River south of the DoubleTree Hotel will remain open during construction.
The city said the detour “will involve a longer commute, with some road crossings and a steep hill that may be challenging for some users.” It suggested using city buses as an alternative mode of transportation.
The bus stops nearest to Santa Rita Park are stops 309 (Second Street and Sixth Avenue) and 311 (Second Street and Eighth Avenue) on Route 3 (Walmart/Mercy), according to the city’s rider guide.
Trail improvements will replace deteriorating asphalt with a concrete path widened to 10 to 12 feet and add new trail railings and lighting, the city said in a news release. The trail will be realigned to reduce a blind corner beneath the U.S. Highway 160 bridge.
Drainage will also be improved, and a new portage trail will be added above Whitewater Park to allow rafters to exit the river before entering the rapids, according to the release.
“Trail users should avoid the construction area, adhere to all posted signage, and exercise caution throughout the duration of the project,” the city said.
The northern Santa Rita Park to DoubleTree Hotel trail section is one of three remaining sections of the Animas River Trail the city has marked as due for improvements, which are being funded by the city’s 2015 half-cent sales and use tax fund.
Engage Durango additionally lists the Santa Rita Park south to Nature’s Oasis and Rank Park to Memorial Park trail sections for future improvements.
Planned improvements include replacing asphalt with concrete, reducing grades, improving visibility at curves and meeting Americans with Disabilities Act guidelines, as well as widening trails to at least 10 feet, according to the city.
The latter two projects are awaiting budget allocations.
cburney@durangoherald.com
