ARAPAHOE COUNTY, Colo. — Construction will start Monday on the Parker Road Overpass to connect two major regional trails in Arapahoe County.
Arapahoe County Open Spaces, Public Works & Development, and Jalisco International, Inc. are working on this project, which will connect the Cherry Creek Trail and the High Plains Trail with a price tag of $5.2 million.
"The Open Spaces project will improve regional trail connectivity, provide a safer crossing at S. Parker Road, improve neighborhood access to the larger Denver regional trail network, and enhance quality of life for residents," the county said.
The first phase of construction will begin Monday and will take about six months to complete. This phase includes installing a grade-separated overcrossing at Parker Road (which will connect to the existing Cherry Creek Trail), pedestrian bridge installation, trail enhancements, and landscape and irrigation improvements, according to the county. This work begins just north of Preservation Park and Trailhead and will then move east across S. Parker Road.
This phase is estimated to wrap up in the fall. The next one will begin in Aurora after Kings Point Development begins construction, the county said. All schedules are dependent on weather.
Parker Road is open, however crews may close the right lanes for some parts of the project. At the end of the construction, Parker Road will close to install the bridge overnight.
Funding is provided by Arapahoe County, Town of Parker, City of Aurora, City of Centennial, Douglas County, and E-470 Public Highway Authority, plus secured funding from Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG) and a grant from Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO), the county said.
To stay up to date on this project, call 720-707-4300, email highplainstrailproject@gmail.com, or visit the project's website here.