Frequently Asked Questions
Recently Asked Questions
Q: How long will night work be taking place? Why is the contractor working at night?
A: The contractor has authority to work at night per contractual agreements with the Town and FHWA for the entirety of the project. Working at night allows the contractor to perform work that cannot be efficiently completed when the roads and/or sidewalks are occupied with cars and pedestrians. It also allows incorporation of a second work shift, which helps the contractor accelerate completion of the project work. These benefits minimize significant daytime impacts to the traveling public and reduce the duration of the adverse construction impacts that must be endured by both guests and residents. Night work helps the contractor maintain work productivity that is otherwise lost due to other contractual limitations such as prohibitions on holiday or weekend work and daytime closures of traffic lanes. In an effort to reduce the disruption caused by night work, the contractor has introduced white noise alarms to temper the sounds of traditional backup alarms, and is using special low wattage LED lights that help quiet the light plant and soften the light disruption.
Q: Are the lane closures west of the roundabout part of the Loop project?
A: No. There is a new CDOT project taking place on US 36 and US 34. For more information on this project, please contact one of the following resources: Project hotline: 970-673-4322 or the project email: us34andus36resurfacing@getinfonow.us.
Q: Were the wrong sized pipes installed on the Loop project and will the citizens of Estes Park have to pay for the mistake?
A: No. This never happened. And if this did happen, the cost of the mistake would not come back to the citizens of Estes Park.
Q: Will Riverside Drive south of Crags Drive and the roundabout be a one way?
A: Both Riverside Drive south of Crags Drive and Moccasin Circle Drive will be two way streets.
Q: Will crews be paving Elkhorn Ave and Moraine Ave during the summer?
A: No. Paving will take place in 2024. Please see the revised schedule. Some paving may occur during the summer in smaller areas but will take place during non-peak times.
Project History
Q: What is the history of the project?
A: This project originated through the Town’s 2013 application for Federal Lands Access Program (FLAP) funds to explore a one-way couplet along Elkhorn Avenue, Moraine Avenue, and Riverside Drive. Money was awarded through a combination of FLAP funds and CDOT RAMP (Responsible Acceleration of Maintenance and Partnerships) funds. An Environmental Assessment (EA) was then initiated in the Fall of 2014. A multi-tiered screening process led to the decision to evaluate the environmental impacts of the No Action and the Proposed Action in the EA. The proposed action consisted of "Phase 1" improvements as well as future unfunded improvements. The Phase 1 improvements consist of a 1.1-mile loop of Elkhorn Avenue, Moraine Avenue and Riverside Drives. The Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the Downtown Estes Loop was signed on April 19, 2017 by CFLHD. The FONSI covers Phase 1 of the proposed action analyzed in the 2016 Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Downtown Estes Loop Project. Preliminary and final design, acquisition of rights of way and easements, FEMA and US Army Corps of Engineers permitting, and contractual funding revisions occured from 2016 through 2022.
Q: What is the benefit of the project?
A: The primary purpose of this project is to improve access to and from Rocky Mountain National Park by reducing travel time, congestion, and pedestrian and vehicle conflicts through downtown Estes Park as well as the associated negative impacts to visitor experience. Secondarily, the project will deliver to Estes Park four new traffic signals; new surfaces, markings, and signage on four downtown roadways; improved public safety on expanded sidewalks, trails and bike lanes; a new roadway bridge over the Big Thompson River with increased flood water capacity; an expanded stormwater collection system; an expanded sanitary sewage collection system; a new roundabout intersection; and completion of a new 16" water distribution pipe for improved fire protection.
Q: Who are the project partners?
A: Flatiron Constructors, the Federal Highway Administration Central Federal Lands Highway Division, the Town of Estes Park and the Colorado Department of Transportation.
Businesses
Q: Will businesses have access?
A: Yes. Access to downtown businesses will be maintained throughout the project.
Q: What will happen to the businesses in Piccadilly Square when the roundabout is being built and roads are closed?
A: All businesses in Piccadilly Square will have access. To patronize any of the businesses, motorists will need to enter the parking area from the south side of Crags Drive using E. Riverside Drive.
Q: Will there be sidewalk closures?
A: Yes. There will be some sidewalk closures but there will be pedestrian detours. Sidewalk closures are limited to non-holiday weekdays only (Monday thru Thursday) only in the offseason calendar window of October 3 through May 19. The contractor is required to notify the impacted businesses 2 weeks in advance of performing sidewalk work adjacent to a business.
Q: Will someone be talking with the businesses?
A: Both the project supervisor and the public information manager will be stopping in on businesses in the project zone throughout the project.
Q: Will the project impact delivery trucks?
A: Businesses who have deliveries on W. Riverside will have impacts when the road is closed. Semi-trucks will not be allowed access. Smaller trucks will have access.
Residents
Q: What impacts will I see if I am a resident in the project zone?
A: Residents within the project zone on E. Riverside Drive will be impacted when driveways are poured and will be given alternative places to park within 200 feet of existing parking places. Plenty of advance notice will be given. Additionally, residents can expect night work throughout the project timeframe.
Schedule
Q: When will work take place?
A: Major construction will take place during non-peak months, January through June and October through December. General working hours will take place from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Some night work may occur. Due to the short construction season, some Sunday work may also occur. The Downtown Estes Loop project is scheduled to be completed by January, 2025. All schedules are subject to change based on weather and available resources.
Project Information
Q: How can I get updates?
A: The website will be continuously updated with the most recent information. Also, please sign-up for weekly email blasts by visiting the “Connect” page of this website.
Q: Who else will offer updates?
A: Both the Town of Estes and the Chamber of Commerce will push out notifications to businesses and their individual list of stakeholders.
Q: How can I get a question about the project answered?
A: You can email the team at PublicInfoCO@gmail.com, or call the project hotline at 970-880-2373. There is also a place on the project website where you can submit questions under the “Connect” page.
Q: Will updates be posted weekly?
A: Updates will be posted weekly.
Q: Will there be more community meetings?
A: There will be five community meetings throughout the duration of the project.
Post Office
Q: How will the post office be impacted?
A: The post office parking lot will be closed for the winter. Additionally, traffic will be detoured through the post office parking lot.
Project Design
Q: What is happening to Ivy Street?
A: Ivy Street will become West Riverside Drive.
Q: What will the retaining walls look like?
A: Small curbed retaining walls will be constructed on the project with architectural finishes. There will be new concrete planters at the Post Office. The retaining walls will be constructed on West Riverside Drive, Baldwin Park and the northeast side of the roundabout. Another one is planned along the roadway adjacent to Fun City.
Q: Where will the contractor stage for the project?
A: Construction staging will be within the work zone in closure areas, mostly along East Riverside Drive between Rockwell and Ivy St.
Q: Will there be new landscaping on the project?
A: Yes. There will be new landscaping plantings throughout the project.
Construction Impacts
Q: What kind of impacts will there be?
A: Please visit the project updates page for weekly impacts.
Q: What parking impacts will there be?
A: For phase one, all the stalls in front of Baldwin Park will be closed.
Q: Will there be impacts to the snowplowing?
A: The project team is coordinating with the Town and CDOT to maintain uninterrupted snow removal within the project.
Q: Will there be impacts to pedestrians?
A: Pedestrian access will be maintained throughout the project.
Q: How far in advance will we know about street closures?
A: Any closures will be updated to the website one week in advance. Closures needed quickly will be posted as they happen.
Q: What construction will be happening in the summer months?
A: Crews will be working on smaller items within the roundabout and at the project intersections.
Environmental Impacts
Q: What impacts will there be to the river?
A: The river will be temporarily impacted during bridge demo and replacement. During this time the river will be diverted slightly to ensure no contamination of river water during construction activities. Following construction, river diversion will be reversed, banks will be repaired and seeded appropriately. Between the Ivy St bridge and the Rockwell St bridge the grade of the river banks will be dropped slightly. The existing grade of the river banks have harsh edges that promote erosion and can only withhold a finite amount of water. By dropping the river banks to create a more sloped edge and adding additional riprap and retaining walls, erosion of the river bed and banks will be minimized and the river will be able to hold higher flow volumes which will prevent future flooding potential. Improvements to the river will also offer better fishing access.
Q: What other impacts will there be to the environment and/or wildlife
A: New plantings throughout the project site will increase biodiversity and habitat for wildlife.
Utility Impacts
Q: Will there be any utility impacts?
A: When utility tie-ins occur, there will be some disruptions of services but they will be minimal. Plenty of notice will be given.
Q: Is the new waterline part of the project?
A: Yes. The project will install a new 16” waterline, which will improve the fire protection to downtown structures.
Questions asked by the media
Q: How will Baldwin Park be affected by the construction? Where will it be “moved” if it is destroyed? That is such a great little park that people, wildlife, and birds enjoy and with beautiful trees including cottonwoods, spruce and other trees.
A: The small area of the park that will be affected by construction will be restored. New trail alignment will be constructed along with the area near the playground that is excavated for storm sewer pipe placement.
Q: Will the trees that were along the river be replaced like the narrowleaf cottonwoods especially because they help fish with habitat, provide shade and beauty, decrease evaporation, and stabilize the river.
A: The Project has a robust landscaping element with numerous trees and shrubbery that will be installed in the park area in addition to improvements to the river access east of the Post Office parking lot.
Q: How is the US Army Corp of Engineers involved in this project, since the river is under their jurisdiction as navigable water?
A: The project is operating under Section 404 and 401 of the Clean Water Act (CWA) through the US Army Corp of Engineers and Flatiron Corp., the contractor, is performing under those sections.
Q. What is the breakdown of cost for the project?
A: The total cost of the $42M project is shared according to the terms of the Memorandum of Agreement between FHWA, CDOT, RMNP and the Town. The proportionate contributions are as follows: FLAP Program (grant) $34.71M, CDOT $1.58M, Town $5.71M, RMNP $0. The $27M construction cost is shared in these same proportions. Note that the $4.2M of the Town's $5.71M contribution was provided to the Town by CDOT through a devolution agreement. The actual funds contributed from Estes taxpayers is $1.51M. In exchange for this contribution, the Town agreed to accept ownership and future maintenance responsibility for W Elkhorn Ave, which was previously part of the CDOT highway system. The Town and CDOT have already paid their proportionate shares to FHWA who is administering the project spending and construction work.
Q. What are some of the other benefits of the project?
The project will deliver to Estes Park four new traffic signals; new travel surfaces, markings, and signage on four downtown roadways; improved public safety on expanded sidewalks, trails and bike lanes; a new roadway bridge over the Big Thompson River with increased flood water capacity; an expanded stormwater collection system; an expanded sanitary sewage collection system; a new roundabout intersection; and completion of a new 16" water distribution pipe for improved fire protection.