Press Release - Sidewalk Improvements Underway in Salida
COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
DOT.STATE.CO.US/ARRA
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 1, 2009
CONTACT:
Nancy Shanks, CDOT Public Relations
(970) 385-1428 or mobile: (970) 749-3579
SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENTS IN SALIDA UNDERWAY WITH AMERICAN RECOVERY & REINVESTMENT ACT (ARRA) FUNDS
CDOT, City of Salida partner to complete this Transportation Enhancement Program project
SALIDA -- Work on a new concrete sidewalk is underway on U.S. Highway 50 through Salida, with funding from the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (ARRA), the federal Transportation Enhancement (TE) Program administered by the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), and the City of Salida. The TE Program funds specific types of projects that enhance a community's existing transportation system.
Salida's new sidewalk is being constructed on both sides of US 50 between Holman Avenue and D Street, approximately nine blocks. The project includes new six-foot-wide concrete sidewalks, curb and gutter; a four-foot-wide stamped and colored "parkway" between the sidewalk and curb; and 25-foot-tall light poles set within the parkway for improved pedestrian and motorist visibility.
This "off-systems" (off highway) sidewalk project has a total cost of $1,001,578. It has received ARRA funding in the amount of $491,469 (the remaining $510,109 will be covered by TE Program funding and the required 20 percent match from the City of Salida.) The sidewalk project, contracted to Y & K Excavation of Salida, is scheduled for completion in mid-December 2009.
"The US 50 Sidewalk Project is part of the City's ongoing motorist/pedestrian improvement efforts," Salida Public Works Director Robert Vance said. "Along with the separate signal project at Holman Avenue, it will greatly enhance safety for pedestrians and motorists along this stretch."
A local, state or federal government agency must sponsor these off-systems Transportation Enhancement projects. The sponsor must provide a minimum of 20 percent of the project cost. Each year, CDOT's Region 5 (southwest Colorado) receives approximately $800,000 for this program, to be administered throughout the 15 counties and two tribal nations in Southwest/South-Central Colorado.
Cities and counties throughout Colorado must submit project applications to the CDOT regional office for consideration. The CDOT Enhancement Program team reviews the applications based on specific criteria including project eligibility, engineering issues and cost estimates. Following this process, applications are prioritized and approved by members of the appropriate Transportation Planning Region (TPR). Salida's US 50 Sidewalk Project was approved by the San Luis Valley Regional Transportation Planning Commission, which is comprised of representatives of the counties of--and municipalities within--Alamosa, Chaffee, Conejos, Costilla, Mineral, Rio Grande and Saguache.
Because TE projects were assisted with ARRA funding, some existing TE Program funding was freed up for additional projects this year. CDOT and TPR representatives requested and received additional Transportation Enhancement project applications. In CDOT's Region 5, this has completed the two-year funding cycle for the program through 2011. A call for applications for the 2012 through 2013 funding period will be sent out next year to counties and municipalities in Region 5.