Here's how a new trail could help improve bicycle and pedestrian access in Pueblo West

Josué Perez, Pueblo Chieftain
·2 min read

The Pueblo West Metropolitan District plans to construct a new paved trail to boost connectivity and improve bicycle and pedestrian access to the area.

Construction of the trail, which will start south of Hahn’s Peak Avenue at a point on Purcell Boulevard, is split into two phases, with the first set to begin in 2025. The start of the second phase is set for 2026, but the district hopes to construct both phases at the same time, said Carol Cosby, the district's director of parks and recreation.

A portion of the new trail will be constructed in the first phase and eventually connect with another section of trail built during the second phase. The trail, currently referred to as Purcell Trail, will be 2.3 miles long and end at Liberty Point, Cosby said.

Purcell Trail will also connect to other existing and future planned trails in the area, Cosby said. She compared its potential serviceability to that of Liberty Point, which is frequently used by people seeking to exercise.

“I think (Purcell Trail) will be a highly used trail,” Cosby said. "We have a lot of people who commute, and when we bring this trail on and tie it with the rest of our trails, it will also tie into the city. It’ll be a favorite route for people to use.”

Nichole Romero, left, and Devyn Bobian, 10, ride bicycles along the trails of the Nature & Wildlife Discovery Center in May 2020.
Nichole Romero, left, and Devyn Bobian, 10, ride bicycles along the trails of the Nature & Wildlife Discovery Center in May 2020.

The total cost to build Purcell Trail will be mostly covered by the Colorado Department of Transportation, which issued a $1.3 million grant to the metro district from its Transportation Alternatives Program. Federal funds in the program are allocated to projects that typically enhance other forms of transportation such as biking and walking. Entities that receive funding must pay 20% of the project’s cost.

The funding is the latest round of federal dollars acquired by the metro district, which has submitted numerous applications to CDOT’s program to pay for its trails. The funding is also another step forward in the region’s transportation plan.

“We’ve had comments from our community that our roads are so narrow out here that it’d be nice to have a trail and connect-ability,” Cosby said. “It’s not just connecting on the south side, but on the north side of (U.S.) Highway 50 as well.”

The Pueblo West project is one of 37 across the state that received a portion of more than $42 million in funding from CDOT’s TAP plan. TAP started in 2012 and is now supported by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act signed by President Joe Biden in 2021. The federal initiative helps states invest in improving roads, bridges and other transportation projects.

Cañon City and Lamar joined Pueblo as other southeast Colorado cities that received funding for transportation improvements.

Chieftain reporter Josue Perez can be reached at JHPerez@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @josuepwrites. Support local news, subscribe to The Pueblo Chieftain at subscribe.chieftain.com.

This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Pueblo West to boost bike, pedestrian access with new trail