JUNE IS COLORADO BIKE MONTH TRAIL CONSTRUCTION AND ROAD SHOULDER WIDENING

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Dustin Crawford
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ECO Trails: the communities of Gypsum, Eagle, Avon, Vail, Minturn, Red Cliff and Eagle County working together to create a regional trail system.

2 mile segment of the Eagle-Valley Trail between Avon Road and the west end of Eagle-Vail commercial area.

shoulders. The project will also provide a safe off-highway route for travel under the I-70 overpass near Eagle Road.

The trail bridge will be located just upstream of Bob the Bridge and provide a viewing platform of the Avon whitewater park as well as link the existing trail on the north bank of the river to the

Bikers traveling fast will likely still use the road shoulders and that s appropriate, but this project will provide for the pedestrians and cyclists who would prefer not to be on the road with

VAIL SET TO WIDEN THE FRONTAGE ROAD SHOULDERS Town of Vail will widen two miles of the South Frontage Road between Ford Park and Bald Mountain Road to provide six foot shoulders in each direction

1 ECO Trails: the communities of Gypsum, Eagle, Avon, Vail, Minturn, Red Cliff and Eagle County working together to create a regional trail system. TRAIL CONSTRUCTION AND ROAD SHOULDER WIDENING CLOSING THE TRAIL GAP BETWEEN AVON AND EAGLE-VAIL The Town of Avon, ECO Trails and Eagle-Vail are partnering to construct a 2.2 mile segment of the Eagle-Valley Trail between Avon Road and the west end of Eagle-Vail commercial area. Three grants totaling one million dollars have been awarded by CDOT, Great Outdoors Colorado and Colorado State Trails to fund the construction of the ten foot multi-use trail section and a trail bridge over the Eagle River. The project will be located alongside Highway 6 and serve pedestrians that currently walk on the highway through that area as well as bicyclists that are not comfortable traveling on the Highway 6 shoulders. The project will also provide a safe off-highway route for travel under the I-70 overpass near Eagle Road. The section of trail from Post Boulevard to Stone Creek Road will be upgraded to become part of the project. The trail bridge will be located just upstream of Bob the Bridge and provide a viewing platform of the Avon whitewater park as well as link the existing trail on the north bank of the river to the new trail on Highway 6. The Highway 6 corridor is a busy route that serves motor vehicles as well as bikes and pedestrians. said Rachel Dimond of the ECO Trails program. Bikers traveling fast will likely still use the road shoulders and that s appropriate, but this project will provide for the pedestrians and cyclists who would prefer not to be on the road with vehicle traffic. The project is in the design phase currently with construction planned to commence in late summer with completion in VAIL SET TO WIDEN THE FRONTAGE ROAD SHOULDERS Town of Vail will widen two miles of the South Frontage Road between Ford Park and Bald Mountain Road to provide six foot shoulders in each direction with plans to widen the road to the East Vail exit next year, 3 miles of improvements total! This project will be a great improvement for road cycling, with Vail continuing to live up to it s Bicycle Friendly Community award from the League of American Bicyclists in EAGLE TO EXTEND THE REGIONAL TRAIL Town of Eagle will be constructing a 2,000 foot section of trail in 2011 to extend the Eagle Valley Trail to Brooks Lane from its current end point at Violet Lane, along the north edge of Highway 6. The project is funded by Town of Eagle and the ECO Trails tax funds. The Town will also landscape the edge of the trail in an effort to improve the look and function of the Highway 6 corridor through town. The work will include a marked highway crossing for pedestrians and cyclists traveling to and from the town core to the Fairgrounds Park and Eagle River. continued on next page.. JUNE IS COLORADO BIKE MONTH MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR THESE EVENTS ANNUAL VAIL PASS TRAIL CLEAN UP SATURDAY, JUNE 11 COMMUTER OF THE YEAR NOMINATIONS DUE FRIDAY, JUNE 10 COLORADO BIKE TO WORK DAY WEDNESDAY, JUNE 22

Projects On Tap Continued HIGHWAY 6 TO GET WIDER SHOULDERS EAST OF EAGLE Eagle County Engineering and CDOT are working together to design and construct a shoulder widening project on Highway 6 that

Shoulders will be widened three feet each side from milepost 153 to milepost 158 between the Town of Eagle and Wolcott in addition to an asphalt overlay of the highway.

The adjacent Vail Pass Bike Trail will be closed from mileposts 180 to 190 to accommodate the work and a detour provided.

2 Projects On Tap Continued HIGHWAY 6 TO GET WIDER SHOULDERS EAST OF EAGLE Eagle County Engineering and CDOT are working together to design and construct a shoulder widening project on Highway 6 that will improve safety for motorists and road cycling. The project is funded jointly by the Eagle County Commissioners and CDOT. Shoulders will be widened three feet each side from milepost 153 to milepost 158 between the Town of Eagle and Wolcott in addition to an asphalt overlay of the highway. The work is expected to begin in August and completed in November. VAIL PASS IMPROVEMENTS: CDOT is planning on making some improvements to Interstate 70 west of Vail Pass May to October The adjacent Vail Pass Bike Trail will be closed from mileposts 180 to 190 to accommodate the work and a detour provided. The work will include drainage culvert replacement which will help control the impacts of the highway sanding and water runoff across and alongside the trail. XCEL GAS LINE WORK UNDER HIGHWAY 6 FROM EDWARDS TO MIN- TURN: GYP-DOT PHASE I TRAIL UPGRADED Xcel Energy will replace a substandard size pipeline under Highway 6 this year starting in May and working through September. The project will impact travel by vehicles, pedestrians and bicyclists on Highway 6. The work boundaries are Miller Ranch Road in Edwards and Minturn Road across from the Forest Service office. The current plan is to work primarily in the westbound lane and mark detours, lane and shoulder closures as needed. Bicyclists may be asked to move from the roadway to the Eagle Valley Trail, if a section is available nearby. Avon, Eagle County and CDOT are all in the review and permit process at time of this newsletter publication. Concurrent work zones may be in place at different locations along the 7 mile project route. Xcel will be required to provide website and newsletter updates through the life of the project. Go to xceledwards-minturngaspipeline.com for more information. OTHER ROAD AND TRAIL WORK ON TAP: Town of Minturn is working on plans to connect their trail along the Eagle River to the town center, through the rail yard or via the county road into town. The connection to the existing Dowd Trail to Vail and Eagle-Vail is pending funding for the I-70/Hwy 6 interchange improvement project by CDOT, which includes the trail connection. Replacement of the Highway 6 green bridge one mile east of Eagle. Work to begin in June and be complete by June 2012 Replacement of a Highway 24 bridge and culverts on route to Leadville. Work will begin in March and be complete by November Asphalt overlay of Highway 91, also part of the Leadville Loop route. Work set to begin in May and continue through Upgrades to Metcalf Road in Avon including road widening and a new bicycle climbing lane, starting late summer Tree removal and maintenance on the Eagle Valley Trail in Avon plus pavement patching and railing maintenance in same river section area. Town of Vail plans to improve Bald Mountain underpass, upgrade trail near Red Sandstone Elementary, replace the Aspen Lane trail bridge that was washed out by flood last spring and detour a trail section at Donovan Park in August and September. In 2006, Eagle County Road and Bridge constructed a segment of the Eagle Valley Trail as an unpaved trail through BLM property on the west edge of the Town of Gypsum. In 2011, funding from the Lottery Conservation Trust Funds contributed to upgrade of that trail from unpaved to paved and available for 4-season biking, walking and views of the Eagle River. It was previously difficult to use during wet or winter weather. The BLM has two public river access sites that can be reached via the trail, which has become popular among Gypsum residents. The project is the first segment in the goal to connect to Dotsero and Glenwood Canyon.

2011 Calendar of Events MAY May 4, Wednesday Short Track Mtn. Bike Race Series May 11, Wednesday Short Track Mtn. Bike Race Series May 14, Saturday La Sportiva Boneyard Boogie Trail Run Race. www.

com JUNE is COLORADO BIKE MONTH June 2-5, Thursday-Sunday Teva Mountain Games www.tevamountaingames.com June 8, Wednesday Hammer in the Hay Mt. Bike Race, Wolcott.

3 2011 Calendar of Events MAY May 4, Wednesday Short Track Mtn. Bike Race Series May 11, Wednesday Short Track Mtn. Bike Race Series May 14, Saturday La Sportiva Boneyard Boogie Trail Run Race. www. vailrec.com May 18, Wednesday Short Track Mtn. Bike Race Series, May 25, Wednesday Eagle Ranch Classic Mt. Bike Race www. vailrec.com JUNE is COLORADO BIKE MONTH June 2-5, Thursday-Sunday Teva Mountain Games June 8, Wednesday Hammer in the Hay Mt. Bike Race, Wolcott. June 13, Monday Ride the Rockies, Buena Vista to Edwards via Tennessee Pass. June 14, Tuesday Ride the Rockies, Edwards to Steamboat Springs via Yellow Jacket Pass. June 15, Wednesday Berry Creek Bash Mt. Bike Race, Edwards. www/vailrec.com WATCH FOR THE NEW ECO TRAILS SHARE THE ROAD VIDEO AND MIKE KLOSER RADIO SPOT ABOUT THE RULES OF THE ROAD AND SHARING THE ROAD. COMING SOON TO A RADIO STATION AND LOCAL TV CHANNEL NEAR YOU! June 18, Saturday La Sportiva Summer Solstice Twilight Trail Run, Beaver Creek. June 22, Wednesday Bicycle Tour of Colorado, Steamboat Springs to Glenwood Springs via Yampa and Dotsero. June 22, Wednesday Colorado Bike to Work Day June 24, Friday Bicycle Tour of Colorado, Glenwood Springs to Frisco via Eagle County JULY July 3, Sunday La Sportiva Vail Hill Climb Run July 6, Wednesday Vail Grind Mt. Bike Race July 9, Saturday Triple Bypass West Bike Ride. Starting in Evergreen and ending in Avon. July 10, Sunday Triple Bypass East Bike Ride. Starting in Avon and ending in Evergreen. July 11, Monday Plum TV s Dunk-N-Dash series July 20, Wednesday Boneyard Brawl Mt. Bike Race, Eagle. July 23, Saturday 10th Annual Colorado Eagle River Ride. July 24, Sunday La Sportiva Vail Half Marathon AUGUST August 3, Wednesday Davos Dash Mt. Bike Race August 6, Saturday 4th Annual BecTri Sprint Triathlon August 6, Saturday Copper Triangle bike ride. Copper Mountain through Vail. August 7, Sunday La Sportiva 10,000 Feet and 5K August 17, Wednesday Beaver Creek Blast August 20, Saturday Sonnenalp Foundation s 26th Annual Casual Classic Bicycle Ride from Breckenridge to Vail, a benefit for ECO Trails. August 25, Thursday USA Pro Cycling Challenge, Stage 3-Vail. August 26, Friday USA Pro Cycling Challenge, Stage 4-Avon to Steamboat Springs. August 26-27, Friday-Saturday Colorado Relay running race passes through Eagle County. August 28, Sunday La Sportiva Berry Picker Trail Run. SEPTEMBER September 11, Sunday La Sportiva EverGold Trail 10K and 5K,. COURTESY CODE FOR SHARED ROADS Colorado Law states that drivers must provide at least 3 feet of clearance when passing a bicyclist. Drivers are allowed to cross the center line when it is safe to do so. Cyclists may ride no more than two abreast, but only if not impeding traffic. Cyclists are allowed to take the lane in a roundabout. Cyclists are required to stop at stop signs and obey traffic signals, just like a vehicle.

A BIG THANK YOU TO: ECO TRAILS COMMITTEE MEMBERS for the donation of their time and commitment to the vision of a connected regional trail system.

regional trail in their community COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION for their support of bicycles and pedestrians in the transportation network BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT AND US FOREST SERVICE for

TOWN AND COUNTY ROAD AND TRAIL MAINTENANCE STAFF for their efforts to continually improve the road and trail network for safety.

TRAIL MAPS Go to eaglecounty.us/ecotrails to print out easy to use mountain biking and hiking maps, prepared by the Eagle County GIS Department.

4 A BIG THANK YOU TO: ECO TRAILS COMMITTEE MEMBERS for the donation of their time and commitment to the vision of a connected regional trail system. SONNENALP OF VAIL FOUNDA- TION for their donation of proceeds from the Casual Classic Bicycle Ride to ECO Trails EDWARDS METRO DISTRICT for covering the costs of maintaining and repairing the regional trail in their community COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION for their support of bicycles and pedestrians in the transportation network BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT AND US FOREST SERVICE for their support of trail projects as a beneficial use of local public lands. TOWN AND COUNTY ROAD AND TRAIL MAINTENANCE STAFF for their efforts to continually improve the road and trail network for safety. ARLA RANDALL, BJ and GARRETT SMITH for their kind donations TOWN OF VAIL for support of the Vail Pass Trail Cleanup GARY THORNTON for his efficient and capable assistance with many projects FREE TRAIL MAPS Go to eaglecounty.us/ecotrails to print out easy to use mountain biking and hiking maps, prepared by the Eagle County GIS Department. Road rides and trail system planning maps also available. PETS MUST BE LEASHED Rover has plenty of places to recreate off-leash in Eagle County. Please respect others using the trail system and leash your dog. Pets off leash and bicycles don t mix well, and pet waste pollutes. Please be responsible or encourage others to obey the pet rules. DONORS TO ECO EVENTS Pedal Power Beaver Creek Resort Company Loaded Joe s Bonjour Bakery Columbine Market Town of Gypsum Vail Resorts Vail Recreation District THANK YOU Trail Adoption Groups for helping keep the trail system looking good. These groups and individuals are giving their free time to help stretch our resources and give back to their community. R.A. Nelson Inn at Riverwalk Ski & Snowboard Club Vail SOS Outreach Bossow Excavation Edwards Rotary Club Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa Gypsum Animal Hospital The Sonnenalp of Vail Moontime Cyclery Riverwalk Master Association Edwards Village Market Starbucks Heidi s Deli CDOT Town of Vail Westside Cafe TRAIL COMMITTEE MEMBER VACANCY: Do you want to get involved in trail planning, events and advocacy? A seat in District 3 that represents Gypsum and western Eagle County is available if you want to get involved. ellie.caryl@eaglecounty.us to learn more. Western Eagle Valley Rotary Club Berry Creek Middle School Eagle County Charter Academy

TRAIL SUPPORTERS OF THE YEAR: Gotthelf and Kelly Honored In late 2010, the ECO Trails Committee selected Paul Gotthelf and Bruce Kelly as the Trail Supporters of the Year.

Gotthelf, of Edwards and a member of the Committee, was honored for his long term commitment to creating a valley wide interconnected trail system and safer shared roads.

He s an original member of the ECO Trails Committee and has worked for 15 years to facilitate the construction of recreational trails throughout the county.

fitness. Gotthelf and Kelly were awarded plaques as well as Share the Road jerseys provided from Bicycle Colorado.

5 TRAIL SUPPORTERS OF THE YEAR: Gotthelf and Kelly Honored In late 2010, the ECO Trails Committee selected Paul Gotthelf and Bruce Kelly as the Trail Supporters of the Year. The awards are made annually for exceptional contributions to the regional trail system and local transportation system for the benefit of bicyclists and pedestrians. Gotthelf, of Edwards and a member of the Committee, was honored for his long term commitment to creating a valley wide interconnected trail system and safer shared roads. Gotthelf was one of the original supporters of the 1995 Transit and Trails tax. He s an original member of the ECO Trails Committee and has worked for 15 years to facilitate the construction of recreational trails throughout the county. Kelly, of Leadville and co-owner of Pedal Power in Eagle Vail, was honored for his long time commitment to bicycling as a fun and convenient form of transportation that also promotes health and fitness. Gotthelf and Kelly were awarded plaques as well as Share the Road jerseys provided from Bicycle Colorado. BACKCOUNTRY TRAIL MOMENTUM A local chapter of the International Mountain Biking Association (IMBA) is forming, the Vail Valley Mountain Bike Association (VVMBA) Contact Peter Geyer at petergeyervvmba@gmail.com, for more information or stop by your local bike shop in the Vail Valley. The Hardscrabble Coalition is a group of Eagle residents interested in upgrading existing trail routes and constructing appropriate new trail routes. Contact hardscrabbletrails@hotmail.com for more information. The Trail Action Group has been assisting with USFS trail maintenance projects since 1996 in the upper Eagle Valley. If you or a group would like to work on a project, contact Dawes Wilson at dawes@hotmail.com COMMUTER OF THE YEAR NOMINATIONS Due Friday, June 10, 2010 to eaglecounty.us/trails Help select the 2011 Commuter of the Year. Now in its seventh year, the ECO Trails Commuter of the Year Award contest honors a local who goes above and beyond to get themselves to work via bike or foot. Do you know someone who deserves to be recognized? Go to eaglecounty.us/trails or call for a nomination form. Does your nominee have kids and a full-time job and still manage to commute to work by bike or foot? Do they log hundreds or thousands of miles a year? Or did they start and you never thought they would be able to keep doing it, but they have? Let us know about your favorite commuter. This year s winner will join past Commuter of the Year winners: Tim Carlson 2005, Jeff Mohrman 2006, Leslie Kehmeier 2007, Mike Janelle 2008, Brendan Finnernan 2009 and Dawes Wilson 2010 (pictured). June 10 is the 2011 nomination deadline. Rachel Dimond, Chairman Dick Cleveland Mike Heaphy Jamie Gunion Louise Randall 2011 ECO Trails Committee Members Greta Blamire Paul Gotthelf Jeannie Hauff John Bailey Scott Turnipseed Pete Lombardi Scott Schlosser Kent Rose Mike Toughill Bill Fisher, Vice Chair Ross Morgan Peggy Jensen SEASONAL TRAIL CLOSURES Trails in Gypsum and Eagle are dry and open, but some trail closures remain in effect on up-valley trails until mid to late June for wildlife protection. North Trail and Son of Middle Creek are closed until June 15 Paulie s Plunge and Paulie s Sister are closed until June 30 Whiskey Creek, Eastern Hillside and the Back Bowl s (i.e. large portion of Two Elk trail) are closed until July 1. Please respect these closures out of respect for wildlife and their calving, feeding and migration needs. For more information, contact the Holy Cross Ranger District at

6 PO Box 1070 Gypsum, CO SAVE THESE DATES!

2007 Trail Happenings

THE COMMUNITIES OF GYPSUM, EAGLE, EDWARDS, AVON, VAIL, MINTURN, RED CLIFF AND EAGLE COUNTY WORKING TOGETHER TO CREATE A REGIONAL TRAIL SYSTEM. 2007 Trail Happenings CONSTRUCTION IS UNDERWAY ON THE EAGLE