Ribbon cutting parade scheduled for three new segments of the Eagle Valley Trail

Eagle County recently issued the following press release on a Bike to Work Day celebration with the county commissioners leading a parade along the Eagle Valley Trail to cut ribbons on three new trail segments:

June 18, 2024 – Bike to Work Day in Eagle County will be a day of celebration. On Wednesday, June 26, Eagle County commissioners will lead a parade along the Eagle Valley Trail (EVT) to cut ribbons on three new trail segments: EagleVail, Dowd Junction, and the Minturn connector.

“This celebration is over a year in the making,” said Eagle County Commissioner Kathy Chandler-Henry. “Watching the three ground-breakings from last year culminate in this triple ribbon cutting is really satisfying. We’re so excited to see everyone for the parade.”

The parade route is approximately four miles and will begin in EagleVail at the Homestake Peak School parking lot at 3 p.m. Parade festivities will kick into gear with a ribbon cutting in the EagleVail Business Center around 3:20 p.m., followed by the second ribbon cutting in Dowd Junction at approximately 3:40 p.m., culminating with the final ribbon cutting to celebrate the Minturn connector around 3:50 p.m. near Minturn.

Parade participants are encouraged to wear costumes and decorate their wheels of choice, from bikes to strollers to scooters. Since the trail is for everyone, walkers, runners, and leashed pets are welcome.

The construction of two of these portions of the EVT posed significant challenges. “Both the EagleVail and Dowd Junction segments passed through difficult terrain,” said Kevin Sharkey, Trail Program Manager at ECO Trails. “Gould Construction and ECO Trails worked closely with CDOT, who reduced lane widths to accommodate our trail. We’re really proud of the work we’ve done.”

Otak engineered both trail sections, which include cantilevered designs to reduce any negative impacts on the Eagle River. Steep, narrow terrain, and buried utilities posed further challenges, as did the 1-70 overpass at Dowd Junction. “CDOT was a great partner,” said Sharkey. “Now we’ll see fewer cyclists and pedestrians on these busy roads, making it safer for everyone.”

Although a more straightforward project, the Minturn connector passes through an Elk Critical Winter Habitat that will require it to close completely in the winter. Inberg-Miller Engineers engineered this spur trail, which connects the town of Minturn to the larger Eagle Valley Trail network.

Three of the final four segments of the EVT are now complete, with only the Horn Ranch to Edwards section remaining. This 7.5-mile stretch poses the most difficult challenge and is the longest single project left to complete on the trail.

Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) recently invested $7 million toward the completion of the Horn Ranch to Edwards segment, recognizing the significant impact the finished EVT will have on the quality of life and economic growth for Eagle County and surrounding counties. With roughly $3 million needed from the community to fully fund this final portion of the EVT, community support is needed now more than ever. Once complete, residents and visitors can travel from Breckenridge through Eagle County to Glenwood Springs and Aspen without utilizing a highway.

For more information or to donate to the fundraising efforts, visit EagleValleyTrail.org.

Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) invests a portion of Colorado Lottery proceeds to help preserve and enhance the state’s parks, trails, wildlife, rivers, and open spaces. GOCO’s independent board awards competitive grants to local governments and land trusts and invests through Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Created when voters approved a constitutional amendment in 1992, GOCO has since funded more than 5,700 projects in all 64 counties of Colorado without any tax dollar support. Visit GOCO.org for more information.