Speaking of the Power Trail, I have some more good news: yesterday, YGR learned that site preparation for the Power Trail and Harmony underpass is set to begin in just a few days. The project will link the southern and northern sections of the trail, eliminating the current spur along McMurry Avenue and improving safety for everyone who rides, walks, or runs the corridor.
Preliminary site work begins November 11, when Mountain Constructors of Platteville, Colorado, will mobilize crews to clear the area and lay temporary paving. According to Dillon Willett, the Project Manager with Fort Collins Engineering Department, the city plans to pause work through the holidays, then begin full construction in January.
The project faces several engineering challenges. Crews must navigate extensive underground infrastructure, cross one of Fort Collins’ busiest roads, and work near the Union Pacific Railroad tracks, all factors that add complexity and cost.
Mountain Constructors’ bid for the underpass came in just under $9.5 million, matching the city’s engineering estimate. The trail connection will be bid separately, with the entire project expected to wrap up by the end of 2026.
Funding comes from the Community Capital Improvement Program (CCIP), a 10-year, quarter-cent tax renewal approved by voters in 2015 and renewed on Tuesday, as well as federal Transportation Alternatives (TA) and Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) grants through the Federal Highway Administration. With these funds secured, the project is fully funded for construction.
The new underpass will eliminate the dangerous crossing at Harmony and McMurry, where local cyclist Jim DeFazio was killed in February 2023. When complete, it will provide a continuous and far safer route across South Fort Collins for cyclists and pedestrians alike.
More information can be found here.
If you enjoy this content and appreciate the hustle that goes into YGR please consider supporting the site.
