DESIGN PLANS MOVE FORWARD; FALL/SPRING CONSTRUCTION ENVISIONED Pitkin County Open Space and Trails has secured a lease from the Colorado Department of Transportation for a defined portion of the Hwy. 82 right-of-way adjacent to North Star Nature Preserve. The lease gives OST the ability to manage public uses and related facilities within the ingress/egress to the Preserve, improve vehicle and pedestrian safety, and enhance the North Star user experience.
Design/engineering to improve the safety and user experience at the four parking areas/pullouts at North Star is complete (see the North Star Parking Improvements Planset, above). Staff has received bids for the project and is working on securing permits for construction, which is anticipated to begin this fall, pause for the winter and finish up in the spring of 2023. A more detailed construction schedule will be posted here when it is finalized.
Public input related to parking improvements, generated during the 2020 North Star Management Plan process, has been reviewed and integrated into the plans. The Pitkin County Planning and Zoning Commission gave the project Location and Extent Review approval on March 1, 2022.
On Dec. 7, 2021, the Open Space and Trails Board reviewed the proposed designs. The presentation to the board and parking schematics prepared at that time are available above. In the spring of 2022, the board conducted a site visit to the parking areas contemplated for changes. The improvements will require realignment of the East of Aspen Trail in some areas, paving, fence installation, a concrete barrier/buffer separating parking from the highway and, where necessary, limited removal of trees to manage parking or trimming trees to improve sight lines for motorists.
For more information contact: Carly Klein Senior Planner 970-920-5224 or carly.klein@pitkincounty.com