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Eby Creek Road project funding comes up short

Construction isn’t set to start until mid summer, but the Eby Creek Road project is already looking at a budget shortfall.

Last week Eagle Town Engineer Tom Gosiorowski told members of the Eagle Town Board that the most recent cost estimates for the project indicate the $14 million price tag is about $2 million short.

But that doesn’t mean the project won’t proceed this summer. Rather, Gosiorowski said he is now working on another grant application for a Colorado Department of Transportation program titled RAMP (Responsive Acceleration of Maintenance and Partnership). And, if that grant money doesn’t materialize, the town will re-examine its overall construction plan.



“There are so many things in flux right now with different sources of funding coming into the pictures,” said Gosiorowski. “What we are doing now is trying to get a CDOT grant application in because our project is a good fit for the RAMP program.”

Gosiorowski said the town is hoping to capture all the funding it needs through a successful RAMP grant. But he acknowledged there is also a contingency plan.

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“At the end of the day, if we cant get all the funding we need, we will have to scale back the project,” said Gosiorowski.

The Eby Creek Road project has been in the planning stages for five years and is slated to begin construction in July. The plan involves building four new roundabouts along the busy town corridor and expanding the existing roundabout at U.S. Highway 6. Additionally a new pedestrian bridge will be built over Interstate 70 as part of the construction project.

Flatiron Construction has been hired as the construction manager for the project.

The construction team, which includes town, CDOT and Flatiron representatives, has been examining the Eby Creek plan to determine the best way to scale back the project if the funding comes up short. Some of the early ideas include postponing construction of the Market Street roundabout or postponing the expansion of the U.S. Highway 6 roundabout.

“The highway 6 roundabout actually functions pretty well as things exist today,” said Gosiorowski.

As they look to trim the budget, some parts of the Eby Creek plan are off limits, including the Chambers Avenue roundabout and the pedestrian bridge.

“The pedestrian bridge is in the project. We are not going to move forward without the pedestrian bridge,” said Gosiorowski.


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