Vail to relocate tree
VAIL, Colorado – A 50-foot tall spruce tree weighing abotu 50,000 pounds will be relocated from the Lionshead Transit Center construction site to the Vail Golf Course on Tuesday.
A crane is scheduled to be in use on East Lionshead Circle beginning at 8 a.m. It will take an hour or two to load the tree on a town trailer. The tree will then be driven east on South Frontage Road and down Vail Valley Drive. To avoid some overhanging tree branches, the tree will be driven up Ptarmigan Road and backed down Vail Valley Drive to the planting site between Homestake Circle and Hornsilver Circle.
The tree will be planted along the fourth fairway of the golf course and will provide additional protection from errant golf balls to the roadway and adjacent properties. There will be a moving road closure in which motorists and cyclists will be directed east or west along Vail Valley Drive depending on the location of the truck. Delays will be minor and motorists and cyclists are asked to exercise caution while the move is taking place. The operation should be completed by early afternoon on Tuesday. The tree is the largest of 10 evergreens to be relocated from the construction site. The other trees have been moved to Donovan Park, Ellefson Park, Vail Village Transportation Center, Mill Creek Circle and the Vail Post Office.
The LionsHead Transit Center construction project includes a new 1,200-square-foot transit building, which will include a waiting area and restrooms; four ECO Transit bus bays; frontage road improvements; and a 20-space passenger drop-off area on the lowest level in the Lionshead parking structure, closest to the entrance to Lionshead. The schedule calls for the road improvements to be completed by Nov. 15 and the transit building to be ready for occupancy by Dec. 15. The project is being funded by a $5 million federal transportation grant as well as from incremental property tax revenue resulting from redevelopment in Lionshead. For additional details, contact Tom Kassmel, town engineer, at 479-2235 or e-mail tkassmel@vailgov.com.
