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REAP outlines 2026 push on Byers CTE programs, North‑side growth and West Bijou Creek restoration
Summary
At a county study session, the I‑70 Regional Economic Advancement Partnership previewed 2026 priorities including expanded career and technical education at Byers High School, a planned school greenhouse, outreach tied to an extended enterprise zone, and an initial push to pursue USDA funding for West Bijou Creek conservation and recreation work.
Kip Sharudis, executive director of the I‑70 Regional Economic Advancement Partnership, told the Arapahoe County commissioners at a study session that REAP will focus in 2026 on career and technical education, supporting growth north of Interstate 70 in Byers, and preliminary work to secure federal funding for West Bijou Creek restoration.
REAP’s pitch centers on long‑range planning for eastern Arapahoe County, Sharudis said. “We’re focused in the 5 to 10 year from now range,” he said, describing REAP as a catalyst for investment and jobs in the I‑70 corridor.
The initiative’s nut graffrom the presentation is that small, targeted investments in schools and infrastructure could support an emerging outdoor‑recreation and agritourism economy north of I‑70 while preserving the small‑town character south of the interstate.
Sharudis said REAP plans to expand career and technical education (CTE) outreach in 2026, with four or five field trips for students from Byers and neighboring high schools (Bennett, Strasburg, Deer Trail and Byers) and follow‑up…
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