Castle Rock approves Phase 1 of Fifth Street widening; council debates Valley Drive traffic signal

Castle Rock Town Council on Aug. 19 approved Phase 1 of the Fifth Street widening project, awarding a construction contract to Native Sun Construction and a construction-management and inspection contract to Enterprise Concepts LLC.

The measures, introduced together, passed on separate roll calls: the construction contract passed 6-1 (Council Member Davis voting no) and the construction-management contract passed unanimously. The Council and staff described Phase 1 as work focused between Valley Drive and the four‑corners intersection at State Highway 86, including adding an extra through lane in each direction, new sidewalks, on‑street bike lanes, raised medians, stormwater and water‑quality improvements and intersection upgrades.

Staff presentation: John Massawa, the town’s public‑works presenter, said the work is split into two phases to meet budget constraints and to comply with a federal grant timeline. “The entire Fifth Street widening will include all improvements identified in the transportation master plan and the design results from extensive public engagement,” Massawa said. He told the council Native Sun submitted the lowest responsive bid, the firm is prequalified by CDOT’s business division and references checked positively. The construction contract as presented included a 10% contingency; staff showed a project budget that included a $3.5 million federal grant for Phase 1 and approximately $10.6 million in local funds.

Why the signal now: Much of Council debate focused on adding a traffic signal at Fifth Street and Valley Drive as part of Phase 1. Council Member Max Brooks pressed staff on why the traffic signal is included now rather than later, saying he personally dislikes the signal and the possibility of stopping traffic on a hill. “I’m still not understanding why the traffic light is a now part of phase 1,” Brooks said. Andrew Folkt, the project manager, and Massawa said the project team conducted a signal‑warrant study (completed in 2021) and concluded the intersection already meets multiple signal warrants on safety and operations without future development traffic. Staff said they also studied a roundabout and a Florida‑T alternative and rejected them because of steep grades, required footprint and access conflicts with nearby private driveways; they said a signal was the safest, most cost‑effective option for the location.

Opponents’ concerns: Council Members Brooks, Dietz and Davis reiterated concerns about steep grades and winter driving conditions at the proposed signal location, arguing that stopping and starting on the hill could create additional safety risks. Council Member Davis voted against the construction contract. Several council members and staff said the design team and CDOT had reviewed alternatives and that the signal recommendation resulted from engineering analysis and safety considerations.

Contract selection, budget and schedule: Massawa said Native Sun was the lowest responsive, responsible bidder; the low bid plus the 10% contingency brought the construction total to roughly $12.4 million. Enterprise Concepts was selected for construction management and inspection for approximately $1.1 million (the resolution authorized about $1.25 million including town contingency). Staff said the town expects to start initial construction this fall, continue retaining‑wall and utility work through winter and complete major paving and signal work by fall 2026. Staff also noted an expected separate contract for streetlighting estimated at about $400,000.

Council action and next steps: Council voted to award the construction contract to Native Sun Construction and the construction‑management contract to Enterprise Concepts. Staff will begin construction activities in the fall, start with the south side of Fifth Street and work toward the four‑corners intersection; town staff will return with routine construction updates and manage required federal and CDOT compliance reporting.

Ending: The council passed the construction‑management contract unanimously and approved the construction award by 6‑1, allowing the town to begin Phase 1 work this year. Councillors asked staff to continue to monitor winter driving safety and to provide updates on any field changes or change orders during construction.