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Rio Grande Trail paving project hits unexpected costs; county requests supplemental funds
Summary
Open Space & Trails staff told commissioners that retaining-wall work, rail removal, topsoil purchases and thicker-than-expected asphalt increased costs on the Rio Grande Trail and Crystal River Trail projects by roughly $310,000, prompting a supplemental funding request.
Members of Pitkin County Open Space & Trails told commissioners on June 10 that the 2025 Rio Grande Trail and Crystal River Trail paving projects ran into unanticipated conditions that pushed the budget over by about $310,000.
Ted O’Brien, presenting for Open Space & Trails, said crews encountered railroad tracks while digging for retaining walls where the railroad bed had shifted; removing the tracks cost about $127 per linear foot and required altered construction methods. Engineers also found excavated material unsuitable for revegetation and purchased topsoil to rehabilitate disturbed slopes. At one site Frontier Paving could not use standard milling equipment because of rail remnants, so crews removed asphalt in chunks and hauled material to a disposal facility, increasing disposal and hauling costs.
On the Crystal River Trail, contractors encountered a thicker asphalt layer than expected and needed extra sub-base material to reach required grades. The combination of issues, O’Brien said, and higher-than-expected contractor bids, led to the supplemental request. He said the project team had offered an alternative scope to save money but the Open Space board approved proceeding with the full work and moving ahead with paving; O’Brien said the trail paving work was scheduled to finish by the end of the week and most trail sections would be reopened soon.
Commissioners asked whether engineering scoping could catch more of these issues earlier. Staff acknowledged engineers’ estimates were low in a high-price environment and said they were adjusting specifications and focusing on worst sections to limit full-depth removals where possible.
O’Brien said the county is aiming to reduce public interference by scheduling work off-peak and thanked contractors for progress despite the complications. The supplemental request will be included with other Q2 budget items on formal reading the next day.
