For immediate Release
PUEBLO WEST, Colo. — A federally-funded project to widen Nichols Road, Pueblo West’s only road entry into Lake Pueblo State Park, will begin this week.
The project also includes a pedestrian bridge to connect Lake Pueblo’s trail system to Pueblo West’s extensive trail system.
“Lake Pueblo is the busiest state park in Colorado and many visitors prefer using Pueblo West and Nichols Road to enter the park,” said Pueblo West Metropolitan District Chief Administrator Brian Caserta. “We are fortunate that Nichols Road improvements were included among the list of projects funded by the Federal Highway Administration’s Federal Lands Access Program.”
The project will include:
- Widening of Nichols Road, from McCulloch Blvd. to the Lake Pueblo State Park entrance.
- Improvements to the Nichols/McCulloch intersection.
- Construction of a multi-use pedestrian bridge along Nichols Road.
- Construction of an approximately 1.5-mile long multi-use trail from Lake Pueblo to the Pueblo West TAP 1 Trail near Pueblo West High School.
The project will take an estimated five months to complete and will impact traffic into and out of Lake Pueblo State Park. While there will not be any anticipated closure of Nichols Road during construction, the road will often be reduced to one lane. Residents who routinely use Pueblo Reservoir Road to reach the City of Pueblo’s south side are advised to consider alternate routes until construction is completed. In addition, the Pueblo West Fire Department will continue to use Nichols Road to respond to emergencies at Lake Pueblo.
The project is funded in part by matching funds contributed by the Pueblo West Metropolitan District and Pueblo County. Pueblo West, the applicant for the grant, contributed approximately $308,000 in matching funds while Pueblo County provided $431,000. Pueblo County’s contribution comes from its 1A Community Improvement Program. Construction will be managed by Siete, Inc., a local company from Rye, Colo.
About the Pueblo West Metropolitan District:
The Pueblo West Metropolitan District serves approximately 33,000 citizens living in a 50-square-mile unincorporated portion of Pueblo County located approximately eight miles west of the City of Pueblo. Unlike municipalities, Pueblo West is a special district that is authorized to provide five services to residents – limited covenant enforcement, fire protection, parks and recreation, public works, and water and wastewater utilities.
The District is governed by a five-member Board of Directors who are elected by registered voters consisting of Pueblo West residents and property owners.
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