Riverside Parkway Opens with Fanfare!
The long-anticipated opening of the Riverside Parkway was greeted with enthusiasm from a crowd of nearly 800 residents on August 15 near the new bridge spanning US 50 at Fifth Street.
Mayor Gregg Palmer thanked residents for their patience during the construction, and for approving the initial bond that helped pay for the Parkway.
“You trusted us,” remarked Mayor Palmer. “We took that trust very seriously, and we have done exactly as you asked. Not only that, we have completed the project 15 months early and we will save millions in interest.”
Voters last fall gave approval for the City to restructure the debt on the project, using excess Tabor revenue to pay off the Riverside Parkway bonds when they come due in 2015.
The grand opening celebration featured a display of vintage cars, City fire trucks and vehicles, and kart racers. Just as the ribbon was cut, a vintage airplane from Vintage Aviation flew overhead doing loops and trailing smoke, much to the delight of the crowd. A miniature cannon shot Chick Fil-A stuffed cows sporting parachutes into the crowd, along with Big ‘O Tire t-shirts. There was cake and ice cream, music, and a festive atmosphere at the opening. Bicycle riders took advantage of a few hours without cars to ride the length of the Parkway, and the vintage cars took members of City Council for a spin, too. A high-wheeler bicycle from Brown Cycles made the trip over the Parkway, reminiscent of the opening of the original Black Bridge in 1896, when a high-wheeler was the first to ride over the bridge.
The fun continued throughout the day at the Western Colorado Botanic Gardens and Bananas Fun Park, and into the evening with special activities for the public at the Glacier Ice Arena. Thousands of people helped to celebrate the opening of the biggest project in the City’s history.
Parkway already making an impact
Preliminary traffic counts after only a month of operation show that the Riverside Parkway has already succeeded at one of its major goals—to reduce traffic congestion at First and Grand and along I-70B toward the mall.
The traffic counts on First Street south of White Avenue show a 35% reduction in average daily trips, from an average of 32,209 vehicles to a post-Parkway average of 20,708 vehicles. At the Rimrock Avenue and I-70B intersection, the average fell 30% from 40,655 vehicles per day to 28,107 vehicles per day.
Transportation Engineering will continue to take counts and monitor traffic on the new Parkway and also on I-70B, but initial numbers indicate that the Parkway is being used and has definitely relieved traffic congestion.
| Riverside Parkway Phase 3 Construction Photos |
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