Road construction in Estes Park is finally underway on a project that has been ten years in the making. The Downtown Estes Loop Project, known as 'the loop,鈥� aims to get tourists to and from Rocky Mountain National Park quicker as well as ease congestion in town.
鈥淓stes Park is being overrun by people who want to enjoy the out-of-doors and Rocky Mountain National Park and all of the other activities that we have here,鈥� Steve Komito, owner of Komito Boots, said. 鈥淭hat's fine, that's what our economy is built on鈥揵ut it's unpleasant.鈥�
Last year, Rocky Mountain National Park. Every summer, pass right through the town, which sits just a few miles from two of the park鈥檚 main entrances. The hope is that the loop鈥檚 new road configuration will better handle the park traffic that currently clogs up the downtown鈥檚 streets.
鈥淚t's absolutely essential,鈥� Komito said. 鈥淚 didn't think I was going to live long enough to actually see this project being done.鈥�
With the loop project, two-way roads through town will be converted into a series of connecting one-way streets that form a new traffic pattern: a one-way loop. A few stop signs and a stop light will be removed; a roundabout will be put in.
At 82 years old, Komito still skis in the backcountry every Sunday. He takes side roads to avoid downtown traffic and makes sure to arrive early when he goes to Rocky Mountain National Park.
鈥淚 really love this town, and the traffic congestion, it really diminishes everybody's enjoyment, really,鈥� Komito said. 鈥淵ou can ask all those people who are waiting, idling, breathing somebody else's exhaust if they're having a good time.鈥�
Since construction began in January, heavy equipment and detour signs have appeared across Estes Park. Main roads through town have been shut down, restricting access to some businesses, particularly in a commercial area called Piccadilly Square.
鈥淚 never quite know what I'm going to see when I come in in the morning,鈥� Matthew Heiser, the owner of Rock Cut Brewing, said. 鈥淏ut overall, it's been okay for us. Customers are finding us. We've been as busy as last year for the same time period, so I can't really complain on that front.鈥�
Heiser worries about the impact construction might have on his business as tourism picks up in spring and summer. Bigger picture concerns from some small business owners focus on how visible their storefronts will be with the new one-way traffic configuration. Most motorists will now only pass by once, but they will likely see more of downtown en route to and from the national park.
鈥淢y opinion is probably mixed,鈥� Heiser said. 鈥淚 think in the long run it will be a good thing for this town. We don't spend enough money on infrastructure as a whole in the United States, probably globally, and this is a project the town certainly couldn't have done on its own.鈥�
In 2013, the town of Estes Park applied to the Federal Lands Access Program (FLAP), which funds transportation projects in communities near federal lands. This fall, after years of delays, construction bids came in way over budget. The town kicked in extra money as did the state and the federal government.
The total cost of the project comes to $42 million, with federal dollars covering the majority鈥� $34.71 million in funding. Estes Park is contributing $5.71. The Colorado Department of Transportation is putting in the remaining $1.58 million. Much of Estes Park鈥檚 contribution is ultimately being covered by the state, in exchange for the town taking over maintenance of a local highway that had previously been CDOT鈥檚 responsibility.
Conversations on how to deal with traffic in Estes Park have been going on for decades, though some say traffic has become more evenly spread throughout the day since Rocky Mountain National Park instituted a timed-entry system a few years ago.
In 2019, the town鈥檚 marketing office released a visitor survey. Most respondents reported no bad experiences during their visits, although traffic, parking and crowds were the most common negatives.
鈥淚f you're talking about the experience of going into the park, and all you're trying to do is get through town to go to the park, you're going to love the loop,鈥� former mayor Todd Jirsa said.
Jirsa鈥檚 family owns the Village Goldsmith, a jewelry store west of the loop. Jirsa questions if this project is really the best way to solve transportation issues in town in the long term, though.
鈥淚 mean, we're a very unique town with a, you know, with a great character to it. Why are we trying to move traffic through town faster? I mean, what we really need to do, I think, is we need to provide more parking. We need to get people out of their cars and to spend more time downtown.鈥�Todd Jirsa, Former Mayor of Estes Park
Still, the Loop is moving forward. Construction is set to be completed by the end of next year. The town鈥檚 current mayor, Wendy Koenig, is in favor of it, despite having voted against the project when she was a town trustee.
鈥淲ell, what changed for me is a lot of time between then and now,鈥� Koenig said.
The town鈥檚 infrastructure has gotten older and construction of the loop now comes with several added benefits including an expanded stormwater collection system, the replacement of an old bridge and while the roads are being ripped up, the town is going to replace aging water pipes running underneath.
鈥淲e're old enough now,鈥� Koenig said. 鈥淲e celebrated our 100th anniversary in 2017 and we need to fix some things, so we're all going to have to roll up our sleeves and take a deep breath and realize it's a moment in time.鈥�
