Crested Butte’s major project calendar is full for this summer

Trying to mitigate the possible disruptions

By Mark Reaman

If you like the sights and sounds of construction and big projects, you will love Crested Butte this summer. Town manager Dara Macdonald and department heads recently led the Town Council through a list of major projects that will be conducted this summer.

During a May 1 work session it was evident that everything from putting in a couple of permanent lighted speed alert signs to helping to build the new Center for the Arts to paving parking lots and streets will take place, starting this month and extending through the fall.

“There is no doubt we have a lot of big projects lined up for the summer,” MacDonald said.

The lists includes:

—carrying out a major expansion of the town wastewater treatment plant;

—replacing the windows in the Town Hall along with conducting some foundation work;

—starting work on the Big Mine Park warming house expansion project;

—enticing more bidders to build the proposed Four-way Stop Transit Center since only one, very expensive bid was received;

—finishing up work at the new bike park near the town gravel pit;

—building trail kiosks at trailheads around town;

—installing two permanent speed alert signs, one at the north entrance to Crested Butte and one at the corner of Elk Avenue and Fifth Street;

—potentially working with Cypress Foothills to begin the clean-up of the old town dump on sections of the property north of town and on Eighth Street in town;

—putting in a memorial at the cemetery for the miners killed in the Jokerville mine explosion;

—installing new way-finding signs around town this fall;

—paving the lot behind Pita’s, the lot by the Visitors Center and the lot by the fire hall;

—rehabbing several sections of street in town;

—paving some parking spaces in the town right of way at Third and Elk; and

—providing in-kind help with the Center for the Arts expansion project in Town Park that includes the demolition of the current play park in June.

Several major private projects could get under way as well, including:

—an expansion of Clark’s Market;

—a major commercial building at 206 Elk Avenue;

—the Crested Butte Hotel project; and

—infrastructure work on the Cypress Foothills development just north of town.

Building and zoning director Bob Gillie said the town expected six or seven residential homes to be constructed, along with a similar number of affordable house projects on the northeast part of town. Several remodels will occur this summer as well.

“The bottom line is that there are lots of projects coming this summer that could cause some disruptions to people,” said mayor Glenn Michel. “But the town will try its best to mitigate those disruptions as they go forward. We just want people to be aware of what to expect.”

“This is probably the busiest summer I’ve seen since I’ve been here,” concluded public works director Rodney Due.