Summit County Citizens Voice

Summit County to widen Swan Mountain Road to improve cycling safety.

County officials hope to complete $1.8 million project by July 4

By Bob Berwyn

SUMMIT COUNTY — Work on widening Swan Mountain Road to add an uphill bike lane from Farmer’s Korner up to Sapphire Point will begin next week, county officials said at an April 26 county commissioner work session. Click here for more info on the Swan Mountain recpath.

The goal is to complete the widening by July 4, although the late season snow could be a factor in the timing, said Summit County open space and trails director Brian Lorch. The widening will address both needed road improvements and bicyclist safety issues. Columbine Concrete will do the job for about $1.8 million — far less than the estimated $7 to $8 million cost of building an entirely separate recpath, as envisioned by the county’s long-term trails plan.

The bike lane addition doesn’t preclude some future construction of a completely separate recpath, but probably puts it on hold for some time, Lorch said.

Assistant county manager Thad Noll said the project probably won’t require extensive closures of Swan Mountain Road, but there will be delays, as flaggers direct traffic into one-way streams around the construction area.

Frisco has contributed $40,000 toward the cost of the project and Silverthorne donated in-kind use of its town pavilion for fund-raising events. The Breckenridge Town Council will consider whether to contribute $90,000 toward the road-widening, as promised previously.

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