LoBo Trail and Twin Lakes 2022 improvements funded

On Dec. 7, Boulder County Commissioners approved the budget to fund 23 of 32 proposed Boulder County Parks & Open Space projects.

The $1.5 million line item for the proposed Capital & Stewardship plan is funded by the county open space sales tax, money that is designated to support the acquisition of open space and pay for programs that help preserve habitat, provide educational and recreational programs and create and maintain trails.

In addition to the sales tax funding, the county will utilize funding from grants and private partnerships. The total investment in the 2022 Capital & Stewardship Plan currently sits at just over $4 million.

For 2022, of the 23 selected projects, the largest budget will go toward recreation and facilities, with Boulder County funding 10 total projects.

One such project focuses on resurfacing sections of the LoBo Trail. Portions of this trail, which connects Longmont to Boulder and runs through Niwot, were constructed about 20 years ago and have received minimal maintenance.

"We receive many reports of that trail being below grade with water ponding issues after it rains," Boulder County landscape architect Mary Olson said in a presentation to the commissioners. "Resurfacing a couple sections of the trail will bring the trail back up to standards and reduce the ponding and icing that can occur after precipitation."

Three sections of the LoBo Trail are slated to be resurfaced. including a stretch by Lefthand Valley Grange Trailhead, a portion east of N. 71st Street, and a section by Twin Lakes. In addition to reducing standing water in the summer, the trail resurfacing will additionally improve safety by eliminating icy conditions in the winter. Total cost for the project is estimated at $54,550.

Also on the table for 2022 is a bank stabilization and erosion control project at the popular Twin Lakes Open Space in Gunbarrel.

"The west lake of Twin Lakes has been devastated by overuse by dogs and humans with severe erosion along the shores of the entire West Lake," Olson said. "The widening trail is damaging tree roots and the loss of soil has created multiple safety issues."

In addition to stabilizing the banks and applying erosion control blanketing, the county plans to improve the public access points to the area. By adding dedicated entry points, dangerous areas along the bank can be closed to the public using fencing. The project is budgeted at $37,562.

Other trail, recreation, and facilities improvements on deck for 2022 include:

• Coalton Trail: Trail upgrades will include re-routing a steep section to prevent erosion and bring the trail up to meet ADA and Rocky Mountain Greenway standards.
• Tolland Ranch Trail: This proposed 6.5-mile multi-use trail would connect West Magnolia, a popular mountain biking trail network near Nederland, to the Jenny Creek Trail allowing access to the Continental Divide.
• Rock Creek Trail: A joint project with the cities of Louisville and Lafayette, this proposed 2.1-mile trail will connect between the Coal Creek and Rock Creek Trails.
• Heil Valley Ranch: As recovery continues from the Calwood Fire, the county plans to upgrade the trailhead parking, adding an additional 20 parking spots.
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Special Project Manager at Boulder County Parks and Open Space Tina Nielsen, who hosted the presentation, noted that all of these projects work toward the four key goals of the department's 2025 Strategic Focus - cultural relevance and inclusion, resilience, maintenance backlog, and safety.