Greeley #3 Canal Trail completed

GREELEY — Greeley has completed phases two and three of the Greeley #3 Canal Trail. This project allows residents to connect to schools, parks, natural areas and neighborhoods.

The North Front Range Metropolitan Planning Organization, Weld County School District 6, Poudre River Trail Corridor Inc., and matched funds from the city of Greeley provided financial support for the roughly $800,000 project.

Duran Excavating Inc. was the contractor for the project, including excavating and grubbing for the concrete trail. Subcontractors included Sturgeon Electric for the pedestrian safety signal, NorthStar Concrete for the paved path, Verdant Environmental for the erosion control and AWP Safety for the traffic control.

Phase two connected the southeast end of the trail across Fourth Street to James Madison STEAM Academy. Phase three extended the paved trail west across 35th Avenue, creating a connection to Shawsheen Elementary via the Larson Trail. The paved trail is now 1.6 miles long.

The installation of a pedestrian-activated crosswalk signal allows trail users to safely cross Fourth Street near 26th Avenue. The pavement features stamped wildlife footprints as part of the city’s 1% for Art Program.

“This project would not have been possible without support from multiple partners,” said Karen Scopel, a city environmental planner. “It truly was a community effort.”

The project’s initial phase began in 2012 with a long-range plan to connect Greeley #3 Canal Trail to the Poudre River Trail. The path runs along the historical #3 irrigation ditch, the first completed ditch in Greeley. The ditch was built in 1870 to deliver water from the Cache la Poudre River to the early Union Colony settlers.

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