Possibilities expand for Animas River Trail crossing at 32nd Street

More options for a pedestrian crossing of the Animas River Trail at 32nd Street to link two now-separated portions of the trail will be examined by the Durango City Council in addition to the original plan for a $4.1 million pedestrian-only bridge.

City staff presented an option at Monday night’s City Council meeting to create a 32nd Street underpass that would allow for a pedestrian pathway under the Emerson-Parks Bridge (32nd Street) and loop around to access a sidewalk alongside the bridge – a design similar to the river trail at Ninth Street.

One problem with creating a pedestrian underpass at 32nd Street to access the river trail via the existing crossing now used by vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians is that the underpass would be underwater during high-water periods, said Scott McClain, Durango’s assistant parks director.

When the Animas River is flowing at 4,250 cubic feet per second, the underpass access would be underwater, he said. He noted, during the spring runoff in 2019, the Animas was flowing at greater than 4,000 cfs for at least four weeks.

Read the full article on the Durango Herald at: https://durangoherald.com/articles/316883-possibilities-expand-for-animas-river-trail-crossing-at-32nd-street