After severe flooding put all El Paso County Community Service Department projects on hold in 2013, the county is moving forward with the Rock Island Regional Trail plan, which extends the trail to the High Prairie Library in Falcon and beyond.ìWeíve received a Colorado Parks and Wildlife State Trails grant,î said Jason Meyer, project manager with the EPC service department. ìThe grant was awarded earlier this year, and we got the agreement signed in May. The total project cost is $96,029, and itís getting funded from multiple sources.îMeyer said those sources include $33,767 from the state trails grant; $55,865 from EPC; $5,000 from Fowler Wind Energy; $500 from the Friends of the High Prairie Library; and $897 from in-kind staff support.ìThe trail extension is going to the High Prairie Library and continuing past the library to Old Meridian Road,î Meyer said. ìIt is going across the railroad bridge next to the library, and we will improve that; and then weíre taking it north to McLaughlin Road and connecting it to the commercial center north of that road.îWhile there are a few refinements, nothing much has changed from the original scope of work, Meyer said. The county plans to start soliciting bids from contractors this summer or fall, he said. The project will be done in sections, with the ultimate goal of increasing the trail connections in the Falcon area, Meyer said.About 40 hours of volunteer work, which includes preparing the finished trail, will be needed to complete the project. The county is currently reaching out to residents interested in helping out, Meyer said.ìWe have until the end of 2016 to complete the project,î he said.
