Fall River Road down to one lane from Nov. 16 for trail work

Construction of the final segment of the Fall River Trail will begin Monday, Nov. 16, closing one lane of Fall River Road (U.S. 34) for the length of the project, the Town of Estes Park said.

Temporary traffic signals will direct motorists through the work zone around the clock. Work is scheduled from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. Motorists should plan for potential delays up to 15 minutes and use caution in the work zone.

The project will extend the trail along U.S. 34/Fall River Road from Fish Hatchery Road to the current terminus east of Fall River Court. The extension is to complete the connection between Rocky Mountain National Park and downtown Estes Park. Weather permitting, the project is expected to be completed before Memorial Day 2027.

The town plans to place traffic signals at private driveways and said they will maintain local access throughout the project limits. Some local streets will close to better accommodate safe travel with the temporary signals, the town said. In Phase 2, the closure will switch to David Drive, and local traffic will be directed to use Fall River Court to access Fall River Road.

The town said construction is timed to take advantage of lighter traffic volumes after the peak visitor season at Rocky Mountain National Park. It said the completed trail will improve year-round walking and biking connectivity between downtown Estes Park and the park, and offer residents and visitors an accessible, non-motorized travel option.

The project is funded through a combination of federal grants and the town's 1A Trail Expansion funds.

Additional information and future project updates are available on the Town of Estes Park Public Works project page at estes.org/fallrivertrail. Questions can be directed to Town Engineer Trevor Wittwer at [email protected] or 970-577-3724. The town said additional details about traffic control and anticipated impacts will be shared as needed.