Lakewood Announces $750K Grant For Bear Creek Trail Improvements

LAKEWOOD, CO — Lakewood officials have secured a $750,000 grant for improvements to the Bear Creek Trail, the city said Thursday.

The Colorado Land and Water Conservation Fund grant will help to alleviate congestion on the trail, which is used by more than 400,000 people each year, officials said.

Here are the improvements you can expect:

• The addition of a 14,000-foot long crusher fines trail that will be around 6 feet wide and run parallel to the existing concrete Bear Creek Trail;
• The widening of sections of the concrete trail to 10 feet when feasible;
• The softening of trail curves to extend sight lines;
• The replacement of damaged concrete to mitigate hazards;
• The addition of new signage and wayfinding;
• The replacement of bridges;
• The restoration of landscaping where needed.

The Bear Creek Trail runs through the Bear Creek Greenbelt, a 350-acre park on the south side of Lakewood. The trail, which is around 7 miles long, begins near C-470 and Morrison Road in Bear Creek Lake Park and extends east to Wadsworth Boulevard and into Denver.

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Lakewood was awarded the grant in 2020, and the final step in completing the grant agreement is in process. Muller Engineering was selected as Lakewood’s consultant on the project late last year and will take the lead on the project, officials said.

The contractor will conduct environmental and flood plain studies to ensure minimal disturbance to the natural environment, the city said.

Construction of the project will be completed in phases, with detours beginning in the fall, officials said.