SHERIDAN, Colo. — Steve Rizzo, like many cyclists, is a big fan of Bear Creek Trail.
“It’s just really good exercise for anybody,” Rizzo said. “I ride this trail maybe three times a week. I do about 2,000 miles a year. In the summertime, it’s cooler than the other trails, temperature-wise, because there’s a lot of shade and greenery.”
But he, and others, also recognize its pitfalls.
“I mean, there’s a lot of near misses,” Rizzo said. “I think all the bike trails in this area should be wider than they are. I think a good 10 to 12 feet is probably a much better idea. This looks like it’s about 5 feet wide.”
Cyclist Kristen Simmons echoed his concerns.
“I’ve seen people crash in the middle of the trail because it’s so narrow,” she said.
It was an issue that was brought up multiple times when Denver7’s Russell Haythorn visited Sheridan last week for our latest Your Voice story.
The City of Sheridan is well-aware of the issues.
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Haythorn returned to the city this week and asked Sheridan’s community development director Andrew Rogge if he was hearing about the cyclists' worries regarding the trail.
“Yes," he responded. "The community tells us everything we need to know."
Rogge walked a portion of Bear Creek’s bike and pedestrian path with us.
“We’ve actually had some really bad accidents there that have sent people to the hospital,” he explained.
The city says the trail is only about 5 feet wide in spots when, ideally, it should be 10 to 12 feet wide — just like what Rizzo had recommended. The asphalt is also 40 years old and then, there’s a pole that has become infamous at this point.
“Probably the worst part of it is right up here,” Rogge said, pointing at it. “We’ve got a power pole that’s right in the middle of the trail. You can see they just kind of poured the trail around it back in the 80s and that does not meet our current standards.”
“I’m quite familiar with the pole,” he continued. “I’ve almost hit it a couple times.”
Simmons called it "dangerous."
Residents are also familiar with the pole.
“They’ve been working on it. They tried to put some reflective material around it recently,” Sheridan homeowner Fernando Castorena told Denver7.
Castorena bought his house on the trail eight years ago.
“I enjoy the trail,” he said. “I’ve been walking on the trail for a couple years now. It’s pretty much part of my daily routine, but I do see the need for improvements there."
But he does see the need for an overhaul.
Now, the plan is to make some major upgrades along the trail, including moving that pole, tearing out the asphalt and putting in concrete to match what the cities of Denver and Lakewood have done on their portions of the trail, and putting in a trailhead with parking where Carroll’s Corner Pub used to stand.
“The old bar building is kind of where you see all of those tall weeds right there,” Rogge pointed out. “We want to turn this into more of a small parking lot and then a trailhead.”
Sheridan will also widen the trail by several feet.
“Will you need to carve into residential properties for this?” Haythorn asked.
“Potentially,” Rogge said. “We’re talking one to two feet, so pretty minor encroachments, but, yeah.”
That is something that Castorena isn't too sure about.
"I’m just not sure about (the city) taking a portion of my yard," he said. "Honestly, I’d like to keep the fence that I have.”
“How will that work? Will you pay those property owners for that encroachment?” Haythorn asked.
“Something that we envision doing is hopefully replacing a lot of fences along here,” Rogge said. “Getting them a new fence in exchange for any additional room they could provide us getting the trail bit.”
Castorena said he isn’t really interested in a new fence unless it’s similar to what he has.
“If they are to improve your fence, you want to keep the same style?” said Haythorn.
“Correct. Correct,” said Castorena. “I would like to see a nice little chain fence, because you can see through it.”
As for cyclists like Rizzo, he said he would be happy with any upgrades, especially widening the trail.
“That’s probably a good idea,” he said.
In July, South Suburban Parks and Recreation and the City of Sheridan sent a letter to property owners asking to obtain a small easement of their property to help with the widening of the trail.
An open house meeting is planned for Aug. 18 in Sheridan's Wildcat Park at 5 p.m. so residents can learn more about the project and the request.
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