$2M Grant Announced For Bear Creek Trail Improvements

LAKEWOOD, CO — Jefferson County Open Space has awarded a grant to fund Bear Creek Trail improvements in Lakewood, the city announced Thursday.

The $2 million grant will fund the installation of more than 12,000 linear feet of 3- to 6-foot-wide soft surface trail that will roughly parallel the existing concrete path through the 350-acre Bear Creek Greenbelt, officials said.

"The purpose of the trail is to alleviate congestion along the existing concrete trail by providing an alternative natural surface for walkers and runners," the city of Lakewood said in a news release.

Improvements will be made to the concrete trail by widening sections to 10 feet when feasible, by softening trail curves to extend sight lines and by replacing damaged concrete to mitigate hazards, city officials said.

A new restroom facility will also be added, existing bridges will be replaced, and signage and wayfinding will be improved, the city said.

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The National Parks Service is also contributing a $750,000 grant to the Bear Creek Trail from the Land and Water Conservation Fund, and the city of Lakewood will contribute up to $2 million with TABOR funding that was allocated by City Council to the project in the annual budget, city officials said.

The project is scheduled to be completed in the summer of 2023.

The popular 7-mile trail was created with the support of Jeffco Open Space funding in 1983. The regional connection — from C-470 to Denver — hosts more than 450,000 visitors each year, the city said.