To: Board of County Commissioners
Through: Gini Pingenot, Director, Open Spaces
Prepared By:
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Michele Frishman, Grants and Acquisitions Manager, Open Spaces
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presenter
Presenter: Michele Frishman, Grants and Acquisitions Manager, Open Spaces; South Suburban Park and Recreation District
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Subject:
title
2:00 PM *Joint Project Request for Design of Replacement Mineral Avenue Bridge on Mary Carter Greenway Trail
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Purpose and Request:
recommended action
South Suburban Park and Recreation District (SSPRD) will present a joint project request to
support the design of a replacement pedestrian bridge across the South Platte River along the Mary Carter Greenway Trail in Littleton. Open Spaces staff and the Open Space and Trails Advisory Board (OSTAB) support the project and request that the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) award $84,000 in South Platte Working Group funds to SSPRD.
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Alignment with Strategic Plan: Good Governance - Understand and respond to community needs, interests, and values.
Background and Discussion: In 2023, OSTAB recommended and the BOCC approved setting aside $2 million of Open Space Acquisition and Development funds to support projects originating from the South Platte Working Group through 2028. This pledge was envisioned to build on previous successes of the working group that were supported by $11 million in Open Spaces funds, including projects at South Platte Park, Reynolds Landing, and Riverside Downs in Littleton, along with River Run and the East Bank Trail in Englewood and Sheridan. The current $2 million pledge remains available for new projects proposed by members of the working group.
The Mineral Avenue pedestrian bridge spans the South Platte River in South Platte Park along the Mary Carter Greenway, a heavily used trail corridor that sees up to 25,000 users per month. While the bridge is already a popular access point along the trail, use of the bridge is expected to increase as more residents move to the area; several developments are planned or in progress near Mineral Avenue and Santa Fe Drive.
In 2024, SSPRD completed a study of potential trail improvements along the Mary Carter Greenway, with the support of previous South Platte Working Group funds. The study prioritized the need for replacement of the Mineral Avenue bridge because it is past its lifespan, is too narrow, has poor sightlines, and is not ADA-accessible. Trail users surveyed by SSPRD also rated it a high priority.
The new bridge design is currently at 30%, and the proposed project will bring it to 100% design completion in fall 2026. The project is intended to finalize the bridge alignment and structural design, improve visibility and approaches for pedestrians and cyclists, ensure ADA compliance, and establish better connections to the bridge and the Mary Carter Greenway Trail, all of which will improve safety and the user experience. The project also will result in completed construction documents. We anticipate that SSPRD will submit another funding request to begin construction of the new bridge in 2027.
SSPRD has requested that the County contribute $84,000 toward the design, which is half of the total project cost of $168,000. Open Spaces requires at least a 50-percent match for joint project funding, and SSPRD would provide the matching funds of $84,000.
Alternatives: Approve, modify, or deny the proposed recommendation.
Fiscal Impact: $84,000 in South Platte Working Group funds, which reside in the Open Space Acquisition and Development Fund. The fund balance exceeds this amount.
Alignment with Strategic Implementation Strategies: The attached framework helps Arapahoe County institutionalize values-based, transparent decision-making, documenting how we make decisions and carry out actions to achieve the County’s strategic plan.
Staff Recommendation: Staff recommends that the BOCC award $84,000 in South Platte Working Group funds to SSPRD to support the design of the replacement Mineral Avenue pedestrian bridge in South Platte Park.
Concurrence: OSTAB concurred with the staff recommendation at its meeting on August 25, 2025. Additionally, the City of Littleton, the South Metro Land Conservancy, and Bike Jeffco support the proposed project.