COLORADO SPRINGS, Co. — Walkers and runners using the Greenway Trail in Monument Valley Park will need to take a different route while crews work on a historic bridge.
The temporary closure began Oct. 12 and is expected to last up to four weeks. It affects the west side of Monument Creek between the Duck Pond and the pickleball courts.
Crews need the space to use a crane to lift concrete deck panels into place on the 90-year-old Cache La Poudre Street/Mesa Road Bridge and perform other heavy construction.
For Brandon Eleuterio, who drives from Briargate about once a week to run, the park offers something he appreciates.
“It gives me access to just some nice smooth dirt to run on, a nice soft surface, uh, and a little bit of nature inside the city,” Eleuterio said.
The existing bridge closure has already changed his usual running route, but he said he has gotten used to taking another path.
How to get around the trail closure
The eastern leg of the Greenway Trail remains open, with an existing short pedestrian detour.
- Heading south: Cross Monument Creek using the Uintah Street bridge.
- Heading north: Cross at the pedestrian bridge near the south end of the park.
Visitors can still reach the pickleball courts and Horticultural Art Society Demonstration Gardens by vehicle via Glen Avenue. The courts also remain accessible by trail from the south.
Asher Nofziger, a local resident, said the bridge’s road closure has made reaching parking and getting around the area more difficult. He looks forward to having that access restored.
“I think it’ll be relieving, you know, getting rid of these road closed signs and being able to, you know, go where we want,” Nofziger said.
Bridge construction began in April. Along with replacing the deck, crews are improving drainage and lighting and restoring the bridge’s Art Deco features.
The four-week estimate applies to the temporary trail closure. More information and a closure map are available on the city’s project website.
