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Still no end to the Cherry Creek trail
By By:Christine McManus
The multijurisdictional Cherry Creek Regional Trail again will not be finished this year, said Douglas County Parks Director Ron Benson.
"I'm past the point of getting upset and throwing things," Benson said. "It's never-ending [with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service]. The funds we earmarked for the Cherry Creek Regional Trail were moved to fund other projects this year."
This summer bicyclists, walkers, joggers, skaters and equestrians still will not be able to traverse the concrete creek-side path uninterrupted. Two parts of the regional trail are incomplete.
The Preble's meadow jumping mouse, a species listed as threatened and federally protected by the Endangered Species Act, was found a couple years ago on the undeveloped trail sites. Construction, even of recreational trails, is not allowed in Preble's mouse habitat.
The Cherry Creek Regional Trail is planned to stretch 24 miles from Castlewood Canyon State Park (south of Parker) up through Arapahoe County and Aurora to the Cherry Creek Reservoir recreation area. Out of the 24 miles of trail, 17 miles are built.
The two incomplete sections are in Douglas County. One undeveloped section of the trail stretches from the northern boundary of the Castlewood Canyon State Park nearly up to Colorado 86 near Franktown. The other section is between Parker and Franktown, north of Colorado 86 and south of Castle Oaks Drive. Much of the trail was built before the Preble's mouse was listed as threatened.
For more than a year, Benson has been in negotiations with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. As requested by Benson, the county is paying for consultants to develop a habitat conservation plan for the incomplete trail sites. The federal permit would possibly allow the trail to be built.
The new target completion date is one and a half to two years away, Benson said.
The money that was supposed to pay for the Cherry Creek Regional Trail was diverted to the first two miles of the nine-mile Douglas County East/West Trail. Between Castle Pines North and western Highlands Ranch, the East/West Trail will be built by mid-summer, Benson said.
Playground equipment will be installed in Silver Heights, Perry Pines and at the Highlands Heritage Park. In cooperation with multiple jurisdictions, Douglas County will begin working on a regional, north-south Colorado Front Range Trail. Planning is under way for ballfields at the Fairgrounds Regional Park in Castle Rock.
"I'm past the point of getting upset and throwing things," Benson said. "It's never-ending [with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service]. The funds we earmarked for the Cherry Creek Regional Trail were moved to fund other projects this year."
This summer bicyclists, walkers, joggers, skaters and equestrians still will not be able to traverse the concrete creek-side path uninterrupted. Two parts of the regional trail are incomplete.
The Preble's meadow jumping mouse, a species listed as threatened and federally protected by the Endangered Species Act, was found a couple years ago on the undeveloped trail sites. Construction, even of recreational trails, is not allowed in Preble's mouse habitat.
The Cherry Creek Regional Trail is planned to stretch 24 miles from Castlewood Canyon State Park (south of Parker) up through Arapahoe County and Aurora to the Cherry Creek Reservoir recreation area. Out of the 24 miles of trail, 17 miles are built.
The two incomplete sections are in Douglas County. One undeveloped section of the trail stretches from the northern boundary of the Castlewood Canyon State Park nearly up to Colorado 86 near Franktown. The other section is between Parker and Franktown, north of Colorado 86 and south of Castle Oaks Drive. Much of the trail was built before the Preble's mouse was listed as threatened.
For more than a year, Benson has been in negotiations with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. As requested by Benson, the county is paying for consultants to develop a habitat conservation plan for the incomplete trail sites. The federal permit would possibly allow the trail to be built.
The new target completion date is one and a half to two years away, Benson said.
The money that was supposed to pay for the Cherry Creek Regional Trail was diverted to the first two miles of the nine-mile Douglas County East/West Trail. Between Castle Pines North and western Highlands Ranch, the East/West Trail will be built by mid-summer, Benson said.
Playground equipment will be installed in Silver Heights, Perry Pines and at the Highlands Heritage Park. In cooperation with multiple jurisdictions, Douglas County will begin working on a regional, north-south Colorado Front Range Trail. Planning is under way for ballfields at the Fairgrounds Regional Park in Castle Rock.
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