One long-standing dream is to connect Cortez, Phil\u2019s World, Mesa Verde National Park, and Mancos with a non-motorized pathway separated from Highway 160.<\/p>\n
Genuine momentum is building for the project, but it is in the preliminary stages. An interactive public survey was held Tuesday at the Cortez Recreation Center to determine how the community envisioned the 16-to-20 mile trail between the two towns.<\/p>\n
Participants were asked to place stickers on large wall graphs showing how the trail should be constructed, where it should be located, and what they would use it for. Comments could be made on large sheets of paper on the walls, and citizens could draw on maps where they thought the trail should go.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is a great turnout,\u201d said CDOT representative Matt Murano. \u201cMancos, Cortez, the county, public land agencies are all on board.\u201d<\/p>\n
Funding for just the planning portion of the large trail project is expected to be $1.2 million, the lion\u2019s share of which would be covered by a $900,000 federal grant if approved.<\/p>\n
CDOT is applying for the funding through the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER), part of a nationwide economic stimulus project.<\/p>\n
Matches have been secured from area towns to cover the rest of the estimated planning costs if the grant is awarded. Cortez and Montezuma County have promised $40,000 each, Mancos said it will chip in $20,000 and CDOT says it will contribute $200,000.<\/p>\n
The award decision for the TIGER grant is not expected until Fall. The funding would be used to determine trail alignment, create construction plans, pay for environmental and archaeology studies, and for purchase of right-of-way easements if necessary.<\/p>\n
Officials estimate construction costs at $10 million, funds that could also become available through federal funding and grants once planning, community buy-in, and construction plans are set.<\/p>\n
\u201cOnce it is shovel ready, more grant funding becomes available from federal and state sources,\u201d said Montezuma County commissioner Larry Don Suckla.<\/p>\n
The trail would be built in stages, based on funding. The plan is to have the west end begin at the new Cortez high school, but from there where the trail would be located has not been determined. Options include on the north or south side of the highway. The majority of land between Cortez and Mancos is BLM and county land, with pockets of private, state, and national park land.<\/p>\n
The idea is to connect attractions for residents and tourists to conveniently access, but also to provide commuting options that don\u2019t involve driving.<\/p>\n
\u201cI like the north side idea for a portion of the trial,\u201d Suckla said. \u201cIt would provide access to Phil\u2019s World, and the trail would be useful for students at Southwest Colorado Community College. The highway rest area there could be for trail parking.\u201d<\/p>\n
Whether the trail would be a soft surface or paved is also a question.<\/p>\n
\u201cPaving is ideal, because it is less long-term maintenance. But it has more up-front costs,\u201d said Todd Johnson, a BLM transportation scholar working on the project. \u201cThe idea is to come up with four or five trail designs and then go for feedback from the public.\u201d<\/p>\n
A review of survey results at the end of the event showed unanimous support for keeping the trail a good distance from the Highway 160, rather than closely paralleling it.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s good people see that. If we are going to do it and spend the money, let\u2019s keep it away from the highway,\u201d said Hal Shepherd, a long-time advocate of the trail and former Cortez city manager.<\/p>\n
Other results showed people would mostly use it for recreation, including hiking, biking, running, dog walking, and horse riding. The trail would give tourists and locals an option to access Phil\u2019s World mountain bike park, the Montezuma County Fairgrounds, or the Mesa Verde visitors center from either Mancos or Cortez.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019d like to see multiple access points, and parking suitable for horse trailers,\u201d said Tif Rodriquez, of Mancos. \u201cI also feel this community would provide a lot of volunteer time for trail building and maintenance.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe trail is a nice fit for this area,\u201d added Phil Johnson.<\/p>\n
The future of the county depends on outdoor recreation the trail would help bring, said Jim Skvorc, of Cortez.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt brings in tourist dollars and enhances our reputation as a low-impact recreation area,\u201d he said, adding that an old landscaping adage works for trails as well.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe best time to plant a tree is 10 years ago. The second best time is today, same goes for building this trail.\u201d<\/p>\n
A suggested name for the path is the MACO Trail, short for Mancos-Cortez.<\/p>\n