A new Garden of the Gods Park entrance monument sign has been engraved and placed at a new location along the Foothills Trail north of Gateway Road as part of the 30th Street Corridor Reconstruction Project. With the project team and stakeholders in attendance, an unveiling of the new monument sign, cut from large sandstone slabs. The new location allows for safer access for those wanting to take photos of the sign without conflicting with vehicular traffic entering and exiting the park.
The previous sign at the entrance of Garden of Gods Park (Gateway Road) was set in 1994 and made of two large sandstone slabs. Moving that sign to the new location was considered; however, an inspection revealed weathering, cracking and structurally significant damage to two of the sandstones. A cost and risk analysis determined the sign should be replaced. The new sandstone sign was cut from the same Lyons, Colorado quarry as the original stones, engraved with matching font and size as well.
The second phase of the 30th Street corridor construction started in mid-June and includes work on 30th Street between Gateway Road and Fontanero Street. It requires visitors to access the Garden of the Gods Park and Visitor & Nature Center from the north. The Foothills Trail reopened in early August, along with a new multi-use trail underpass beneath Gateway Road. The new connection allows bikes and pedestrians to cross under the road without having to negotiate traffic. Expected project completion of the entire project is summer 2023, weather dependent.
The primary goal of the 30th Street Corridor Reconstruction project is to increase safety through the corridor. This is being achieved by adding multi-purpose shoulders and new roundabout at the Gateway intersection, providing better access for emergency vehicles and evacuation. The project is also including stormwater improvements, replacing the existing aging street pavement, stabilizing the adjacent hillside slopes, replacing aged water and sewer lines, and improving safety and mobility at corridor intersections. For project information visit ColoradoSprings.gov/30thStreet.