Big Progress on the Eagle Valley Trail: 2024 Construction Milestones
The Eagle Valley Trail (EVT) saw remarkable progress in 2024, with several key trail segments completed that significantly enhanced connectivity and safety for trail users. This transformative year brings the vision of a fully connected EVT closer to reality, providing an uninterrupted path through Eagle County for pedestrians and cyclists alike.
The EagleVail Business Center as seen from the Eagle Valley Trail.
EagleVail Business Center Transformation
The completion of the EagleVail segment marks a significant milestone in the trail's development. As recently as a few years ago, the EagleVail Business Center was dominated by five lanes of vehicle traffic, making it unfriendly and unsafe for pedestrians.
Thanks to the efforts of the EagleVail Metro District, which contributed over $150,000 to the project, the area now features a safer, more enjoyable environment for motorists, pedestrians and cyclists. This section connects Vail to Minturn and EagleVail, creating a seamless corridor for non-motorized travel.
The Eagle Valley Trail now connects Vail, Colorado to Edwards, Colorado.
Connecting Vail to Edwards
The EVT connection from Vail to Edwards is now a reality, allowing trail users to travel between these communities without ever needing to access the highway. This is one of the most heavily traveled corridors for bicyclists in the region, and the new EVT segments through Dowd Junction and EagleVail provide a safer, more accessible route.
This achievement builds upon the foundation laid two decades ago when the trail segment from Kayak Crossing to the Vail Pedestrian Bridge was first constructed in 2003. With this connection complete, the trail now offers a direct path from Vail to Edwards, enhancing safety and convenience for all users.
The Dowd Junction segment, completed in 2024, now connects the Eagle Valley Trail to Minturn, Colorado.
Dowd Junction and Minturn Connector
The completion of the Vail Pedestrian Bridge at Dowd Junction and the Minturn Connector Trail represent additional milestones in the EVT’s progress. Eagle County’s partnership with the Eagle River Water and Sanitation District (ERWSD) was instrumental in achieving these goals.
By combining infrastructure projects, such as a new sewer crossing and a pedestrian bridge, costs were minimized, and impacts to the community were reduced. The new Minturn spur trail connects the town of Minturn to the main EVT network, with considerations for wildlife habitat ensuring the trail’s sustainability and harmony with the environment.
This difficult section of the Eagle Valley Trail was completed in 2024, thanks to the innovative design solutions by OTAK.
Engineering Challenges and Collaborative Solutions
Constructing the new segments of the Eagle Valley Trail in 2024 required overcoming significant engineering challenges. The stretch through EagleVail, with its narrow corridor, steep riverbanks, and buried utilities, was particularly complex.
Thanks to the innovative design by OTAK, featuring a cantilevered trail section that protects the Eagle River, and the collaboration with CDOT to reduce vehicle lanes and adjust configurations, this ambitious project was completed successfully. These efforts exemplify the power of partnerships in bringing challenging projects to fruition.
Looking Ahead
With these new segments complete, the EVT is nearing its final stages. The remaining stretch from Horn Ranch to Edwards presents the longest and most challenging phase yet.
Once completed, the trail will provide a continuous 140-mile route from Breckenridge through Eagle County to Glenwood Springs and on to Aspen without ever needing to use a highway. This vision depends on continued support, with approximately $2.5 million still needed from the community to fund the final segment.
The accomplishments of 2024 demonstrate the community’s dedication to making the Eagle Valley Trail a reality. Every mile completed is a step closer to connecting our communities and providing a safer, greener future for recreation and transportation. Together, we’re building more than a trail—we’re building a legacy. Help us complete the last section of the Eagle Valley Trail!