Mill Street is a 4-lane major collector roadway within downtown Aspen that provides access to Main Street, the Public Library, the City’s Rio Grande events park, and provides the main connection with large residential areas north of town.  Traffic volumes along the corridor did not require the existing 4-lane configuration, providing opportunities to utilize the existing roadway width to accommodate other modes of transportation and streetscaping elements.

The goals of the project were to:  improve safety and comfort for pedestrians and cyclists, improve the function and safety of pedestrian crossings along the corridor, integrate bicycles into the right-of-way, improve mobility, and enhance Aspen’s character as a bicycle and pedestrian-friendly community.  As a Complete Street, the City wanted to create a corridor that is safe, functional, comfortable, and enjoyable for pedestrians, cars, and vehicles alike and enhances the community’s access to the City’s network of trails via connectivity through and beyond the project area.

JR completed the design and construction plans for the Complete Street, and the City constructed the project over multiple phases.  The City was also interested in installing a bike box on Mill Street’s southbound approach to Main Street (SH 82).  A bike box is a designated area at the head of a traffic lane at a signalized intersection that provides bicyclists with a safe and visible way to get ahead of queuing traffic during the red signal phase.  Green colored pavement can be used as a background color within the bike box to encourage compliance by motorists.  JR designed and prepared plans for the bike box and successfully obtained approval from CDOT.  The bike box was installed in 2017 and was the first in CDOT Region 3.