Aspen approves expanded Castle Creek Bridge investigation
Aspen Times File Photo
Aspen City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved a contract with Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. for an expanded investigation of Castle Creek Bridge. The bridge, built in 1961, is ending its 75-year lifespan.
Not the first of its kind, the city had also approved a previous Castle Creek Bridge investigation in August 2023 for nearly $542,000.
This year’s contract focuses on providing consultant services for a comprehensive evaluation of the bridge. The investigation builds on previous work completed by Jacobs Engineering, including a bridge feasibility report, National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) options, and an S-curve impact analysis.
The amended contract, valued at $639,829, outlines a series of tasks to be completed on a time-and-materials basis up to the budgeted amount. Jacobs Engineering will undertake several critical tasks over the next five months, including project management, project meetings, traffic model development, S-curve refinement, and more.
The firm will also investigate possible bridge replacement options as well as economic impacts on local businesses and tourism once construction begins. The economic impact analysis alone is more than $60,000.
Once all options are considered, city council hopes to have two more bridge discussions before August.
City Council member Bill Guth said he did not see the value in analyzing economic impacts if the project eventually goes forward.
“I do not think this should be the primary driver in decision-making,” he said.
City Manager Sara Ott said an economic impact analysis was in the contract because “community members had concerns over the three- to five-year construction timeline.
In addition to an economic impact analysis, the investigation includes short-term solutions during possible construction, such as using temporary bridge.
After some deliberation, both the economic impact analysis and the alternative footprint analysis were kept in the resolution.
This resolution is a strategic move by the City of Aspen to ensure the Castle Creek Bridge project is thoroughly investigated and aligned with the city’s long-term mobility plans, according to city documents.
Council member Sam Rose emphasized the need to speed up the process.
“The bridge will have to be rebuilt at some point,” he said.
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