Snowmass begins plans to connect Base Village, Snowmass Center

The Town of Snowmass Village Public Works Department is evaluating ways to better connect the Snowmass Center to Base Village.

Public Works Director Anne Martens and Bill Delo, senior project manager at engineering firm DJ&A, presented preliminary plans to update connectivity in the village during Monday’s Town Council meeting. While the two complexes — some of the major hubs in Snowmass — are close together, Delo said it is still complex and doesn’t provide ease of access to users.

“The connection, quite honestly, is complex, and the challenges include multiple roadway crossings, multiple buildings that happen to be in the way of making connections to a particular location and real significant elevation changes,” he said. “There is a need for more wayfinding and ways for people to know where they’re going, where the transit stops are, and where their destinations are as well.”

The public works department and DJ&A will explore ways to prioritize safety while also encouraging users to walk, bike, or use existing transit options to access both the Snowmass Center and Base Village easier. They will examine several options including escalators, elevators, pedestrian bridges, gondolas, and possibly modifying or enhancing the Village Shuttle routes, Delo said. 

For the next four weeks, engineers will develop design alternatives for the project, conduct engineering reviews, and develop cost estimates. Afterward, DJ&A and the town will conduct three, two-hour meetings with stakeholders at the Snowmass Center and Base Village to go over the designs and discuss the best options. The Town Council will then review the plans for approval.

The goal of the design is to maximize the pedestrian experience, decrease traffic congestion, promote multimodal travel, and create inviting public spaces for residents and visitors. 

The project is in beginning phases and a construction timeline is unknown. But the Public Works Department and DJ&A will provide smaller, frequent updates to the Town Council in lieu of one large presentation after the designs are finalized. 

The design process — including gathering data, developing project alternatives, and project management — is expected to cost $124,970. It does not include actual construction costs.

Plans to improve connectivity in Snowmass have been in the works for years, and council members have long sought a solution to connect the town’s hubs with motorized and human-powered transportation in mind. Initial connectivity plans included connections to the Snowmass Mall, but the town decided to focus on the Snowmass Center and Base Village before including the mall, Martens said.

Connecting the town’s nodes have been part of council goals in 2017, 2019, and 2021. 

“I’m glad we’re finally doing it,” said Councilmember Tom Fridstein.