Senior Spooktacular brings annual haunt back to Redstone Inn
Pitkin County Senior Services held its annual Senior Spooktacular at the Redstone Inn on Tuesday.
Ray K. Erku/The Aspen Times
Seasonal construction and maintenance activity that takes up public right-of-way spaces in Aspen is coming to a close.
Right-of-way season — a critical period used for public and private infrastructural improvements — ends Friday. The city of Aspen ends the season, which began April 1, having issued 102 right-of-way construction permits. About 10 of those permits were for city-owned projects.
According to Aspen City Engineer Trish Aragon, work within the city follows a restricted timeline for a reason but is also a critical component for utilities work to be completed.
Aragon explained that the public right-of-way encompasses areas the city uses for transportation, utilities, and other public infrastructure.
“These spaces are essential for constructing and maintaining streets, alleys, sidewalks, bike paths, and utilities,” she said. “The right-of-way season allows Aspen’s Public Works departments to improve infrastructure while reviewing private and public plans to ensure all projects meet city standards.”
She said the public works departments in Aspen cover a broad range of services, including: streets, utilities, engineering, geographic information systems and mapping, transportation, parking, and capital asset management.
“Throughout the 2024 season, several projects took place, including the Mill Street bridge work, the storm pipe and water main replacement at Hallam and Garmisch, pedestrian improvements, and the installation of award-winning EV charging stations at Koch Park,” Aragon said. “Additionally, there was a significant cable and conduit replacement project.”
When asked what happens if projects aren’t completed by the end of the season, she noted that project teams are well aware of the seasonal constraints.
“Some projects are multi-year,” she said. “Those projects will continue the following phases of their timeline in April of 2025,” referencing the ongoing conduit and cable replacement.
The need to adhere to the right-of-way season is driven by Aspen’s unique landscape, and weather conditions which can pose significant challenges.
Aragon highlighted that material availability and the importance of minimizing community disruption during peak times, such as ski season, can also play a role in determining this timeline.
As the season comes to a close, residents can look forward to improved infrastructure, though she points out that the changes might not always be immediately visible.
“These new amenities look like new sidewalks and EV chargers, all the way to updated storm pipes and water and electric mains,” she explains, indicating that the benefits of the season’s work extend beyond what meets the eye.