Workers have broken ground on an expansion of the Rock Island Trail on Colorado Springs' east side, a project city officials say will connect disconnected segments of one of the city's primary east-west routes. The effort is being led by the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department and targets a two-mile stretch of the trail south of Constitution Avenue.
The new segment will run through the Cimarron Hills area, linking Eastridge Park to Sand Creek, and will largely follow an existing unpaved dirt path that traces the park's western edge. City crews will surface the route in concrete to improve usability for those on foot, people using mobility devices, and other visitors. The broader project also incorporates accessibility improvements along the full corridor.
Two infrastructure elements are central to the construction. A 210-foot bridge will span Sand Creek, and a pedestrian-activated signal will be installed at Peterson Road — both part of the two-mile urban trail taking shape east of Powers Boulevard. Currently, people traveling this section of the trail have no dedicated place to cross Peterson Road. The new installation will include flashing beacons and a median refuge island to improve safety for those making that crossing.
Trails development coordinator Emily Duncan spoke to the project's broader value in a statement, saying that "The Rock Island Trail is an important east-west corridor, and this extension will help close key gaps in the trail network while creating a safer, more accessible route for the community." She also said the bridge and the upgraded Peterson Road crossing will "expand opportunities for recreation and active transportation while building out the City's urban trail network."
Three revenue streams are financing the work: the Pikes Peak Rural Transportation Authority II, state transportation grants administered through the Colorado Department of Transportation, and the voter-supported Trails, Open Space and Parks sales tax. A comparable effort was undertaken in 2024 on a separate portion of the trail, covering the section between Monument Valley Park and Templeton Gap Road.
The Sand Creek bridge is critical for tying together the longer segments of the route that pass through the city, though even after its completion a gap will remain between Sand Creek and the trail sections lying west of Powers Boulevard. That next missing piece, near Powers Boulevard, is already in the design phase.
While work continues, the Parks Department is asking people to stay clear of active construction zones, and drivers in the vicinity of Peterson Road should be prepared for minor traffic disruptions as the new crossing goes in. The department expects construction activity to run through the end of the year.
Whether the city will publish interim detour guidance or an updated access plan for trail users within the construction zone has not yet been announced.