Safety improvements for pedestrians and bicyclists on 38 Road in East Orchard Mesa are moving closer to construction.

Mesa County said in a news release that final design plans for the project are being prepared by J-U-B Engineers Inc. The project improvements include a new pedestrian/bike path on the west side of 38 Road, starting from the bottom of the 38 Road hill and extending north approximately 600 feet.

A new box-culvert crossing and a pedestrian bridge are included in the project. Construction is scheduled to start in 2027 with funding provided by the Colorado Department of Transportation through a Transportation Alternatives Program grant of $2,352,944 for construction. The grant requires a 20 percent local match, which breaks down to 80 percent federal funding of $1,882,355 and a 20 percent Mesa County match of $470,589.

A future phase of the project is planned to continue the improvements north to U.S. Highway 6.