Siphon Pedestrian Overpass: Connecting the Power Trail to the Mail Creek Trail#
A rendering of what the Siphon Pedestrian Overpass will generally look like. To see more images, tap or click the photo.
Project summary#
Project map
Southeast Fort Collins has historically lacked a connection to the rest of the City’s trail system. The Siphon Pedestrian Overpass, coming in 2025, will change that by connecting the City’s new Mail Creek Trail to the existing Power Trail.
The Siphon Pedestrian Overpass will serve as a pedestrian and bicycle bridge over the Union Pacific Railroad tracks between Harmony Road and Trilby Road. The overpass is being constructed in response to significant demand from nearby neighborhoods, schools and businesses; the new bridge will create a safe connection near the middle of what’s currently a two mile long gap of connectivity between Harmony and Trilby. The new Mail Creek Trail, opened in 2024, now connects the intersection of Zephyr and Tilden to the site of the Siphon Pedestrian Overpass - passing behind Bacon Elementary and the City’s new Schoolside Park (opening 2025) and beneath Timberline Road to create a safe future connection to the Power Trail. The Power Trail is one of the City’s most important north-south trails, connecting to the Spring Creek Trail on the north end (near Prospect and Timberline) and to the City of Loveland’s trail system on the south end (near Carpenter and Lemay).
Project timeline#
- Project planning
- Project construction
- Project completion
Project impacts#
Construction on the Siphon Pedestrian Overpass will begin in Fall 2024 and be completed by Summer 2025. The project will have the following impacts on surrounding communities:
|
Impact |
Summary |
|
Power Trail closure |
The Power Trail will be closed between Keenland Dr. and E. Trilby Rd.. Power Trail users will detour using Keenland between McMurry Ave. and S. Lemay Ave., S. Lemay Ave., and Southridge Greens during the construction and may re-join the Power Trail at E. Trilby Road |
|
Construction access on the west side of the railroad |
Construction for the project will be staged on the west side of the railroad north of the 5700 block of Southridge Greens Blvd., between the golf course and the Power Trail, which provides the best access to the site of the Siphon Pedestrian Overpass. Construction traffic will use Southridge Greens to access the staging area and the west side of the construction area during the project. |
|
Construction access on the east side of the railroad |
Construction traffic will use the Hansen Farms and Reserve at Timberline neighborhoods to access the east side of the construction area during the project. |
The City is in communication with all impacted neighborhoods, schools and businesses. We thank everyone in communities near this project for their patience and collaboration with us as we work to complete the Siphon Pedestrian Overpass in a complex location surrounded by neighborhoods and split by the Union Pacific Railroad.
Project funding#
Project cost: $4 million
This project will cost $4 million to complete, leveraging funding from these sources:
- Multi-Modal Options Fund Grant: $500,000
- City of Fort Collins Community Capital Improvement Program Sales Tax: $2.2 million
- Transportation Capital Expansion Fee: $500,000
- City of Fort Collins Park Planning & Development: $800,000
Have questions or concerns?#
For general questions or concerns about the project, contact Jin Wang, Project Manager, at 970-416-2292 or jwang@fcgov.com.
If you’re a business, contact Michael Bussman, Lead Business Specialist (Economic Health), at 970-416-2307 or mbussmann@fcgov.com.