On a sunny summer weekend, 12,000 to 15,000 visitors flock to Morrison daily, the town’s police chief estimates. They fill the narrow sidewalks and streets, creating congestion and often chaos as pedestrians, cars and bicycles all try to safely navigate Bear Creek Avenue.
With help from the Colorado Department of Transportation, Morrison’s main drag will soon become a safer place.
The town will host its second community meeting and preliminary designs for the Morrison Main Street Revitalization Project at 6 p.m. June 5 at the Morrison Town Hall, 110 Stone St.
The project is funded in part by a $426,000 Safer Main Street grant from the Colorado Department of Transportation, to which the town is adding another $106,500. That adds up to more than a half-million dollars to design and build safe and accessible, pedestrian crossings at the South Park Avenue, Mill Street, and Market Street intersections with Bear Creek Avenue.
The town started the process toward improving its main street with a community meeting in August 2023 and has since held stakeholder interviews and conducted a traffic calming survey.
Plans call for removing the existing traffic light at South Park Avenue, which town officials say contributes to traffic congestion. It will likely be replaced by a raised crossing and a pedestrian-activated flashing light, also known as an RRFB, or Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon.
“It’s a lot more efficient (and) will really help with traffic flow along Bear Creek Avenue,” said town planner Carrie McCool.
Plans also show upgrades for the Mill Street crossing, which does not meet the Americans with Disabilities Act standards.
A safe, accessible pedestrian crossing is also expected to be added at Market Street.
The project also calls for aesthetic improvements along Bear Creek.
The town has also proposed adding an LED sign on the town’s east side that could be changed to notify visitors about special events and other relevant news.
“A lot of folks don’t realize how much traffic comes through Morrison,” McCool said. “The board’s prioritized making it a safe and accessible street for all users, from kids in strollers to folks in wheelchairs, to bikes and pedestrians.”
Construction on the projects is expected to wrap up by August 2025.