MIDLAND AVENUE STREETSCAPE

Client: Town of Basalt
Location: Basalt, Colorado
Project Status: In progress

Midland Avenue is Basalt’s main historic corridor, with building facades that date back to the Town’s 1890s railroad heyday. Today, Midland Avenue is one of two commercial activity hubs for Basalt and serves to transport people from Highway 82 up the Fryingpan River canyon to Ruedi Reservoir. In 2020, the Town’s Master Plan identified the Midland Avenue streetscape as a priority project that would ensure continued commercial vitality in Downtown. In November of 2021, the Basalt Forward 2030 initiative passed via citizen vote and authorized the Town to utilize bond proceeds to revitalize Midland Avenue’s streetscape and update utilities. The project scope includes the entirety of Midland Avenue, building face to building face, from (and including parts of) the Midland Spur to East Homestead Drive.

The issues facing Midland Avenue include failing and lacking utilities (sewer, water, gas, fiber, etc), truck loading zones, inconsistent connectivity, parking disorientation, inadequate bike infrastructure, lack of universal accessibility, aging and narrow sidewalks, snow/icing on sidewalks, inadequate signage, etc. The design team of Connect One Design, Cushing-Terrell, and Sopris Engineering see opportunities to update utilities, create comfortable outdoor spaces, prioritize the pedestrian experience, implement sustainable technologies, bring vibrancy to the entire corridor, and create a beloved “front porch” that honor’s Midland Avenue’s history and quaint character.