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A desire for curbside trees to light up future holidays prompted Rifle City Council to unanimously approve a change order to its downtown rehabilitation project.
A major construction project that’s closed off sections of Railroad Avenue and periodically hindered parking, foot traffic and commercial activity in downtown Rifle since March faces another delay, a contractor said Wednesday.
Third Street is now open. Traffic is flowing. Parking is available.
Following months of construction along Third Street and closing down a section of Railroad Avenue to through traffic, the fruits of downtown Rifle’s revitalization project are starting to ripen. “When you actually get over to that west side, suddenly it feels totally different,” City Manager Scott Hahn told Rifle City Council on June 2. “It doesn’t feel like Rifle downtown, because you’re used to thinking how it used to be… I have business owners come out, and they’re extremely pleased with how it’s looking.” City engineer Craig Spaulding said work began this week on the s...
Ray K. Erku / Post Independent Downtown Rifle business owner Nick Beightel said business has decreased 75% since construction activity picked up in the area earlier this year. In fact, when asked if COVID-19 or construction has been more of a detriment to foot traffic, Beightel, who owns One Jewelers, said construction is worse “by far.” “The fact a lot of my customers are elderly people, they don’t want to walk a block or two to shop,” he said on Tuesday. “They want the convenience to pull up and leave. Where are they going to park? It’s hard for them.”