Aspen Council Approves $1.7M Local Share for Buttermilk Trail Grant

Aspen City Council unanimously approved a grant application Tuesday that could slash the local cost of a critical trail connection by $1.7 million.

The money is earmarked for the Buttermilk-to-Truscott Vulnerable User Safety Project. It’s a multi-use trail linking Buttermilk Ski Area to the Truscott underpass. The goal is simple: connect transit stops and housing for seniors at the Aspen Country Inn.

The federal grant comes from the Department of Transportation’s Safe Streets and Roads for All program. The mission is zero roadway deaths. The application targets a corridor the city’s own Safety Action Plan labeled a "high-risk hotspot."

The total project cost sits at $7,024,816. If the grant hits, the federal government covers $5,268,612. That leaves the city responsible for $1,756,204.

That local share comes from the Parks and Open Space Fund. Aspen committed a 25 percent match — slightly above the 20 percent minimum required. The fund already has $3 million allocated for 2030. Staff will adjust the budget to ensure reserves stay balanced once the grant timeline locks in.

Design is 90 percent complete. The Elected Officials Transportation Committee kicked this off in 2022. They’ve been working with Pitkin County to get the trail built.

If awarded, the city has five years to finish the job. The federal window allows up to 12 months just to sign the paperwork and finalize partner contributions.

This isn’t just about paving a path. It’s about getting underserved seniors out of their cars and onto a safe route to the ski area and transit hubs. It’s about fixing a known danger zone.

The resolution moved through the consent calendar. No debates. No objections. Just a clean approval to secure the funding before the federal deadline.

The application went in before the May 26 meeting. If the council hadn’t said yes, they would have withdrawn it. They didn’t.

The money sits in the Parks and Open Space Fund. That’s the same fund that maintains our parks and open spaces. Shifting $1.75 million toward a trail connection means less cash for other park projects in the short term. Or it means the 2030 allocation was already counted on. The report says staff will review the budget to ensure adequate balance.

Worth watching is how quickly the federal agreement gets signed. The clock starts when the award is announced. The city needs to draft Memorandums of Understanding with partner agencies. They need to lock in the local match.

The trail connects Buttermilk to Truscott. It serves the ski area. It serves the transit system. It serves the senior residents at the Aspen Country Inn.

The project design is nearly done. The money is waiting. The council approved the ask. Now they wait for the federal check.

When it arrives, the city spends $1.75 million of its own money to finish a $7 million project. That’s a good deal. It’s also a commitment. The funds are already in the ground, so to speak. The Parks and Open Space Fund is tapped.

Neighbors should know this corridor is dangerous. The city called it a hotspot for a reason. This trail fixes that. It removes cars from the equation for vulnerable users. It makes the commute safer for the seniors who rely on the Aspen Country Inn.

The grant application is in. The council said yes. The rest is up to the Department of Transportation.