Rifle Awards $2.1 Million Contract for Highway 13 Water Lines

Rifle —Will the city actually fix the water lines under Highway 13 before the next school year starts?

Rifle City Council answered that question on Wednesday by awarding a $2.1 million contract for water system improvements. The project is locked in, but the timeline is tight. Construction along Prefontaine Avenue must happen between June 3 and July 30, 2027. That’s a narrow window because the work happens directly beneath Highway 13, right next to Rifle High School. You can’t dig up a main artery in the middle of August when kids are back in class.

The city budgeted $3.8 million for this work. Martinez Western Constructors came in with the lowest bid at $1.9 million, plus roughly $190,000 for contingency. That saves the city about $1.7 million on paper. But Councilor Chris Bornholdt wasn’t just looking at the price tag. He asked if communication skills were part of the evaluation criteria, noting that residents had complained about Martinez Western on the Railroad Avenue project.

“I get a lot of complaints about Martinez Western, so is that part of our criteria?” Bornholdt asked. “I know on the Railroad Avenue project, there were a lot of people who weren’t very happy with them at all…I think that’s something we need to consider if we want someone doing a construction project in our city, we want them to be polite to people.”

Public Works Director Craig Spaulding explained that the city holds back 5% of all payments as retainage until final completion. That’s a standard practice, but it doesn’t stop the dust or the noise during construction.

The council also approved changes to accessory dwelling unit (ADU) regulations. Colorado lawmakers passed House Bill 24-1152 in May 2024, mandating that urban areas allow ADUs on single-family zoned lots. Rifle isn’t in a metropolitan planning area, so the bill doesn’t directly apply. But city officials worked with the Colorado Department of Local Affairs to revise the municipal code anyway.

Planning Director Zach Higgins said this move makes Rifle citizens eligible for Colorado Housing and Finance Authority financing for ADUs. It also opens up grant funding for pre-approved ADU plans through the Colorado Energy Office.

Let’s do the math on what this actually means for a property owner. If you own single-family zoned land, you can now build a second unit on your lot. Under the new code, you might qualify for state grants to help cover the cost of pre-approving those plans. It’s not free money, but it lowers the barrier to entry for adding a rental unit or housing an aging parent.

The water projects cover three areas:

• County Road 320, where crews will install a line crossing Helmer’s Gulch to connect near South Village Drive.
• Prefontaine Avenue, including work under Highway 13.
• Smaller sections along Fourth and Fifth streets, plus asphalt replacement.

The city received 10 bids from Colorado contractors, including four local firms: Heyl Construction, Gould Construction, Johnson Construction, and Martinez Western Constructors.

For folks in the valley, the immediate impact is logistical. If you live near Prefontaine or Highway 13, expect traffic disruptions in the summer of 2027. If you’re a homeowner looking to add an ADU, the new code gives you access to state financing that wasn’t available before. The city spent $2.1 million on infrastructure and opened the door to state-funded housing development. That’s a trade-off, but it’s one that prioritizes long-term utility stability over short-term convenience.