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A City Parks contractor recently built this
turnaround for the shuttle bus at the west end of Gateway Road (facing the
camera) and Juniper Way Loop. This is one of the three places where riders can
get on or off.
Free shuttle bus begins summer 'trial' operation in Garden of the Gods
This is one of the 14-passenger buses being
used for the shuttle in the Garden of the Gods this summer . They are being leased
by Adventures Out West, which is running the operation for City Parks and the
Garden of the Gods Visitor Center.
Courtesy of Colorado Springs Parks
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In keeping with plans announced this spring, a free, optional, limited shuttle service is running on a trial basis this summer in the Garden of the Gods.
The scheduled dates are May 26-28 (Memorial Day weekend), then daily from June 2 to Aug. 26 and concluding Sept. 1-2.
The time frame is 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The shuttle fleet consists of two 14-passenger vans, running in a concurrent loop to allow stops every 15 minutes at three locations - Rock Ledge Ranch Historic Site, the Garden of the Gods Visitor & Nature Center and the intersection of Gateway Road and Juniper Way Loop, where a trail goes into the Central Garden.
As the service started, a free, temporary shuttle parking lot was still being built at the north end of Rock Ledge's existing parking area southwest of 30th Street and Gateway Road. Preparing the lot is the
A crew with the Water Company, a City Parks
contractor, readies the new shuttle lot at the north end of the Rock Ledge Ranch
parking area. The photo was taken before Memorial Day weekend, so there's also a
sign for the parking area for people going to Territory Days and taking its shuttle
bus to Old Colorado City. Note: The boards for the parking spaces are blocking
the Foothills Trail path; however, a separate project scheduled this summer is to
reroute the trail east of the lot, closer to 30th Street.
Westside Pioneer photo
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According to a company representative, the fencing and boards to mark parking lot spaces didn't arrive until the week before Memorial Day, so only 130 spaces were ready as of May 26. But 400 spaces is the eventual plan.
The firm has also built a turnaround for the bus at Gateway and Juniper Way Loop, where people can get on and off.
The shuttle operation is being run by Adventures Out West, a private company that already offers jeep, Segway and trolley tours through the Garden.
A shuttle was suggested in a transportation study commissioned by Colorado Springs Parks and the Garden of the Gods Foundation, which owns and operates the Visitor Center just outside the park at 1805 N. 30th St. The study pointed to issues with parking and traffic congestion in the Garden, especially in the summer.
City officials have said they would consider a shuttle to take people throughout the Garden - not just along Gateway Road - if the shuttle this summer works out well.
Westside Pioneer article
(Outdoors:
Garden of the Gods )
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