Carriage Hills and Spruce Knob Water System Improvements
About This Project
Update: 09/19/2025
The scheduled Thursday, September 18 water service interruption along Larkspur and S. Morris Court did not occur due to a required change in alignment and service connection at Larkspur. We experienced two significant line breaks on the existing water line on Larkspur that made a change in service necessary.
TWX has completed main installation and testing of the new water line on Carriage Drive from Larkspur to approximately Lakeshore Drive. Two service lines need to be connected prior to this area being complete. Starting September 22, the contractor will close Carriage Drive from Lakeshore to just before Spruce to allow them to install the new water line in this area. Access in this segment will be provided for residents and emergency responders.
Starting the week of September 22, the first “lift” of asphalt will be installed on Carriage Drive, with the top lift to be installed after a larger portion of Carriage Drive is completed. Please note this means Carriage Drive will have an uneven surface until the final lift is installed.
Reminder: The park area is currently being used for construction and installation of a pressure regulating station. The playground area remains open. For safety reasons, please stay out of the fenced construction area.
We’ve noticed some of the traffic control devices (cones, barricades, fences) have been moved during non-working hours. We request residents and guests to not disturb the traffic control devices – these are needed for safety around the construction site.
The updated near-term schedule is provided below. Please note that this schedule will change as construction progresses. Changes typically result from field conditions and weather. The contractor will work along Carriage Drive as far into the fall as possible. Please watch for changing traffic patterns as they complete the first segment and move on to the second. Traffic impacts will typically occur Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. There will sometimes be work over weekends to restore the ground surfaces and street conditions.
The Town be available for interested parties to drop-in and ask questions on Wednesday, October 1 from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. at 1360 Brook Drive (the Water Shop). During the September information session very few residents stopped by. We will determine if future sessions are necessary based on the October attendance.
We are also hosting an informational session on October 13 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Hondius Room at the Estes Valley Library (335 E. Elkhorn Ave.). Please come by to hear a brief presentation about the project then ask the Town and contractor questions.
For more information about this project please contact Jacqui Wesley, Utilities Capital Projects Manager, at jwesley@estes.org or Mike Dantimo, Capital Projects Supervisor, at mdantimo@estes.org and watch for updates on this project's page (ADD WEB SITE).
Update: 09/16/2025
There is a scheduled water service interruption on Thursday, September 18 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. This shutdown is required to allow for the safe interconnection of the new water system. If you notice discolored water once service is restored, run your COLD water until it clears. Each house was also notified by a door hanger that contains more information.
Update: 09/15/2025
Starting Sept 15, there will be a change in traffic control and access on Carriage Dr, Larkspur, and Lakeshore. These changes are needed for safety during replacement of the waterline.
Sept 15 to Sept 19 from no earlier than 7 am to no later than 7 pm, Carriage Dr will be one way from Spruce to Lakeshore. Flaggers will control traffic. Carriage Dr will be closed between Lakeshore and Larkspur.
Sept 19 at the end of the day, Larkspur will re-open for access onto Hwy 7/N St. Vrain.
Sept 22 to Oct 17, Carriage Dr will be closed from Lakeshore to Spruce and will not re-open at night. No left turn from Lakeshore onto Carriage Dr. Access will be available for residents only.
Early October, access between Lakeshore and Carriage toward Highway 7 will be re-opened.
All dates subject to change due to construction conditions or weather conditions. Monitor our website at https://estespark.colorado.gov/waterprojects
Update: 09/08/2025
TWX has completed main installation along Pawnee, connected to the existing Highway 7 crossing, and moved over to Carriage Drive. They will continue down Carriage Drive to Lakeshore to complete the first segment. TWX has brought in a big trencher (see photo below) to help make things go faster. Once the waterline is installed and service connections made, they will repair the road surface.
The park area has been prepared for installation of a new pressure regulating station, which will be underground. Once this is completed, the park will be reseeded and new trees planted. For safety reasons, please stay out of the fenced construction area. The playground area remains open.
The updated near-term schedule is provided below. Please note that this schedule will change as construction progresses. Changes typically result from field conditions and weather. The contractor will work along Carriage Drive as far into the fall as possible. Please watch for changing traffic patterns as they complete the first segment and move on to the second. Traffic impacts will typically occur Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. There will sometimes be work over weekends to restore the ground surfaces and street conditions.
The Town hosted an information session on Wednesday, September 3. We only had two residents (same address) drop by. We have another session scheduled for October 8 from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. at 1360 Brook Drive (the Water Shop). If we get strong participation in these sessions, we will schedule more.
For more information about this project please contact Jacqui Wesley, Utilities Capital Projects Manager, at jwesley@estes.org or Mike Dantimo, Capital Projects Supervisor, at mdantimo@estes.org and watch for updates on this project's page.
Updated August 20, 2025
The first phase of the Carriage Hills and Spruce Knob Water Systems Improvement Project is starting in August 2025 and is being done by a team lead by Timberwolf Excavating (TWX). TWX will be exploring the geotechnical conditions, locating existing utilities, and preparing to install pipe starting on August 11, 2025, with active construction expected to start on or after August 18, 2025.
Phase 1 includes replacing older water pipes along Carriage Drive from Highway 7 to Ramshorn and along Whispering Pines from Ponderosa to approximately Pine Meadow Drive, reconnecting the existing services, and installing new (and more) fire hydrants. The Town needs to complete this project because the older existing water mains are not buried deep enough to protect them from freezing and they are subject to leaking and breaking. The project will also connect the water system in Carriage Hills to other sections of the Town's water system at Pawnee and Grey Fox. These connections will improve the overall operation of the system. A new pressure regulating station will be installed near the playground at the park.
Construction will take about a year to complete. The tentative schedule is provided below, but is subject to change depending on field conditions and contract terms.
There will be traffic impacts during construction, which will typically occur Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. The first area of impact is from Highway 7 to Lakeshore then further down Carriage Drive to Spruce Avenue. During times of active construction, portions of the street will be closed and traffic will be detoured onto adjacent roads. This portion of the work is expected to take 5 to 8 weeks to complete. Once completed, the road will be patched with asphalt and fully reopened to traffic and the second segment (on Carriage Drive from Spruce Avenue to south of Whispering Pines) will be constructed.
Please note that road closures will move with construction, impacting Carriage Drive and Whispering Pines. Periodically check this website for updates on new planned road closures and detours.
For more information about this project please contact Jacqui Wesley, Utilities Capital Project Manager, at jwesley@estes.org or Mike Dantimo, Capital Projects Supervisor, at mdantimo@estes.org and watch for updates on this project's page.
Project Morning Information Sessions with the Water Division
We invite you to attend our monthly morning information sessions to learn more about the project, ask questions, and share your concerns. Our team will be available to discuss construction plans, address specific issues, and provide detailed information about the project timeline.
Location: Water Shop at 1360 Brook Drive
Dates and Time: September 3 and October 1, 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. (any time during these hours)
Project Information and Updates
October 15, 2024 public meeting presentation.
The design for improvements in the Carriage Hills area is nearing completion with a tentative advertisement for bids planned in Spring 2025 and construction in 2025 and 2026. Phase 1 of this important project includes replacing older water pipes along Carriage Drive and Whispering Pines and installing new fire hydrants. The older lines are not buried deep enough to protect them from freezing and they are subject to leaking and breaking. The project will also connect the water system in Carriage Hills to other sections of the Town's water system at Pawnee and Grey Fox. These connections will improve the overall operation of the system. Improvements to the former Spruce Knob Water System (Joel Estes Drive) have been combined with the Carriage Hills project and were submitted for grant and loan consideration by the State.
The Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) has awarded the Town a $1M grant for the Carriage Hills and Spruce Knob improvements project. The Town has also been awarded $1.5M in principle loan forgiveness through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Legislation (BIL) as administered by the State. The remaining cost of the Carriage Hills portion of the project will be funded through a low-interest rate (3.25%) loan package as part of the State Revolving Fund (SRF) loan program. The funding approach is being finalized for Town Board consideration.
The engineers for both portions of the project have finalized the opinion of probable construction cost, resulting in a total estimated cost that exceeds our current budget. The base bid is the minimum project we will construct (shown in green on the updated map). If the costs for the base bid are lower than expected, the Town can supplement with additional areas (shown in orange on the updated map).
On May 7, 2024 a public meeting was held at Town Hall for the Carriage Hills and Spruce Knob Water System Improvements project. A pdf of the meeting presentation is available. An invitation for another Carriage Hills focused project meeting on October, 15 2024 will be forwarded to the HOA president. A third meeting is anticipated prior to the start of construction (Spring 2025).
The project was advertised for bid on March 21, 2025 and bid opening is scheduled for early April. Construction along Joel Estes Drive has been added to the project and we anticipate construction on Joel Estes Drive will start soon after the contract is awarded. We anticipate awarding the contract in May.