Midland Streetscape Project Update September 29, 2023

MIDLAND MONEY VOUCHERS

EXPIRE SEPTEMBER 30

There are no more vouchers available.

Thank you so much for attending Town of Basalt events this summer where our team handed out more than 1,500 Midland Money vouchers. There are none left.  If you have any Midland Money vouchers, they expire on Saturday, September 30.  You can find a list of participating businesses here.

Thank you for supporting our local Midland Avenue area businesses and thanks to Basalt Town Council for funding this program to encourage downtown commerce during the Midland Streetscape construction this summer.  

Our favorite Midland Money story is about the savvy 11-year-old who spent his entire $20 voucher on candy at Old Cassie’s Corner Store.  It is a $20 investment in the Midland Avenue economy that likely would not have taken place without the Midland Money voucher program!

PHASE 2 UPDATE

Thank you all so much for your patience this summer.  The project is on the final stretch of work for 2023.  If you haven’t seen the flyer for Phase 2, it contains a lot of valuable information.

The water main installation is nearly complete from the Midland Spur to the intersection of Midland Avenue and East Homestead Drive.  Three new fire hydrants have been installed and connected to the new water main.

Starting next week, October 2, the team will be connecting the new water main to properties along Midland Avenue, and after those services are complete the larger lateral connections will be made to larger building such as the Midland Mall, Riverwalk, and Basalt Center Circle properties.

This video illustrates the next steps in the process.  

As explained in the video, properties will experience a disruption to their water service while the water connection takes place.  Our team will contact the businesses or residences the week before, day before, and day of the water disruption so everyone can prepare as best as possible.  We have been in touch with all impacted properties over the last few weeks to get contact information.   If you have questions, please let us know: midlandstreetscape@gmail.com

The water connection work is expected to run through November.

NEXT STEPS IN THE PROJECT

Work on the Midland Avenue Streetscape will continue in early Spring 2024 and run through the end of the year.  Generally, the work will consist of installing underground utilities like stormwater, electric, and communications and the street level work of grading to accommodate the new center draining stormwater system, widening the sidewalks, landscaping, lighting, and new sidewalk amenities.  The team is working through a value engineering process to ensure the best final product for the community.  

MIDLAND STREETSCAPE

FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Background

The Midland Streetscape is funded by various sources that include voter approved bonds*, grants, and Town reserves.

In 2021 Ballot Issue 3A was put before voters asking if they supported the Town of Basalt selling bonds of up to $18 million dollars for three projects: affordable housing, green projects, and the Midland Streetscape project.  The ballot measure passed with 71% of the voters approving the funding; however it is important to know that ballot issues such as these offer the Town Council conceptual financial approval for projects, not specific details or a maximum amount that could be budgeted and spent on each initiative.  

Council allocated the overall funding for the three projects as follows:

1.     Midland Streetscape Project  $9 million

2.     Green Projects                        $2 million

3.     Affordable Housing                $6 million

Council was careful to explain that these bond funds would be leveraged to obtain grants and supplemented with town reserves to make the bond proceeds go further on all of these projects.  

As early as an August 2021 worksession the Town estimated an $11.5 million budget for the Midland Streetscape project and discussions were always focused on seeking a variety of funding sources that included the $9 million in bond funds plus $2.5 million from town reserves and grants.  

So far, Basalt has been successful at securing $2.5 million in grants and partnership funding to supplement the $9 million in bond funds. The Town will pay the balance of the project budget from its reserves, which are appropriately invested in capital projects that use one-time spending instead of recurring annual costs. 

Comprehensive Infrastructure

The conceptual $11.5 million budget was based on a preliminary concept that did not include the Midland Spur. Significant public outreach followed the vote that included pop-ups, individual meetings, open houses, online feedback opportunities and business outreach that helped form the concept and eventual design for the Midland Streetscape project.  The community’s input is inseparable from the design and benefits the project is now offering.

Through the public feedback and as engineering studies continued during the infrastructure design process, it was determined that improvements in the Midland Spur were a critical addition for the water, electrical, and stormwater infrastructure resiliency as well as providing enhanced parking, pedestrian safety, and improved lighting.

*When voters approve a bond proposition on an election ballot, the Town is authorized to sell bonds up to the amount indicated in the ballot language to fund projects.  The Town is then obligated to pay back the bonds through its taxing power, which the voters approved.  Grants are money the Town received and does not have to pay back.  Reserve funds are money already in the Town’s coffers that it allocates for specific purposes, usually on one-time capital expenses.

PROJECT BENEFITS

Sign Up for Construction Updates

Please sign up for construction newsletter updates, which are sent weekly to keep you informed on construction impacts week by week in Phase 2 of the project.