Road becomes reality after two decades

A $3.6 million project in Douglas County that has been in the works for two decades was celebrated Friday by dignitaries from Denver and the county.

The newly redesigned Daniels Park Road will open to the public Wednesday.

The previously gravel surfaced road now includes 1.7 miles of realigned paved roadway, 3 miles of old-style buck fencing and 1.8 miles of new bison fencing.

The improvements were done to help reduce erosion, dust and sediment and increase safety while also adding landscape and beautification features.

Daniels Park Road follows the alignment of the First Colorado Territorial Road, a pre-1864 wagon and stagecoach road leading south from Denver.

“Our families deserve nothing less than easily accessible, safe and fun parks where our people of all ages can play and gather,” said Denver Mayor Michael Hancock in a statement. “That includes here at our mountain parks, and it’s important that we support efforts that improve and expand access to these phenomenal assets so that we can bring more recreation opportunities to more people.”

The Daniels Park Road renovation and the additional four parking lots and 50 parking spaces that were also added are part of the Daniels Park Master Plan, which aims to make the 1,000-acre park more accessible and easier to preserve. The project makes viewing the park’s bison herd easier.

Additionally, two miles of new soft surface trails complete the connection from the Castle Pines Parkway trailhead through Daniels Park, to Douglas County’s East-West trail system north of Griggs Road.