Underneath Aspen’s quaint brick-lined walking malls is a crumbling infrastructure of corroded water lines, sewage systems and utility lines. Today is the kick off of a five-phase facelift for the city’s pedestrian malls.
The public can meet some members of the design team who will be tackling the upgrades over the next few years. People can also sign up to get notifications as the project gains speed.
Underneath the 40-year-old bricks on the pedestrian mall are 60-year-old utility lines that are showing their age.
The city recently had to replace thousands of bricks when a water line leaked onto the heavily traveled thoroughfare. Remaining bricks are uneven and do not comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Kathleen Wanatowicz is acting as a public outreach coordinator during the overhaul. She said the timing is perfect because so many new developments are being built and will need upgraded infrastructure.
The public kick off is today at Wagner Park from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4 to 6 p.m. The city recently posted a video of the corroded water system.
