Hello,

This is my contribution to Citizen's Discussion at Tuesday's City Council meeting:

Good morning,

I have submitted the following as a Letter to the Editor to the Colorado Springs Gazette.

Last fall the Gazette ran a story quoting Friends of the Peak President Steve Bremner.

He said that the first two miles of the Barr Trail are in such bad shape that this section of the trail should be closed and a reroute be built to replace it.

I am a Barr Trail hiker and I want to have input in the decision on this matter.

I have been asking the city to tell me how much it would cost to repair the existing trail.

They refuse to answer this simple question.

The trail has drainage problems and erosion damage.

The trail needs a professionally prepared drainage study.

Then the drainage improvements can be done.

After that the erosion damage on the hillside can be repaired.

This work still must be done even if the old trail is replaced because the erosion damage would continue to get worse and worse.

The public has a right to make their own informed decision.

In 2019 the city told me that Rocky Mountain Field Institute is doing $40,000 of work a year on that section of the trail. Are we to believe that the city has not learned the total cost of the needed repairs from RMFI?

I have sent repeated emails to all nine members of the City Council.

Will the City Council please tell us:

What is the estimated cost of all needed repairs to the section of the Barr Trail that the city owns?