History

Windsor-Severance-Eaton

To contact us:

Great Western Trail Authority

231 W 4th Ave, Severance, CO 80546

Tel: 970-686-1218

E-mail: GWTrail@townofseverance.org

The history of the Great Western Trail begins at the turn of the 20th Century. Irrigation was turning the great American desert into the fruitful plains. In 1905, the Great Western Railroad built 12.6 miles of new rail between Eaton and Windsor to carry sugar beets from farms to processing plants. Both freight and passenger service operated on this line until 1972, when passenger service was halted. The Great Western Sugar Company switched to hauling beets by truck in 1977, effectively idling the rail line.

As short-haul rail transport declined, a movement to preserve abandoned railroad right-of-ways for use as recreational trails gained traction, culminating in the "Rails to Trails Act" passed by Congress in 1983. The Act provided for “rail banking”, or the use of abandoned rail beds for regional trails until needed for future railroads. In 2004, The Great Western railway line from Eaton to Windsor was rail banked by its owner Omnitrax, and the rails were removed. Soon after, public meetings began to discuss a trail system utilizing the abandoned rail bed.

GWTA history:

In May 2006, the Great Western Trail Authority was formed to accept land from the railroad and build a multi-use recreational trail. In July, the towns of Eaton, Severance and Windsor signed an intergovernmental agreement to cooperate on the development of a trail connecting the three towns. In November 2006, an exclusive right-of-way was granted to the Great Western Trail Authority. A lawsuit by adjacent property owners was dismissed in Weld County court in December 2007,clearing the way for trail construction to begin in 2008.

On September 20, 2008, 2.5 miles of trail was officially opened to the public. Beginning in Severance at CR 74, the trail runs southwest toward Windsor, currently ending at the John Law Ditch trestle, southeast of CR 21 and CR 70. This trestle was damaged by fire in May of 2008, when a controlled burn of ditch weeds flared out of control. The natural surface of the rail bed was bladed to remove overgrowth, and a weed control program begun. Fencing was installed to control livestock grazing on adjacent properties. Signage was installed to mark the trail and warn of highway crossings.

In May, 2009, repairs to the damaged John Law trestle were completed, and concrete decking and railings were installed. A trestle over the Greeley #2 Ditch is being surfaced in a similar manner. When completed, the trail will connect from Severance all the way to the Windsor trail system which terminates in Winter Subdivision.

Future development:

The 6.5 mile section between Eaton and Severance has been surveyed, and consultations with adjacent landowners are ongoing. Construction of this section will require significant resources for grading, roadbed materials and fencing. Grant proposals are being developed to secure funding for trail construction from state agencies, regional transportation groups and corporate foundations. The board is also working on recruiting volunteers to assist in fundraising, publicity and trail construction. Contributions of cash, labor and materials are being solicited to speed the completion of the trail.

History