The ongoing transformation of downtown Alamosa shifts into a new phase in 2026. The city of Alamosa will begin construction on the Hunt Avenue Cultural Trail, which pairs with an upcoming grand opening of a new 90-room downtown hotel.
Both projects will impact the flow of traffic along Sixth Street and Main Street, particularly as those two one-way corridors intersect with State Avenue and Hunt Avenue.
Initial construction for the Hunt Avenue Cultural Trail will cover from Sixth Street to Main Street, with the city hoping to extend the project another half-block from Main Street to the middle of Fourth Street.
The project has been scaled back from the original design for a three-block makeover of Hunt Avenue that would have seen construction through Fourth Street and up to Cole Park.
The city received a $1.2 million Colorado Department of Transportation Revitalize Main Street grant to cover the costs. Another $178,566 in state funding is being added to build multi-modal options for bicyclists and pedestrians into the plan, bringing the total project cost to $1.39 million.
“We will not know how many blocks can be done until we have finished getting competitive quotes,” said Alamosa City Manager Heather Sanchez.
CDOT requirements for the project, which include hiring an on-site construction manager and using only CDOT-approved contractors, changed the scope of the Hunt Avenue makeover, city officials say.
“Since we can only use CDOT‑approved contractors, we have to use CDOT unit pricing and build a budget that reflects those inflated numbers,” said Alamosa Public Works Director Harry Reynolds. “When we do that, the cost of construction easily doubles — if not more — compared to what we are used to paying locally. We also have to assume the worst‑case scenario, which means using a CDOT‑approved contractor who will add per diem expenses on top of already high prices.”
The Hunt Avenue block from Sixth to Main Street will see new pavement, crosswalk enhancements and pedestrian-scale lighting. The redesign includes movable planters, interpretive storytelling, wayfinding signage, xeriscape landscaping, and new public art.
If funding exists, the city plans to continue construction north toward Fourth Street for another half-block.
“After that portion is finished, in the future, we can complete the rest of Hunt Avenue using local contractors at more reasonable prices,” Reynolds said.
Construction on the project is expected to start this summer and be completed by the end of 2026.
“CDOT will support the project as best we can, but we must also make sure that state and federal requirements are upheld. And as mentioned above, the project is currently (partly) in the CDOT right-of-way and impacts the state highway system,” said Bridget McDougall, CDOT local agency projects engineer.