CDOT work on U.S. 36 to cause delays
Starting Monday, Aug. 18, workers will begin replacing highway signage between Estes Park and Boulder on U.S. 36, potentially causing up to 10-minute travel delays.
The project includes removing approximately 600 signs and installing 900 new signs and signposts. One-lane alternating traffic patterns along with shoulder closings are expected.
“The new signs will have better reflectivity at night to help motorists navigate the highway safely,” according to a press release issued by CDOT. The new signs will include speed limit, directional, street, mile point, guide, regulatory, and warning signs.
Work will occur Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday night through Friday from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. and is expected to last until the end of November.
Power outages and fire mitigation
While no one appreciates a power outage, some are related to fire mitigation efforts. Estes Park Power and Communications has reconfigured electrical equipment with reclosers on lines throughout its service area in the Estes Valley to reduce the risk of sparking and igniting wildfires.
Reclosers are safety devices that interrupt and attempt to restore power flow when a temporary fault, such as a lightning strike or animal contact, occurs on the line.
The reclosers attempt to restore power flow to correct an outage. Currently, they are configured with a one-shot setting implemented during Red Flag conditions to reduce fire risk, but this can increase the likelihood of power outages.
The Town’s Power and Communications crews receive instant outage notifications through the smart grid system, which allows them to respond quickly. Once the crew arrives at an outage area, they locate the source of the outage and patrol the lines nearby to ensure it is safe for them to restore power.
County grants for Community Partnering Program
The 2026 grant cycle is now open for the Larimer County Department of Natural Resources’ Small Grants for Community Partnering Program. The program awards grants to communities throughout Larimer County using a portion of the Help Preserve Open Space sales tax for nature-based neighborhood and community projects.
Applicants may request up to $4,000 for shovel-ready projects in Larimer County. Projects must be completed by the end of 2026. All grant applications must be received by 11:59 p.m. on Friday, October 10, 2025. Grant awards will be announced in mid-February 2026.
New this year, Larimer County is offering a grant eligibility quiz to help potential applicants determine if their project is a good fit for the program.
New and returning non-profit organizations, HOAs, K-12 schools, and community-based organizations are invited to apply for seed money or capacity support for projects that fit into one of the five grant categories.
Provides or enhances natural landscapes, including wildlife habitat, rivers, wetlands, outdoor community gathering spaces, neighborhood parks, greenbelts, lakes/ponds, etc.
- Provides nature-based environmental education opportunities, including outdoor education signs and materials, outdoor classrooms, workshops, training, etc.
- Opportunities for people to connect with the land via providing access to nature for those experiencing barriers, including those with limited transit options, financial obstacles, etc.
- Opportunities for people to connect with the land via local agricultural food production for projects that include practices around improving soil, water, habitat, or community connection to agriculture.
- Research on Larimer County open spaces, which provides new information on the ecology, history, visitation, and/or human dimensions of Larimer County open spaces. Projects should encourage intellectual curiosity about our natural world and/or how people connect to it.
Click here for information on how to apply and submit a strong grant application. For more information, please email Jennifer Almstead, the Small Grants Program Coordinator, or call (970) 619-4569.