Historic Arkansas River Project
Pueblo:
Pueblo is a beautiful desert city and the gateway to Southeast Colorado. It has been an important crossroads for transportation and trading for more than 150 years. Two major railroad lines run through Pueblo, Burlington Northern and Union Pacific. It is easily accessible by highway as Interstate 25 travels through the heart of the city and is a direct connection to Colorado Springs and Denver. State Highway 59 runs through the city as well. It is a main route to Kansas and Utah.
Demographics:
Population – 106,544 (2010 census)
Racial Makeup – (2010 census)
White – 75%
Black /African American – 3%
American Indian – 2%
Some other race – 20%
Hispanic Origin – 49%
Downtown Revitalization:
Recent urban revitalization efforts have transformed the downtown area of the community. It is undergoing a renaissance and there has been an explosion of creative arts. The area is packed with galleries, museums, street sculpture, live music and festivals.
Projects that contributed to the urban renewal include the implementation of art in public spaces, installing permeable brick pavers in downtown pedestrian alleyways, restoration of a number of historic buildings, construction of new structures, sprucing up the area with wrought iron planters, trash receptacles, bike racks and adding benches to create a welcoming environment. Walkers along the river trail enjoy the view of the beautiful new 4th Street Bridge and Downtown.
Historic Arkansas Riverwalk Project:
Pueblo is experiencing a rebirth due to the development of the Historic Arkansas Riverwalk Project, also called HARP (Historic Arkansas River Project). HARP was built ten years ago in an effort to revitalize the city’s core. Since the Riverwalk was built, more than $260 million in private and public development has taken place in the City Center. The downtown Riverwalk was modeled
closely after the famous riverwalk in San Antonio, Texas. Today, HARP is a 26-acre, urban, water-based, multi-generational recreational and environmental amenity that is publicly owned and free of charge to all.