Colorado Springs officials soon will begin a new project at Garden of the Gods they say will enhance the visitor experience for its 5 million annual guests by improving park safety and increasing accessibility.

Over the course of about nine months, crews will install 8,000 linear feet of new waterline and new fire hydrants in the iconic park made up of massive sandstone formations on the city’s far west side. They will also create a fully accessible parking lot and a new concrete trail to the Central Garden that will be compliant with the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act.

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The four-phase project will “improve the park in a way that ensures its beauty and accessibility is maintained for all to enjoy. Together, we are taking important steps to safeguard this iconic destination while enhancing safety and inclusivity for all visitors,” Garden of the Gods Park Manager Anna Cordova said in a joint news release Thursday.

The city’s Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department is collaborating with Colorado Springs Utilities, the Fire Department and the city’s Office of Accessibility to complete the work. The city expects to break ground in September and anticipates the project will be complete by Memorial Day 2025.

The new waterline network and fire hydrants will increase the park’s water supply capacity and distribution efficiency, according to the project webpage, improving emergency response capability and park safety.

It will also ensure a reliable water supply for restrooms throughout the park, Cordova said at a Thursday press conference. Garden of the Gods has one restroom facility that is open year-round; the waterline project will help in keeping additional restroom facilities open throughout the year, she said.

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Crews will replace about 3,200 square feet of asphalt to create a fully accessible parking lot nearer to the Central Garden. They will also replace a large portion of the concrete path from the ADA Parking Lot No. 4 on the park’s northwest side to the Central Garden, correcting “excessive slopes to provide a more easily navigable route between the two locations for persons with disabilities,” officials said in the release.

The ADA-compliant walking path is part of ongoing efforts the city has taken to increase accessibility at the park.

For example, visitors to the historic Rock Ledge Ranch site inside Garden of the Gods can now learn about its history and culture via interactive kiosks that provide narrated video tours in several formats, such as audio descriptions, American Sign Language interpretation and an option for Spanish audio and captions. The kiosks have touch screen capabilities, large text options and adjustable audio settings, the city announced Wednesday.

Additional accessible parking spots have been added to the park’s overflow parking lot at its entrance, and free ADA-compliant shuttles run from the visitor center across the street to the overflow parking lot and the Central Garden throughout the summer.

Cordova said officials will conduct archaeological monitoring throughout the project. The city also completed tribal consultations ahead of construction’s start.

Residents can provide feedback and get more information on the work during a public meeting Aug. 14, location to be announced.

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The city is splitting the cost of the approximately $2 million project with Colorado Springs Utilities, Cordova said. Funding from the Garden of the Gods Foundation, the city’s parkland dedication ordinance, lodgers and auto rental tax, and from the Office of Accessibility are helping pay for the work, she said.

Garden of the Gods park will remain open during construction, but the Gateway Trail from Juniper Way Loop to the Central Garden will be closed during the work. There could be one-lane closures on the roadway, according to the project webpage.

Detours will be in place to access Central Garden and work will be completed as quickly as possible, Cordova said.

Trail and road closures will be posted on the project webpage at coloradosprings.gov/gogwaterlineproject. People can sign up online to receive project newsletters, which will also communicate trail and road closures.